The Language Of

Music
Music Theory
Staff, Clefs, Time, Notation
By Mr. White

The Staf

5 lines and 4 spaces

numbering starts at the bottom

The Staf

5 lines and 4 spaces

numbering starts at the bottom

Treble Clef

Also know as the G

clef
For instruments with higher pitches
Flute, Trumpet, Recorder, Guitar

Notation

F G

A B

C D E

Bass Clef

Also known as the F clef

For instruments with lower pitches
Bassoon, Trombone, Bass Guitar

Notation

A B

C D E

G A

Other Clefs

Alto Clef

Tenor Clef

Notes

Whole Note

Notes

Half Note

Notes

Quarter Note

Notes

Eighth Note

Notes

Eighth Notes
Connected with a bar

Measure & Bar Lines

Bar line

measure

Bar line

measure

Double Bar
Song or Section End

Time Signature

Top number indicates how many beats are in a measure

Bottom number indicates which note gets 1 beat

Time Signature
=

Use the music substitution method to create

the fraction the note represents for the
bottom number

Time Signature

Time Signature

Time Signature

Rests

Whole

Half

Quarter Eighth

Rests

Whole

Half

Quarter Eighth

Notes and Rests

Whole

Half

Quarter Eighth

Counting

1-2-3-4

1-2-3-4

Counting

1-2

3-4

1-2

3-4

Counting

2 3 4

1 2

3 4

Counting

1 a 2 a 3 a 4 a1 a 2 a 3 a 4

Reading Music
G

1 2 3-4

BAG

1a 2 3-4

1-2-3