Easy Music Theory
learn to read guitar music

Music theory is the basic for learning any musical instruments or vocals. Therefore take time to study this section so that it will be much easier for you to understand and read guitar music.

Knowing guitar theory is definitely a great advantage to you for playing the guitar well.

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Music Theory Part I

The Stave

A grid with five lines (called a stave or staff) is used, for writing music. The lines and spaces are used to show the pitch and values of notes used. In guitar music the treble clef is used. It starts from the second line of the grid on the G note. (Refer to e.g.1 & 1a below)

Music Theory Example 1

Music Theory Example 1a

Practise reading these notes on the lines and in the spaces. Visualise the notes on your fret-board.

Music Theory examples 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1f, 1g & 1h below show the different notes on the various guitar strings.

Example 1b

Example 1c

Example 1d

Example 1e

Example 1f

Example 1g

Example 1h

The Treble Staff (Notes and Positions) - refer to e.g. 2 below

Example 2

Notes written on five lines:

beginning with the 1st line E,

2nd line G,

3rd line B,

4th line D and

5th line F

Notes written in the spaces:

1st space F,

2nd space A,

3rd space C and

4th space E.

To remember the notes and positions on the treble clef memorise these two phrases.

For the lines from the bottom to the top:

Every Good Boy Does Fine

For the spaces:

F A C E

The Staff and Open Strings (refer to example 3)

Example 3

The low E note refers to the 6th open string.

The A note to the 5th open string.

The D note to the 4thopen string.

The G note to the 3rd open string.

The B note to the 2nd open string.

The E note to the 1st open string.

Recognising Different Note Names and Beats

* A Semibreve or whole note is held for four beats. (Refer to e.g 3a below)

Example 3a

* A Minim or Half note is held for two beats

* A Crotchet or Quarter note is held for one beat (refer e.g.3a above)

* A Quaver or Eight note is held for half a beat

* A SemiQuaver or Sixteenth note is held for half an eight note

* A Demi-SemiQuaver or Thirty-second note is held for half a sixteenth note.

Notes and Positions on the Fret-board (refer example 4a below)



Example 4a

Rests : periods of silence (refer to e.g.3a above)

Semibreve or Whole note rest

Minim or Half note rest

Crotchet or Quarter note rest

Quaver or Eight note rest

SemiQuaver or Sixteenth note rest

Demi-SemiQuaver or Thirty Second note rest

Notes and Stems

The stems on the notes can be written up or down. To keep music organised and neat, any note written above the middle line should have the stems pointing downwards and if a note falls on the middle line, you have a choice to place the stem up or down. (refer to e.g.5 below)

Example 5

To repeat a measure, this symbol is used (Refer to e.g.5a below)

In e.g.5b above, the dots placed near the bar line require the four measures to be repeated again.



What are Bar Lines?

Reading and counting music is made easier with the introduction of bar-lines. These vertical lines help divide the bars into readable material.

A Bar, also called a measure, is the space between two Bar-lines.

Bar-lines help define the music into phrases or sections. A double Bar-line is used to marked the end of the music. (refer to e.g. 6 below)

Example 6

This melody will make you understand the different note lengths and rhythm (refer to e.g. 7 below).

Example 7

Tap your feet to a steady count of 1 2 3 4 and play through the example with a comfortable tempo.

To get the timing and notes right, practice until you get the feel of how the values and rhythm fit.

What are Leger Lines?

Notes above or below the stave are written on Leger Lines to show its position. (see e.g. 8 and e.g.8a below)

Example 8

Music Theory Examples 9, 10, 11 & 12 below explain what slurs and dotted notes are about.

The following exercise will show you how to count the notes and rests. (refer to Example 9 below)

Example 9

What is a Tie? (Refer to Example 10 below)

Notes can sometimes be held over to the next bar, or may be joined together by a curved line called a Tie. It gives the note a longer duration.

Example 10

When a group of notes have a line drawn over it, this indicates that it should be played smoothly and it is called a Slur. Musical phrases are always marked with Slurs.

Example 11

What are Dotted Notes?

A dot placed after a note increases its value by half (refer Example 12 below)

Example 12

A minum and a dot is held for 3 counts.A crotchet and a dot is held for 1+1/2 counts. If there are two dots after a note, each dot takes half the value of the previous dot. (Refer to Example 13 below)

Example 13

Example 14

Note: Refer back to e.g. 2 and 3 above for note names, positions and types of rests.)

Once you are familiar with this lesson, you can proceed to Music Theory II.

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