C H A P T E R 1 The Basics of
Reading Music
INSTRUCTOR’S MANUAL
Definition of Theory
Ask your students if they know what theory is about. Most of them will have no idea what they have
signed up for! Explain to them that the study of music theory can make them better musicians and per-
formers, better in their solo work and their ensembles, better at classical music and jazz.
Go through the style periods (Table 1) and discuss each of them. Ask students to name historical
figures, literary figures, and musical figures from each period. Ask them questions about the names of the
periods. For example, what were the Middle Ages in the middle of? What does the word “Renaissance”
mean? What does “Baroque” mean? What relationship does the Classical period have to the Classics?
What does Romantic mean, if not love? Be sure to call their attention to the term “Common Practice.”
That will come up repeatedly throughout Theory Essentials.
Music Notation
There are examples of early notation (from the Middle Ages and Renaissance) on the website. Show
them to your students. Students are often fascinated to learn that the earliest notation appeared to be
little more than “squiggles” and that the earliest staves did not contain five lines. The musical alphabet
seems simple enough to students, until you inform them that they must know it (literally) backward and
forward. Encourage them to practice saying it backward from G to A as they walk between classes or
drive in their cars. Challenge them to master it in a day.
Naming Notes
Many of your students will already read music. If so, the material in this section will be a review. How-
ever, even the most “seasoned” reader of music may not know some of the facts presented here. Many
students read music fluently without ever knowing what the function of a clef sign is. Yes, they know that
treble means high and bass means low, but they don’t realize that the lines and spaces are named the way
they are because the clef signs impart their names to one line of the staff. Drill the “real” names of the
clefs, not the nicknames. Some students will need or want extra practice in note naming. There are several
pages of supplementary exercises in the web version of Chapter 1.
1
The Grand Staff and Ledger Lines
The most difficult part of the ledger lines section is the exercise on rewriting given notes in a staff with a
different clef (Practice Box 1.3). This exercise is crucial because it represents the kind of thought process
needed later for part writing. (For example, the tenor voice needs a D, but many students will be con-
fused about which D is required, the line note on the staff or the ledger line note above the staff.) When
students have trouble with this exercise, remind them to ask themselves this question: “Is the given note
above or below Middle C?” The answer to this question will also have to be true of the note they write.
Tell them to imagine Middle C as a point of reference.
It is also important to emphasize that the ottava sign is primarily used above the treble staff and
below the bass staff. This sign is rarely (if ever) used to lower treble clef notes or to raise bass clef notes.
Octave Identification
&
?
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
mayfield.Figure 1.17
The system presented here is not the only system of octave identification in use. Two other viable systems
are demonstrated below and may be taught in addition to or in place of the system presented in the book.
AAA – BBB CC – BB C – B c – b c 1 – b 1 c 2 – b 2 c 3 – b 3 c 4 – b 4 c 5
sub-contra contra great small c 1 – b 1 c 2 – b 2 c 3 – b 3 c 4 – b 4 c 5
2 CHAPTER 1 | The Basics of Reading Music
Half and Whole Steps
One of the most helpful skills a teacher can acquire is the ability to draw a keyboard diagram on the
board quickly! The discussion of half and whole steps begins the students’ visualization of the piano key-
board, and you will often needs to help them see distances by drawing diagrams on your board.
It can be very helpful to do verbal drills in class. Name two letters of the alphabet that are a step
apart and ask if the distance is a half step or a whole step.
Accidentals
The most common misconception here is that flats and sharps always refer to black keys. Begin by teach-
ing the names of the black keys, but then bring up the possibility of something like E#. Remind students
that there is nothing in the definition of either of these terms that says they have to be black keys on the
Reading Music
INSTRUCTOR’S MANUAL
Definition of Theory
Ask your students if they know what theory is about. Most of them will have no idea what they have
signed up for! Explain to them that the study of music theory can make them better musicians and per-
formers, better in their solo work and their ensembles, better at classical music and jazz.
Go through the style periods (Table 1) and discuss each of them. Ask students to name historical
figures, literary figures, and musical figures from each period. Ask them questions about the names of the
periods. For example, what were the Middle Ages in the middle of? What does the word “Renaissance”
mean? What does “Baroque” mean? What relationship does the Classical period have to the Classics?
What does Romantic mean, if not love? Be sure to call their attention to the term “Common Practice.”
That will come up repeatedly throughout Theory Essentials.
Music Notation
There are examples of early notation (from the Middle Ages and Renaissance) on the website. Show
them to your students. Students are often fascinated to learn that the earliest notation appeared to be
little more than “squiggles” and that the earliest staves did not contain five lines. The musical alphabet
seems simple enough to students, until you inform them that they must know it (literally) backward and
forward. Encourage them to practice saying it backward from G to A as they walk between classes or
drive in their cars. Challenge them to master it in a day.
Naming Notes
Many of your students will already read music. If so, the material in this section will be a review. How-
ever, even the most “seasoned” reader of music may not know some of the facts presented here. Many
students read music fluently without ever knowing what the function of a clef sign is. Yes, they know that
treble means high and bass means low, but they don’t realize that the lines and spaces are named the way
they are because the clef signs impart their names to one line of the staff. Drill the “real” names of the
clefs, not the nicknames. Some students will need or want extra practice in note naming. There are several
pages of supplementary exercises in the web version of Chapter 1.
1
The Grand Staff and Ledger Lines
The most difficult part of the ledger lines section is the exercise on rewriting given notes in a staff with a
different clef (Practice Box 1.3). This exercise is crucial because it represents the kind of thought process
needed later for part writing. (For example, the tenor voice needs a D, but many students will be con-
fused about which D is required, the line note on the staff or the ledger line note above the staff.) When
students have trouble with this exercise, remind them to ask themselves this question: “Is the given note
above or below Middle C?” The answer to this question will also have to be true of the note they write.
Tell them to imagine Middle C as a point of reference.
It is also important to emphasize that the ottava sign is primarily used above the treble staff and
below the bass staff. This sign is rarely (if ever) used to lower treble clef notes or to raise bass clef notes.
Octave Identification
&
?
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
mayfield.Figure 1.17
The system presented here is not the only system of octave identification in use. Two other viable systems
are demonstrated below and may be taught in addition to or in place of the system presented in the book.
AAA – BBB CC – BB C – B c – b c 1 – b 1 c 2 – b 2 c 3 – b 3 c 4 – b 4 c 5
sub-contra contra great small c 1 – b 1 c 2 – b 2 c 3 – b 3 c 4 – b 4 c 5
2 CHAPTER 1 | The Basics of Reading Music
Half and Whole Steps
One of the most helpful skills a teacher can acquire is the ability to draw a keyboard diagram on the
board quickly! The discussion of half and whole steps begins the students’ visualization of the piano key-
board, and you will often needs to help them see distances by drawing diagrams on your board.
It can be very helpful to do verbal drills in class. Name two letters of the alphabet that are a step
apart and ask if the distance is a half step or a whole step.
Accidentals
The most common misconception here is that flats and sharps always refer to black keys. Begin by teach-
ing the names of the black keys, but then bring up the possibility of something like E#. Remind students
that there is nothing in the definition of either of these terms that says they have to be black keys on the