Staff notation system | The universal Music Language (T-B-Intr-04A)

STAFF NOTATION / MUSIC SCORE Introduction

Staff notation (originally stave notation) is a conventional way to write music in paper. It is being used since couple of centuries among musicians.It is an universal language of music by which every piece of music can be written promptly & appropriately.

It's always a good practice for beginner instrument players to practice lessons & songs by reading staff notation because it does strengthen your base.

The word 'staff' is mispronunciation of the word 'stave'.

INTRODUCTION :

LINES & SPACES:

A stave is the combination of 5 horizontal parallel lines.

Every stave consists 5 lines & in between 4 spaces.

CLEFS:

At the starting of a stave you can see this type of signs in the left 

These are called 'clefs'. We will study about clefs in later posts.

NOTES ON STAFF:

Notes can be found in a stave:

These are all notes placed on a staff either on the lines or between the spaces.

(we will discuss all about notes & placing on staff on a different post this is just an overview or introduction)

BAR LINES:

A vertical line through a staff is known as a bar line.Bar lines divide a whole section of music into equal length of pieces & helps us to count the rhythm. 

KEY SIGNATURE:

You can see sharps & flats in the starting of a score.This defines the key or scale of the song that is written in and this collaboration of sharp & flat sign is known as key signature.(this is just an overview or intro,still it's not the time to getting into everything)

OR

TIME SIGNATURE:

You can see another signature like 'C', '3/4','4/4','6/8' etc etc just after the key signature.

This is time signature ,defines the rhythm of the song.(this is just an overview or intro,still it's not the time to getting into everything)

TYPES OF STAVES:

1. SINGLE STAVE:

typical stave system for a guitarist,violinist.Where only one stave & one clef is used at a time.

here only one staff is to be played at a time & only in one clef.

2.Double or Grand stave:

typical staff system for piano players where two staff is to be played simultaneously & two staffs may have different clefs.(simply, upper staff for left hand & lower for right hand)

here two staffs are bracketed as it is a grand staff & they have two different clefs.

NEXT LESSON : MORE ABOUT STAFF NOTATION | lesson (T-B-Intr-04B)

Content written by Arijit Karali.