How to Read Music - Level 1 (High Voices)

3. Ledger Lines and Middle C

Now that you've got the notes G, A and B under your belt, let's add some more notes down the bottom end of the stave. Starting on G (remember the treble clef shows you where G is), the note below is F, then E, then D and finally C.

The note C is too far down to be written on the stave - it has fallen off the bottom! We draw a short, horizontal line through the note head, as a kind of extension of the stave. This note is called "middle C". The short line going through the middle of it is called a "ledger line".

Click on the notes to hear them.

Practise moving from one note to another and then listen to check.

Now try to sing these short melodies. Click the play button to hear the notes.