Identify whether the music is written on a bass or treble clef. Generally, fiddle music will be written on the treble clef, and the fiddle player will take the melody of the song. The treble clef looks like a "g," and is likely to be a familiar symbol. The bass clef looks like a hook, or a reversed "c." For the treble clef, the lines (from top to bottom) represent the notes E, G, B, D and F and the spaces represent the notes F, A, C and E. Any notes that fall in these positions therefore represent these notes.
Look to the right of the clef to find the time signature. The time signature is usually represented by two numbers, one above the other. Find a "C" symbol in this spot to identify the piece as being in "common" time, or 4/4. Understand that the top number represents the amount of beats in the bar, and the bottom number merely gives an indication of the period of time represented by each bar. One beat in 4/4 time therefore takes up a quarter of the bar. Some Scottish fiddle songs have unusual time signatures, such as 9/8.
Determine the difference between the various types of notes that appear on the staff. Look for a note with a filled in spot and a stem to find a quarter note, which is the most common type of note (taking up one beat of a 4/4 bar). Find a note with a tail at the end of the stem to locate an eighth note (taking up half a beat of a 4/4 bar), and one with a hollowed-out center to find a half note (two beats from a 4/4 bar). Hold each note for the relevant amount of time, which is determined by the time signature and the type of note. If a note has a dot to the right of it, that adds one extra half of its original length to it. For example, a dotted half note becomes a three-beat note in a 4/4 bar.
Find a sharp (#) or flat (b) symbol next to a note to identify it as a sharp or flat. A sharp note, marked by a hash symbol, is half a step higher than the note as written. For example, a D note with a sharp symbol next to it becomes a D sharp. Flats work in the same way, except that they lower the pitch of a note by a half step. If there are sharp or flat symbols on certain lines between the clef and the time signature, it indicates that the notes that fall on those lines are always sharp or flat. You can use this to identify the key of the piece.