The Music Notation and Transposition Website

What is music notation?

The sounds you hear as music can be represented by standardized symbols that indicate both the length (how long) and pitch (how high or low) of a sound.  These symbols enable musicians in any part of the world, regardless of language, to read and play music.

For example, look below to view the first few bars of the tune "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" in standard music notation.

The tune or melody is represented by the upper (mostly) 'black' notes while the supporting chord is represented by the lower 'white' notes.

 

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