Basic Notation: Noteheads, Clefs, and Ledger Lines

Name: __________________________________

1. Drawing Noteheads

A notehead is the oval-shaped part of a musical note that shows its pitch. Noteheads can be open (drawn as a hollow, white oval) or filled in (drawn as a solid, black oval). Follow the directions below to draw noteheads on the staff lines.

• Draw five open (white) noteheads, one on each line.
• Draw four open (white) noteheads, one on each space.
• Draw five filled-in (black) noteheads, one on each line.
• Draw four filled-in (black) noteheads, one on each space.

2. Drawing Clefs

A clef is a symbol placed at the beginning of the staff that tells you which pitches the lines and spaces represent.

• 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 added above or below the staff so you can write notes that are too high or too low to fit on the regular staff. Draw the number of ledger lines requested, stacked above and below the staff. Do not draw any noteheads yet.

• Draw one ledger line above and one ledger line below the staff.
• Draw two stacked ledger lines above and two stacked ledger lines below the staff.
• Draw three stacked ledger lines above and three stacked ledger lines below the staff.
• Draw four stacked ledger lines above and four stacked ledger lines below the staff.

4. Drawing Ledger Lines with Noteheads

Now draw the same stacked ledger lines as before, but this time add a filled-in (black) notehead on the highest and lowest ledger line in each example.

• Draw filled-in noteheads one ledger line above and one ledger line below the staff.
• Draw filled-in noteheads on two stacked ledger lines above and two stacked ledger lines below the staff.
• Draw filled-in noteheads on three stacked ledger lines above and three stacked ledger lines below the staff.
• Draw filled-in noteheads on four stacked ledger lines above and four stacked ledger lines below the staff.

---

Note Identification and Writing

Name: ______________________________________________

Part 1

Look at each note on the staff and write its letter name (A, B, C, and so on) in the blank below it.

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

(Notes numbered 1–40, matching the staff above.)

Part 2

Do the same thing again: write the letter name of each note in the blank below it.

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

(Notes numbered 41–80, matching the staff above.)

Part 3

This time, instead of naming notes, you will draw them. For each letter name listed, draw that note on the staff. You may use any octave (any version of that letter, high or low) you like.

(Letters E, G, D, A, E, C, C, B, F, G, F, F, G, A, A, D, B, A, C, D, B, G, D, E, C, D, E, D, F, B, A, F, C, G, B, D, A, F, E, C — numbered 81–120 — should each be drawn as a note on the staff.)

---

Part 1 (Second Worksheet)

Write the letter name of each note in the blank below it.

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

(Notes numbered 1–40, in a new order.)

Part 2 (Second Worksheet)

Write the letter name of each note in the blank below it.

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

(Notes numbered 41–80, in a new order.)

Part 3 (Second Worksheet)

Draw each requested note on the staff. You may use any octave.

(Letters C, G, D, F, C, G, B, A, C, E, B, A, F, F, D, E, D, G, C, B, B, E, G, C, F, B, G, D, E, A, F, D, A, C, G, F, D, A, E, B — numbered 81–120 — should each be drawn as a note on the staff.)

---

The Piano Keyboard and the Grand Staff

Name: __________________________________

1. White Keys on the Piano Keyboard

Write the letter name of each white key on the piano keyboards pictured below. Notice that the pattern of black keys is different in each example — this will help you figure out where you are on the keyboard.

A.
B.
C.

2. The Grand Staff and the Piano Keyboard

The grand staff is the combination of the treble staff and bass staff used together, usually for piano music. Each numbered note on the grand staff below matches a white key on the piano keyboard. Write the correct number above each matching white key. Note #1 has been filled in for you in each example.

A.
Numbers 1–10 correspond to notes on the grand staff shown; number 1 is placed above its matching key.

B.
Numbers 1–10 correspond to notes on a second grand staff shown; number 1 is placed above its matching key.

---

The Piano Keyboard and the Grand Staff with Ledger Lines

Name: __________________________________

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

This time, some of the notes on the grand staff use ledger lines. Write the number of each note onto the matching white key on the piano keyboard. Since ledger-line notes can repeat pitches from different octaves, some keys may end up with more than one number written above them. Number 1 is done for you in each example.

A. Numbers 1–10, with number 1 already placed.
B. Numbers 1–10, with number 1 already placed.
C. Numbers 1–10, with number 1 already placed.
D. Numbers 1–10, with number 1 already placed.
E. Numbers 1–10, with number 1 already placed.

---

Generic Intervals

Name: __________________________________

A generic interval is the distance between two notes, counted simply by letter name — without worrying yet about sharps or flats. When counting, always count the starting note itself as "1."

1. Generic Intervals Above a Note

Write the letter name of the note that is the given distance above each starting 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 of the note that is the given distance below each starting 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

For each starting note on the grand staff, write the note that is the requested distance either above (↑) or below (↓) it. Remember to count the starting note as "1."

A.
a. 3↑ b. 5↑ c. 2↓ d. 4↓ e. 8↑ f. 3↓ g. 2↑ h. 6↓ i. 7↓ j. 5↑

B.
a. 3↑ b. 5↑ c. 2↓ d. 4↓ e. 8↑ f. 3↓ g. 2↑ h. 6↓ i. 7↓ j. 5↑

---

Grand Staff Note Names

Name: __________________________________

1. Grand Staff Note Names

Write the letter name (such as "C" or "D") of each note in the blank beneath it.

______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______
______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

2. Grand Staff Note Names — Ledger Lines

Now do the same thing for notes that use ledger lines. Write the letter name of each note in the blank beneath it.

______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______
______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______
______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______
______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______
______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

---

Black Piano Keys

Name: __________________