Reading Music 6 LEGER LINES Leger lines Rests Minim Rest Positions Quiz - Quiz Answers Exercises Song - 'So far so good' Lesson Material RM Main Page - Links to Jazclass Music Reading Course Complete Music Notation Overview : Basic Theory 1 - Basic Theory 2
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RM 6.1 - Leger Lines

The range of sounds used in music go beyond the Treble Clef and Bass Clef staffs.
Notes that are outside the range of a staff are put on, or in between, short lines above or below the staff. These short lines are called leger lines (also spelled ledger lines).

Here are the notes for the 2 octave range from Middle C upwards on the Treble Clef staff.
The Middle C and high A, B and C are on or above leger lines.

Audio 6.1

Here are the notes for the 2 octave range from Middle C downwards on the Bass Clef staff.
The Middle C and low E, D and C are on or below leger lines.

Audio 6.2

The note on the leger line below the Treble Clef staff is the same as the note on the leger line above the Bass Clef staff. This note is Middle C.

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RM 6.2 - Rests

In music notation all beats in each bar must be accounted for.
When there is no note sounding a rest is written. The length of the rest is shown by its shape.
Each note value has its equivalent rest sign.

The crotchet rest (or 'quarter note rest') has the same length as the crotchet note, which (in 4/4 time) is 1 beat.

The minim rest (or 'half note rest') has the same length as the minim note, which (in 4/4 time) is 2 beats.
It is a black rectangular box sitting on top of the middle staff line.

The semibreve rest (or 'whole note rest') has the same length as the semibreve note, which (in 4/4 time) is 4 beats.
It is a black rectangular box hanging downwards from 2nd line from the top.

The semibreve rest is used to show a full bar rest regardless of the time signature.

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RM 6.3 - Minim Rest Positions

In so far as this is possible notes and rests are grouped so as to show the position of the beats in a bar. This is to make reading music as easy as possible.
The middle point of the bar (with an even number of beats) especially should be clearly visible.

This has special significance for the minim rest in ⁴/₄ time.
A minim rest may be used to cover beats 1 and 2, or to cover beats 3 and 4,

but it should not cover beats 2 and 3, for this would obscure the middle point (start of beat 3) of the bar.
Instead two crotchet rests are used. This maintains a clearly defined division between the first half and the second half of the bar.

Likewise to cover a rest period over beats 2, 3 an 4 : first write a crotchet rest (over beat 2) up to the beginning of beat 3, then follow it with a minim rest which covers beats 3 and 4.

Exception
For actual minim notes this division is not used in music. This note may be drawn across the middle point of the bar.

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RM 6.4 - Quiz

1. What are leger lines, and what are their purpose ?
   
   
2. On which leger line is Middle C on the Treble Clef staff ?
   
   
3. On which leger line is the C two octaves above Middle C on the Treble Clef staff ?
   
   
4. On which leger line is Middle C on the Bass Clef staff ?
   
   
5. On which leger line is the C two octaves below Middle C on the Bass Clef staff ?
   
   
6. What is the purpose of a rest ?
   
   
7. When is a semibreve rest used ?
   
   
8. When should a minim rest not be used ?
   
   
9. Can a minim note be drawn across the middle of a bar ?
   
   
10. When is a minim rest used in preference to 2 crotchet rests ?

RM 6.5 - Exercises

Rule : Never, never, never write letter names above or below notes on the staffs of exercises, songs or any other sheet music ! ! ! Always use Answer Sheet 1 for writing down letter names. Print several copies of this page so you have enough for all relevant exercises.

Exercise 6.1

Exercise 6.1 : Identify each note on these Treble Clef staves.
Record your answers on a copy of Answer Sheet 1.
Treble Clef instruments play the exercise as on the Demo.
ANSWERS to Exercise 6.1

Exercise 6.2 (Optional if you only ever read in Treble Clef.)

Exercise 6.2 : Identify each note on these Bass Clef staves.
Record your answers on a copy of Answer Sheet 1.
Bass Clef instruments play the exercise as on the Demo.
ANSWERS to Exercise 6.2

Exercise 6.3

Fill in the correct rest signs in Parts A and B of Exercise 6.3.

Write the following notes as semibreves outside (above or below) the Treble Clef staff in Part C of Exercise 6.3.
Middle C - G - A - C - B - A - C - D

Write the following notes as semibreves outside (above or below) the Bass Clef staff in Part D of Exercise 6.3.
Middle C - E - B - C - F - C - E - D
ANSWERS to Exercise 6.3

Exercise 6.4

Draw all note stems correctly in Exercise 6.4.

Draw all bar lines at their correct positions in Exercise 6.4.

Tap the beat with your foot (or feet) while clapping (or calling out) each note in the exercises at their correct starting points.

Play Exercise 6.4 on your instrument at your own pace, while tapping the beats with your foot (or feet) and counting them (1 2 3 4) in your mind. (Notation for BASS CLEF players)

Play Exercise 6.4 on your instrument using a metronome, while tapping the beats with your foot (or feet) and counting them (1 2 3 4) in your mind. (Notation for BASS CLEF players)
ANSWERS to Exercise 6.4

RM 6.6 - Song : So far so good

Popular songs and blues and Jazz standards generally consist of two elements, a melody and a chord progression. A song is like a painting of sounds :

• the melody line represents the shapes in the painting,

• the chords are the colours within and around the shapes.

All instruments play of course the melody.
The chords are played by the pianist and guitarist for accompaniment.
The chords can be notated in three different ways :

1. on the bass clef of the piano staff,

2. as letter symbols above the staff,

3. or as fretboard diagrams for the guitar (not used in this course).

So far so good contains three different chords : the C major chord (C E G), the F major chord (F A C) and the G major chord (G B D).

Most chords in western music are formed by stacking three or more notes on top of one another.
If the lowest note is on a line other notes are on successive lines above it.
If the lowest note is in a space other notes are in successive spaces above it.
The lowest note of the stack is called the root of the chord, and the chord is named after it.

When the root of the chord is the lowest note, the chord is in root position.
When the chord tones are rearranged so that the lowest note is one of the other chord tones, the chord is an inversion.

Audio 6.3

RM 6.7 - Lesson Materials