Learning to read music thread.......

[Hooligan]

OK, time for alot of really stupid questions.

Guitar music will use which cleff, Treble or Bass?

Also I am reading about noting on the cleff individual notes. Why is the staff pointed up some times vs. down other times.

Also, I am reading about notes on the cleff. As a strummer do I play that particular chord or do I have to add up those notes and know the G,B,D is a G chord?

I am sure you scholars are laughing right now......But I am super motivated and I'm gonna ask a ton of questions. I'm gonna get this licked before I'm done.

[BuckyB]

OK, time for a lot of really stupid questions.

No stupid questions here. But I sometimes give stupid answers!

Guitar music will use which clef, Treble or Bass?

Treble, but it sounds an octave lower than written.

Also I am reading about noting on the clef individual notes. Why is the staff pointed up some times vs. down other times.

It can go up or down and it makes no difference to the sound. It's just wherever there's more room for it or where it looks best.

Also, I am reading about notes on the clef. As a strummer do I play that particular chord or do I have to add up those notes and know the G,B,D is a G chord?

Not sure I understand, but if it shows a G, B & D, you should try to play them as written. Yes, they make a G chord, but don't just play the regular 6-string G chord.

I am sure you scholars are laughing right now......But I am super motivated and I'm gonna ask a ton of questions. I'm gonna get this licked before I'm done.

No laughing here. I salute you for embarking on this journey. Plenty of guitarists never do, but you'll be a better musician in the long run for it.

[Hooligan]

Ah, then I read about the circle of fifths. No I understand about adding sharps. Two sharps equals a D (F#,C#)..... WooHoo

Viking thanks for the tasty link. I am tearing up that web site....... Man I love Norwegians !

[TheViking]

awww you guys, I feel the love.

[Hooligan]

Not sure I understand, but if it shows a G, B & D, you should try to play them as written. Yes, they make a G chord, but don't just play the regular 6-string G chord.





What I mean is when do I know to play notes individually or strum a chord? I see notes on a cleff but not chords for strumming? When do notes turn into chords?

[Teleguy]

When they are in a stack, all on the same beat.

It's like reading English. You go from left to right and it moves along horizontal. When there's a bunch of notes vertical: that's a chord.

Most guitar music charts for Worship, and many lead sheets (of a song) have the melody in the staff (just treble clef: five lines) as single notes and the chords written above the staff: Em, G7, etc.

They are usually written above the beat you play 'em on. Usually the first beat in the measure, or they can be on beats one and three, etc etc: like song sheets with just lyrics and the chord letters above certain lyrics for when you change them (on that word).

Notes in a stack are usually written on a Grand Staff (like piano music: with bass and treble clef). Lead sheets are usually just treble clef single note lines with chords written above as letters.

[MrMike]

To further complicate matters, it seems that many charts are written by people who don't play guitar. While theoretically correct, they are either physically impossible to play or just sound really dumb. Sometimes you have to interpret, or just use the chart as a framework to work from. Don't beat yourself up too badly if you can't play a part exactly as written; it would probably sound goofy even if you could!

[Brian]

...Guitar music will use which cleff, Treble or Bass?......Treble, but it sounds an octave lower than written....Known as 8va, but no worries, just realize where the written notes are on the guitar. Occasionally Guitar will use the Grand Staff Steve mentions with the Treble clef over the Bass cleff without chords written like piano music but it's pretty rare. It can be a good idea to learn how to read bass cleff in case you are in a situiation where only a piano chart with no chords above the staff is available but wait until you gain some comfort with treble clef. Also, many/most Worship music Rhythm charts are written with piano & keyboard synth in mind. They often have a grand staff with both treble and bass cleff notation and chords written above the staff as Steve mentions.

...Most guitar music charts for Worship, and many lead sheets (of a song) have the melody in the staff (just treble clef: five lines) as single notes and the chords written above the staff: Em, G7, etc. They are usually written above the beat you play 'em on. Usually the first beat in the measure, or they can be on beats one and three, etc etc: like song sheets with just lyrics and the chord letters above certain lyrics for when you change them (on that word)... Lead sheets are usually just treble clef single note lines with chords written above as letters.What I like about notation is the chord changes are written over the note (beat) where they are to be played. I don't have to guess where the chord changes are if I don't know the piece.

To further complicate matters, it seems that many charts are written by people who don't play guitar. While theoretically correct, they are either physically impossible to play or just sound really dumb. Sometimes you have to interpret, or just use the chart as a framework to work from. Don't beat yourself up too badly if you can't play a part exactly as written; it would probably sound goofy even if you could!This is GREAT stuff and where having a working knowledge of the Chord Theory Basics stuff; especially Simplification, really pays off. +1!

[Hooligan]

Yeah, see there is an immediate advantage to knowing how to read the music. Often times playing along with a cd etc say in an instrumental there have been times where chord changes have been difficult to detect and therefore keep up with. Being able to see where the chord changes in relation to the beat rather than lyrics is a huge help. or will be...........

[mattd]

Also I am reading about noting on the cleff individual notes. Why is the staff pointed up some times vs. down other times.





On a treble staff the middle note is B. anything below that should have the stem pointed up, anything above that B should be pointed down. exceptions would be chords or if you have two notes (different lines of music, not a chord) happening at the same time. if you have a chord the stem should be pointed in the direction that the lowest note would be, if you have two seperate lines then the higher note would point up, the lower note down.