Guitar_Tabs
READING MUSIC BASICS
By: Grandpa
Reading music to me is easier then reading TAB. But I learned to read music in the 3rd grade when I
took saxophone in school. However, even though I can read music. I personally don’t know where the
notes are on a guitar. I took saxophone and trumpet in public schools not the guitar!
In time, I'll have one of our Users on our channel discuss notes and the guitar. Then may be I will
learn something new and know where the notes are on the guitar. Its should be that difficult even
thought there are six (6) strings and something like 19 frets on a guitar. So on a guitar one (1)
note could be played in several different places. Question is where and why?
As one of our Users on #guitartab told me: “I don’t know how you can read notes and not TAB?”
Fact is I guess I have a mental block!
You learn how to read notes one at a time.
There are 2 basic kinds of clefs. The clef you will see on your music depends on what instrument you
play.
When you look at a sheet of music, you will see two (2) CLEFS: 1. Treble Clef and 2. Bass Clef.
You might wonder why there are 2 different clefs. The reason is that most instruments using the bass clef usually have a lower pitch (sound) and regulary play low notes. If they were to use the treble clef the notes would appear so far below the staff it would be hard to read.
Here are the the names of the notes for both clefs. Although you only really need to know 1 or the other, it is good practice to know both.
The treble clef:
The bass clef:
The fact of the matter is, you only have severn (7) basic notes and they are: A-B-C-D-E-F-G. Anyone
can remember 8 things. Especially the letter from A to G! You already know these and in order from
learning your alphabet. Now all you have to do is hook them up to the treble clef and that isn't
hard to do either.
On the treble clef, the notes that fall on the lines in ascending order are E G B D F which can
easily be remembered by the phrase "Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge" in which the first letter of
the words corresponds to the note name. The empty spaced between the lines in ascending order are
F A C E which can easily be remembered since they spell the word "FACE". So if you put them together
you get E F G A B C D E for the notes on the treble clef. I will draw a diagram to better illustrate these note names:
All you have to do is remember this saying: "EVERY GOOD BOY DOES FINE (E,G,B,D,F) The following notes are from left to right named E G B D F:
The following notes are from left to right named F A C E:
The following picture shows all the notes on the treble clef from left to right named
E F G A B C D E F.
There is a lot more to reading music. However, the above is the basics! I will add and discuss other
things in the future such as FLATS and SHARPS as well as NOTE TIMING and different symbols. So check
this page out at least on a weekly basis. Start now in learning your notes. This should take you
less then a week to do! I will also get into the BASS CLEF for those of you who need to know!
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