Basic Notation: Noteheads, Clefs, Ledger Lines

Name: __________________________________

1. Drawing Noteheads

A notehead is the round part of a music note. It can be open (white, just an outline) or filled in (solid black).

Draw five open (white) noteheads. Put one on each line.

Draw four open (white) noteheads. Put one on each space.

Draw five filled-in (black) noteheads. Put one on each line.

Draw four filled-in (black) noteheads. Put one on each space.

2. Drawing Clefs

A clef is a symbol at the start of the music staff. It tells you how high or low the notes are.

Draw six treble clefs.

Draw six bass clefs.

Draw six alto clefs.

Draw six tenor clefs.

3. Drawing Ledger Lines

Ledger lines are short extra lines. They let us write notes that are higher or lower than the regular staff. Draw the ledger lines only — no noteheads yet.

Draw one ledger line above the staff and one below it.

Draw two ledger lines stacked above the staff and two stacked below it.

Draw three ledger lines stacked above the staff and three stacked below it.

Draw four ledger lines stacked above the staff and four stacked below it.

4. Drawing Ledger Lines with Noteheads

This time, add a filled-in (black) notehead on the highest and lowest ledger line.

Draw one ledger line above and below the staff. Put a filled-in notehead on each one.

Draw two stacked ledger lines above and below the staff. Put a filled-in notehead on the top and bottom lines.

Draw three stacked ledger lines above and below the staff. Put a filled-in notehead on the top and bottom lines.

Draw four stacked ledger lines above and below the staff. Put a filled-in notehead on the top and bottom lines.

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Note Identification and Writing

Name: ______________________________________________

Part 1

Look at each note. Write its letter name (like A, B, or C) in the blank below it.

(Numbers 1–40 go here, with a blank line under each one for you to write the letter name.)

Part 2

Do the same thing here. Write the letter name of each note in the blank.

(Numbers 41–80 go here, with a blank line under each one for you to write the letter name.)

Part 3

Now it's your turn to draw! For each letter name below, draw that note on the staff. You can pick any octave (any high or low version of that note).

(Numbers 81–120 go here, each showing a letter name. Draw the matching note.)

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The Piano Keyboard and the Grand Staff

Name: __________________________________

1. White Keys on the Piano Keyboard

Write the letter name on each white key of the piano. Look closely — the black keys are arranged a little differently in each picture.

A. (piano keyboard picture)

B. (piano keyboard picture)

C. (piano keyboard picture)

2. The Grand Staff and the Piano Keyboard

The grand staff is the two staffs used together for piano music — one for higher notes and one for lower notes.

Look at the notes on the grand staff. Write each note's number on the matching white key of the piano. The first one is already done for you.

A. (grand staff and keyboard picture, note 1 already labeled)

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

B. (grand staff and keyboard picture, note 1 already labeled)

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

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The Piano Keyboard and the Grand Staff with Ledger Lines

Name: __________________________________

1. The Grand Staff and the Piano Keyboard with Ledger Lines

Some notes use ledger lines to go higher or lower. Look at the notes on the grand staff. Write each note's number on the matching white key. Some keys might get more than one number! The first one is done for you.

A. (grand staff and keyboard picture)

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

B. (grand staff and keyboard picture)

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

C. (grand staff and keyboard picture)

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

D. (grand staff and keyboard picture)

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

E. (grand staff and keyboard picture)

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

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Generic Intervals

Name: __________________________________

A generic interval is just the distance between two notes, counted by letter name. When you count, the starting note counts as "one."

1. Generic Intervals Above a Note

Write the letter name that is above the given note.

Example: 3 above D: F

A. 2 above F: ___________
B. 5 above C: ___________
C. 8 above E: ___________
D. 3 above G: ___________
E. 6 above D: ___________
F. 4 above B: ___________
G. 7 above A: ___________
H. 1 above D: ___________
I. 2 above A: ___________
J. 5 above F: ___________
K. 4 above C: ___________
L. 8 above D: ___________
M. 3 above B: ___________
N. 7 above G: ___________
O. 6 above B: ___________
P. 1 above E: ___________
Q. 3 above C: ___________
R. 6 above F: ___________

2. Generic Intervals Below a Note

Write the letter name that is below the given note.

Example: 3 below D: B

A. 2 below F: ___________
B. 5 below C: ___________
C. 8 below E: ___________
D. 3 below G: ___________
E. 6 below D: ___________
F. 4 below B: ___________
G. 7 below A: ___________
H. 1 below D: ___________
I. 2 below A: ___________
J. 5 below F: ___________
K. 4 below C: ___________
L. 8 below D: ___________
M. 3 below B: ___________
N. 7 below G: ___________
O. 6 below B: ___________
P. 1 below E: ___________
Q. 3 below C: ___________
R. 6 below G: ___________
S. 4 below F: ___________
T. 8 below A: ___________
U. 3 below E: ___________

3. Generic Intervals Above or Below a Note on a Grand Staff

Draw the note above or below the given note on the grand staff. Remember: the starting note counts as "one."

A. (grand staff picture)
a. 3 up b. 5 up c. 2 down d. 4 down e. 8 up f. 3 down g. 2 up h. 6 down i. 7 down j. 5 up

B. (grand staff picture)
a. 3 up b. 5 up c. 2 down d. 4 down e. 8 up f. 3 down g. 2 up h. 6 down i. 7 down j. 5 up

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Grand Staff Note Names

Name: __________________________________

1. Grand Staff Note Names

Write the letter name (like "C" or "D") of each note in the blanks.

______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

2. Grand Staff Note Names with Ledger Lines

Write the letter name of each note in the blanks.

______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

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Black Piano Keys

Name: __________________________________

1. Identifying Black Keys on the Piano Keyboard

Write the letter names in the blanks above the black keys. Notice the black keys look a little different in each picture!

A. Use sharps (#):

____ ____
____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____

B. Use flats (♭):

____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____

C. Use sharps and flats:

____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____

____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____

2. The Grand Staff and the Black Keys on the Piano Keyboard

Look at the notes on the grand staff. Write each note's number in the blank above the matching black key. Some keys might get more than one number, and you might not use every blank. The first one is done for you.

A. Treble Clef

____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____

____ ____ ____ 1 ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

B. Bass Clef

____ ____ ____ ____ ____
____ ____ ____

____ ____ 1
____ ____ ____ ____ ____

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

C. With Ledger Lines

____ ____ ____ ____ ____
____ ____ ____

____ ____ ____ ____ ____
____ ____ ____

____ ____ 1
____ ____ ____ ____ ____

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

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Half- and Whole-Steps on the Piano

Name: __________________________________

A half-step is the smallest distance between two notes on the piano. A whole-step is twice as big as a half-step.

1. Identifying Half- and Whole-Steps

The brackets show two notes. Decide if they make a half-step or a whole-step. Write "H" for half-step or "W" for whole-step.