Learn treble and bass clef. Look to the far left side of the music staff. Identify treble clefs by the large "&-like" symbol at the start of the score. Identify bass clefs with a symbol similar to a backwards letter "C". Treble and bass clef are music symbols indicating notes. Notes are arranged on the music staff. The staff comprises five black lines and four white spaces. Each line and space represents a different note. Treble clef is used for most soprano, alto and tenor singing. Bass clef is used for baritone and bass singing.
Identify your range. Try hitting vocal notes. Notice what notes you are most comfortable hitting to help you pinpoint your range. A standard vocal range goes from a C note to a G note in the same octave. Singers with extended ranges can belt out notes from a C note in one octave to the C note in the subsequent octave -- hitting all sharp and flat notes in between.
Learn time measure and rhythm. Look at the digits in the first staff at the beginning of each sheet of music. The digits indicate the number beats per measure. A "4/4" time measure, for example, means there are four beats per measure. A "3/4" time measure indicates three beats per measure. Different note patterns indicate the rhythm. A measure with four eighth notes has twice as many notes per measure as one with four quarter notes. Alternatively, A measure with four sixteenth notes has twice as many notes per measure as one with four eighth notes. Consult a sheet music reading guide to learn all the types of notes used to formulate measures.