How to Read Music. Musical notation for almost everyone!
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What you will learn here.
Free How to Read Music lessons provide the basic knowledge of music notation, which will allow you to explore thousands of songs written for piano or electronic keyboard.
Music notation lessons cover the treble clef, the bass clef, the music staff , key signatures, time signatures, note duration and basic fingering rules for the piano.
How much do I need to know about how to read music?
Let me assure you that you don't need to know everything about reading music at all to enjoy yourself making music on piano.
I sat at the piano for hours as a child and picked out melodies and chords and just experimented or improvised and developed a love for music.
If you are a parent I encourage you to place you child in front of a keyboard instrument and let them really PLAY at music.
Where is the music before it is written?
My answer is in two parts.
First music comes from the heart!
When I sit and give a first lesson to a beginner I tell them, and I am telling you that the music is not on the page to start with.
It is inside you!
I always begin with giving the brand new students a few specially chosen notes on the piano to focus on, usually just 5 notes, A, B, C, D, and E.
I will play a simple chord progression in the key of C and ask the student to play whatever they feel.
It is often amazing to hear what comes out naturally.
The student can't make a mistake because I understand the relationship of those five notes to the chords I am playing underneath which brings me to the second part of the answer
. Music comes also from the mind.
The reason my first lesson experiment works is that I know, and if you continue to learn from this site, you will too, the relationship between scales, or melodies, and chords, or harmonies.
So what does this have to do with learning how to read music?
The bottom line is if you are an adult beginner and NOT interested in playing classical music, concentrate on learning the treble clef, musical notation, and how to understand chord symbols.
If strictly reading grand staff classical music is your goal you may need to supplement these lessons with private lessons from a classical music piano teacher. I can direct you on choosing the right online teacher or local teacher and also recommend some great printed teaching methods.
Ready to get started? Click the link below to begin.
Rhythmic notation.
For an introduction to understanding note values and how to read and notate them click the link below.
understanding rhythmic notation
Time Signatures.
Learn what you need to know about time signatures or popular music. All the basics you will need to know......click below
Reading treble clef music.
This free lesson will get you started learning to read treble clef "fake book music" like the professionals. Click the link below.
More treble clef lessons.
Click the links below for lessons designed to increase you speed music skills.
treble clef lesson for Silent Night
More information on reading the Bass Clef
This lesson will help you better understand the Bass clef and what to do with that knowledge.
Understanding more Music Symbols.
For more information on the music symbols you will encounter while playing, click the link below
More about Music Symbols
from how to read music to free piano lessons for life HOME
Best Home Study for "Ear Players"
After checking out dozens of home study courses that teach you to play by ear and focus on chord progressions I am convinced that the folks at Hear and Play have the best, most well rounded program available for just about all styles of music from Gospel to Jazz. Read my review or visit Hear and Play for more information.
Contact me
If you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas for future lessons feel free to Contact Me.
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