Standard notation is the traditional system used to write music, allowing musicians to read and perform pieces accurately across different instruments and styles. It uses a staff, notes, and various symbols to represent pitch, rhythm, dynamics, and expression.
- Written on a five-line staff.
- Covers all musical elements for performance.
- Universally understood by trained musicians.
Standard notation is the system that uses staffs, notes, and symbols to represent music on paper.
Standard notation is made up of the staff, notes, clefs, rhythms, and various expressive symbols.
The Staff
The staff is the set of five horizontal lines where notes and musical symbols are placed.
The staff is the foundation of standard notation, consisting of five horizontal lines and four spaces. Each line and space represents a specific pitch, which is determined by the clef.
- Five lines, four spaces.
- Each line/space = specific pitch.
- Clefs assign exact pitches to lines/spaces.
A staff has five lines and four spaces.
A clef assigns pitch names to the lines and spaces of the staff.
Clefs
Treble clef and bass clef are the common clefs used in standard notation.
Clefs are symbols placed at the beginning of the staff to indicate the pitch of the notes on the lines and spaces. The most common clefs are:
- Treble clef: for higher pitches (e.g., violin, right hand piano).
- Bass clef: for lower pitches (e.g., cello, bass guitar, left hand piano).
Treble clef covers high pitches, while bass clef covers low pitches.
Violin, flute, guitar, and trumpet commonly use the treble clef.
Cello, double bass, bass guitar, and tuba commonly use the bass clef.
Notes and Pitches
Notes represent pitch by their vertical position on the staff, as determined by the clef.
Musical notes are symbols placed on the staff to indicate pitch and duration. The vertical position of a note shows its pitch:
- Higher position = higher pitch.
- Lower position = lower pitch.
The standard note names are A, B, C, D, E, F, and G.
The note names are A through G.
Rhythmic Values
Whole, half, quarter, and eighth notes are common rhythmic values.
The shape of a note tells you how long to hold it (rhythm):
| Note Type | Description | Symbol |
|---|---|---|
| Whole Note | Longest duration | Open oval |
| Half Note | Half of whole | Open oval with stem |
| Quarter Note | Half of half note | Filled oval with stem |
| Eighth Note | Half of quarter note | Filled oval with stem + flag |
- Whole note: open oval, no stem.
- Half note: open oval with stem.
- Quarter note: filled oval with stem.
- Eighth note: like quarter, but with a flag.
A quarter note is one-fourth the duration of a whole note.
Rhythm is shown by note shapes, stems, flags, and rests.
Rests are symbols that show silence for a set amount of time.
Dynamics and Expression
Standard notation also uses symbols and words to show how music should sound beyond just pitch and rhythm.
- Dynamics: Indicate volume (e.g., p for soft, f for loud).
- Articulations: Show how to play notes (e.g., staccato, legato).
- Tempo markings: Indicate speed (e.g., Allegro, Adagio).
Summary
Standard notation uses a five-line staff, clefs, notes, and symbols to convey every detail of a musical performance. It is a precise, universal language that connects musicians across instruments and styles.
- Staff: five lines/spaces for pitch.
- Notes: show pitch and rhythm.
- Clefs: assign pitch to staff lines.
- Extra symbols: for dynamics, expression, tempo.
The clef assigns pitch to the staff's lines and spaces.
A half note is an open oval with a stem and sounds for half the duration of a whole note.
You can also find dynamics, expression marks, and tempo instructions.
Exercises
- Name That Note: Given a treble clef staff with notes placed on it, name each note from bottom to top.
- Rhythm Matching: Match note symbols (whole, half, quarter, eighth) with their correct rhythmic descriptions.
- Clef Identification: List three instruments that use the treble clef and three that use the bass clef.