Musical Notes and Symbols

quarter rest

1 beat

quarter note

1 beat; note head filled in, no flag

eighth rest

1/2 beat; looks like a 7

eighth note

1/2 beat; note head filled in, flag, sometimes grouped

sixteenth rest

1/4 beat; looks like a backward F or 7 with two flags

sixteenth note

1/4 beat; single note has two flags

half rest

2 beats; looks like a hat

half note

2 beats; note head not filled in

whole rest

4 beats; looks like a hole in the ground

whole note

4 beats; not filled in, no stem

Bass Clef

also called F Clef; lower notes

Treble Clef

also called G clef; higher notes

leger lines

also spelled "ledger" lines; short lines above or below the staff for additional notes

GBDFA

bass clef line notes; "Good boys do fine always"

ACEG

bass clef space notes; "All cars eat gas" OR "All cows eat grass"

bar line

divides measures in a piece of music

Staff

five lines and four spaces on which music notes are written

Grand Staff

treble and bass clefs shown together

EGBDF

treble clef line notes; "Every good boy does fine"

FACE

treble clef space notes