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How to Read Music With Free Lessons

Learning to read music will enhance your musical knowledge, and may be a prerequisite for joining a school or community music ensemble. Once you can read music, you can learn pieces in new styles and understand the role your part plays in an ensemble. Several free resources are available to help you learn to read music and test your musical literacy.

Things You'll Need

  • Staff paper
  • Sheet music
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Instructions

    • 1

      Check out a book on basic music theory from your local library. Check out at least one song book.

    • 2

      Follow an online tutorial on identifying clefs, notes, time and key signatures and the other items on the music staff. The first lesson should be on identifying pitches noted on the spaces and lines of the treble clef. Complete any quizzes in the tutorial.

    • 3

      Complete the quizzes or assignments in your book on a separate sheet of staff paper.

    • 4

      Select a song from the song book. Identify the time and key signatures. Identify each pitch and note or rest value. Read the piece by singing it or playing it on a piano or guitar. The staff containing notes to be sung will appear above the staff for the piano.

Music Basics

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