Music Notation Symbols Chart
A searchable reference to the marks in written music · 9 groups, 59 symbols · type what you are looking for, or browse
How to play
- Search is the quickest way in. Type what you are looking at — a name you half-remember (“fermata”), a time signature (“6/8”), or just what it seems to do (“loud”, “silence”, “repeat”). Tap a result and the chart jumps straight to it.
- Or ignore the search and browse the nine groups: note values, rests, clefs, accidentals, dynamics, articulation, repeats and navigation, time signatures, and ornaments.
- Pick a category, then tap any symbol. The big panel shows its name and exactly what it means, and where it makes a sound you will hear it demonstrated.
- Notes and rests control how long; dynamics control how loud; articulations control how a note is played; accidentals change the pitch by a semitone; clefs tell you which lines mean which notes; repeats tell you where to go next.
- Listen for the difference between staccato (short and detached) and tenuto (held for its full value) — same note, same length on the page, very different sound.
- Dynamics are relative, not absolute: mf just means louder than mp. What matters is the contrast between them.
- Keyboard — Tab to any category or symbol, Enter/Space to select and hear it. Vol sets volume.
It’s a cool interactive chart of music notation symbols that will help you learn about what each symbol look like and sounds like. Use your mouse or computer keyboard to click or tap on symbols in the chart. Move around the chart to play the sound for each symbol.
There are nine different categories and they covers all the basics of what you’ll need to know about how to read music. They are as follows: note values, rests, clefs, accidentals, dynamics, articulation, repeats, time signatures, and ornaments.
How to Use the Music Chart
To change from one group to another simply click on appropriate button directly under the heading. Once you select your category, a grid of relevant symbols will appear. Clicking on any of them highlights them and shows their definition and name in big box above. It even plays an example of sound of the symbol in action so you can hear what effect it has on music.
Alternatively, the quickest method is using search box at the bottom. You can enter the name of a symbol like fermata, the name of a time signature (six eight), or even a descriptve word. You can enter words like silence or loud. The results will be immediate; just click on one to go straight to the symbol. This is useful if you spot a symbol on a piece of music you would of like to learn more about without having to wade through all categories.
If you choose any symbol, a sound will play so that you can compare them side-by-side. You could click on a staccato and then a tenuto and listen to how a note played staccato (a short detached note) sounds different than a note played tenuto (held for the entire value of the note).
In the bottom right-hand corner, there is a volume slider so that you can adjust volume up or down depending on whether sound is too loud for where you are. There is also hear it again button if you want to re-listen to the previous demonstration without needing to click on symbol once more.
The widget can be controlled with only a keyboard: Use the Tab key to step from control to symbol to category to symbol, then use Space or Enter to highlight a symbol and play it. It’s a convenient way to browse the chart without taking your hand off the keys.
If you prefer to reduce motion on your computer, the widget takes that into account, minimizing any animation. To make it even bigger, the widget also has fullscreen mode. Just click on the fullscreen button in the header to have it expanded to full-screen. It’s great if you’re sharing your screen, want to see the definitions and symbols clearer, etc. To exit fullscreen mode, simply click on the button again.
Other features such as articulations can be carefuly studied to help you understand how they changes the character of the sound. Comparing these articulation types side-by-side will help you hear the difference. For example, dynamic markings such as ‘forte’ and ‘piano’, indicate relative volume. They should be heard clearly as they happen one after another to appreciate the contrasting effect. Accidentals, on the other hand, illustrate the change of note pitches as they play two notes together that are raised or lowered. Time-signatures offer a sort of click-track to your pulse within the bar, guiding you rhythmically.
If you are unfamiliar with how these groups relate to one another, use the help panel. It explains that dynamics control volume, articulations control style, and notes controls duration. Next time you see these symbols on real sheet music, this will hopefully help you recall their function more easily.
Altogether, the chart covers fifty-nine symbols and serves as a useful reference for those studying how to read music. To get started, have a look through the list under rests and notes to learn how they notate rhythm. Next, explore articulation and dynamics to discover how expression marks changes the nature of the sound. Spend some time on each section and use the search tool when you wish to double-check any symbol.