Learn the difference between treble and bass clef. Treble clef is the mid to high range of notes, while the bass clef is the mid to low range of notes. See the image to see the difference between the symbols for each clef.
Know the letters that correspond to each note. Notes range from A to G and repeat. The two clefs meet on middle C. To remember where notes fall on a staff, it is important to remember a few pneumonic devices.The notes on the five lines of the treble clef in ascending order are E, G, B, D, F or Every Good Boy Does Fine. The notes on the four spaces of the treble clef in ascending order are F, A, C, E or Face.The notes on the fives lines of the bass clef in ascending order are G, B, D, F, A or Good Boys Do Fine Always. The notes on the four spaces of the bass clef in ascending order are A, C, E, G or All Cows Eat Grass.
Know when to play the black notes. When a key signature other than C major or an accidental appears in a piece of music, you will play at least one of the black keys. Key signatures will appear beside the treble or bass clef symbol in the form of one or more sharps, #, or flats, b.
Determine when a note is flat or sharp. When the black note happens above the white note, the note is considered sharp. When the black note occurs below the white note, the note is considered sharp. So, the same black note can be both sharp and flat depending on the music. For example, find a D on the piano. Notice how there is a black note on each side of D. The black note to the left would be Db and the one to the right is D#. The one to the left would also be considered C# if the key signature used sharps instead of flats.
Understand how time is represented by notes. Notes are drawn differently to represent a different amount of beats. A solid, filled circle is considered a half note. This note receives half the beat on a bar.A solid, empty circle is a whole note and will be the only note played for that bar.A note with a vertical line is a quarter note and receives ¼ of the bar.At this point, flags are added to the vertical line. With each flag, the note is quartered. For instance, one flag is an eighth note and two flags is a sixteenth note.
Learn how to read a time signature. The time signature is important in determining how many beats each note is worth. When no time signature is present, the time is 4/4. The bottom number tells you how many beats are in each bar. The top number represents how many quarter notes or beats are in a bar.