COMPLETE TEACHING STUDY
GUIDE
,Piano Sight Reading: A Beginner's Guide
Ever wondered how somebody can pick up a piece of written music and just
start playing it perfectly? It's not magic (or cheating), they've simply learned the
skill of piano sight reading – and you can too!
Last updated on 10 Oct. 2022
With the right knowledge and proper practice, you'll be able to read and play
practically any piece of music you come across. Sounds good, right? Then let's
jump right into it – beginning with a basic understanding of how to read written
music.
The basics of reading music
Music is a language. Like any language, music has a written form: musical notation.
This includes a vocabulary of notes, markings, and symbols that tell you what to
play, when to play it, and how to play it. Here are the key elements that make up
musical notation.
The staff
Music is notated on what we call the grand staff. Each note written on the grand
staff tells you which corresponding key to play on the piano. The first symbol that
appears at the beginning of every music staff is a clef symbol. It tells you which
note (A, B, C, D, E, F, or G) is found on each line or space.
The grand staff consists of a treble clef at the top and bass clef below, as shown
in the following image.
Typically, you play the notes on the treble clef with your right hand and the notes
on the bass clef with your left hand.
,Middle C and other notes
The lines and spaces of the grand staff are home to various musical symbols,
including notes. Middle C lies in the gap between the staves, above the bass clef
and below the treble clef. Just as it is the center point for orientation on the staff,
so it is on the keyboard.
Now, we'll focus on how to find your way around the notes of the treble clef. First,
find middle C (highlighted on the staff and keyboard below.) From here, follow the
sequence of the musical alphabet (A to G) to name all the notes found on the
treble staff.
, Instead of counting up from middle C every time, you can use memory aids to
identify the notes.
The four spaces of the treble staff spell out "FACE:"
The five lines of the treble staff are EGBDF. We've heard "Every Good Boy Does
Fine" or "Every Girl Boss Does Fine."
GUIDE
,Piano Sight Reading: A Beginner's Guide
Ever wondered how somebody can pick up a piece of written music and just
start playing it perfectly? It's not magic (or cheating), they've simply learned the
skill of piano sight reading – and you can too!
Last updated on 10 Oct. 2022
With the right knowledge and proper practice, you'll be able to read and play
practically any piece of music you come across. Sounds good, right? Then let's
jump right into it – beginning with a basic understanding of how to read written
music.
The basics of reading music
Music is a language. Like any language, music has a written form: musical notation.
This includes a vocabulary of notes, markings, and symbols that tell you what to
play, when to play it, and how to play it. Here are the key elements that make up
musical notation.
The staff
Music is notated on what we call the grand staff. Each note written on the grand
staff tells you which corresponding key to play on the piano. The first symbol that
appears at the beginning of every music staff is a clef symbol. It tells you which
note (A, B, C, D, E, F, or G) is found on each line or space.
The grand staff consists of a treble clef at the top and bass clef below, as shown
in the following image.
Typically, you play the notes on the treble clef with your right hand and the notes
on the bass clef with your left hand.
,Middle C and other notes
The lines and spaces of the grand staff are home to various musical symbols,
including notes. Middle C lies in the gap between the staves, above the bass clef
and below the treble clef. Just as it is the center point for orientation on the staff,
so it is on the keyboard.
Now, we'll focus on how to find your way around the notes of the treble clef. First,
find middle C (highlighted on the staff and keyboard below.) From here, follow the
sequence of the musical alphabet (A to G) to name all the notes found on the
treble staff.
, Instead of counting up from middle C every time, you can use memory aids to
identify the notes.
The four spaces of the treble staff spell out "FACE:"
The five lines of the treble staff are EGBDF. We've heard "Every Good Boy Does
Fine" or "Every Girl Boss Does Fine."
