Music Note Symbol Chart
The symbols you actually meet in sheet music · 9 groups, 54 signs · tap any one to read what it means and hear it
How to play
- 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.
This interactive chart shows music notation symbols so you can learn signs you are likely to encounter in sheet music. To navigate around the chart just click on it but if you want to move quickly use your computer keyboard instead. It aims to bring the visual symbol into line with what it means musicaly, and hopefully show you a sound demo too.
Nine different category make the app interface easy to navigate. They cover all major elements of notating music. The categories are: notes, rests, clefs, accidentals, dynamics, articulation, repeats, time signatures, and ornaments. These categories each has a collection of associated symbols which serve similar purpose within music.
How to Use This Music Chart
On the widget, these categories appear as buttons at the top. To change to a particular category of symbols, click on any one of them and it will be shown in left-hand column. As each symbol category is activated the highlight changes too so you’ll always know what section you’re looking at. That means you can skip around topics easy without having to search or scroll through everything.
From there, you might begin with notes and rests and get an idea for rhythm, then move into clefs to discover how they maps out pitch on the staff. Directly below this category row is the large preview panel displaying the currently chosen symbol. Here you can see the symbol in a larger format with name and clear description of what it means. This will tell you how long the symbol lasts in terms of number of beats. It will also tell you whether it alters the volume or how the note is to be performed. You should of use this as your go-to guide as you learn.
Below that is a grid containing the symbols available in the currently selected category. Here, each tile displays the symbol and also its short name. You can click on a tile to choose this symbol and change preview panel above. In this way, you can view symbols side-by-side and listen to effect of minor changes in notation on the music.
If you choose a symbol that makes an audible sound, all of them can be played back. Dynamics change volume of the sound. Rests show how long there is no sound, and notes plays for as long as they should be heard. Accidentals play the note, then play same note at a different pitch. This auditory response lets you hear the difference between two very similar symbols such as tenuto and staccato.
There’s a button at the bottom called “hear it again” that lets you play back what the current symbol sounds like anytime. This way, you don’t have to read its text description and can just concentrate on how it sounds. It’ll also allow you to listen to how each symbol in one category sound alike.
There’s also a volume slider that will let you control the overall volume of everything that plays through the app. Useful, especially when in a shared environment or if your device volume is already high. It works for all categories and symbol types.
A handy feature is the how to play button; clicking it expands the help panel to show more information about the widget’s use. It explains how to use keyboard. It also provides other helpful tips on how best to use the widget and listen for those slight changes in dynamics and articulation.
For an even more immersive study session, you can go into full screen mode. This removes distractions and allows more space to view symbols and what they mean. This is handy if you have a smaller screen with limited space.
Use keyboard navigation. Press the tab key to move through buttons until you reach a symbol tile. Then, press space or enter to select that tile, play its sound, and update the preview. Users who don’t want to interact with a touch screen or mouse will appreciate this keyboard navigation.
That’s all there is to it! When looking through music try to listen out for these differences in symbols that appears alike. Hear what the tenuto line sounds like compared to the staccato dot. The notes will be different lengths and feel different than before. Try listening to the crescendo and diminuendo symbols. How do you know the volume is being changed? It’s all about reinforcing the visual with your ears.
The navigation and repeat sections are good places to start exploring. Here you can hear how the flow of music work within the piece. You also learn when to jump backwards or forwards around the score with symbols such as coda and segno. From here you can view the time signatures section where you discover which beats has altered meter.
Work your way methodically through the categories. Wherever they apply to what you are trying to read, come back and look at them again as you encounter something new. It’s intended to be a useful little reference guide for when you’re not sure of something.
If you want to learn more about musical notation, select the ‘notes’ category, where you’ll discover how a note is shown in writing, including its duration. Similarly, look for the ‘dynamics’ section which explains how we control volume of a note. Before long you’ll be familiar with these signs and use them naturaly. Happy learning!