Writing Staff Notation

Overview of Staff Notation

Staff notation is a system of writing down music so that specific pitches and rhythms can be understood.
This method of writing music originated around the 10th century and evolved through the Western Classical Tradition from 1650 to 1910 and beyond.
It is universally recognised and enables musicians to play music accurately across different genres and periods.

Basics of Staff Notation

Staff notation is graphically written on five horizontal lines known as a ‘staff’ or ‘stave’, with the lines and spaces between representing different pitches.
Each pitch in staff notation is represented by a note, and each note is identified by the position on the staff.
A clef at the beginning of the staff designates the pitch of the notes on the lines and spaces; most common are the Treble and Bass clefs.
Time signatures are placed after the clef and key signature, indicating how many beats are in each measure.

Rhythmic Notation in Staff Notation

Each note in staff notation possesses a notehead, a stem, and possibly a flag. The shape, orientation, and number of these elements determine the rhythmic duration of the notes.
For instance, a whole note has a hollow notehead with no stem, whereas a quarter note has a filled-in notehead with a stem.
A series of eighth-notes are typically beamed or connected with a single horizontal line.

Key Signatures and Accidentals

Key signatures indicate the key of the piece and are found directly after the clef at the beginning of each line of music. They designate the sharps or flats used in a specific key.
Accidentals are used to alter pitches outside of the key signature for a single measure, these can be sharps, flats, or naturals.
Accidentals are placed directly before the note they are supposed to modify.

Expression Markings and Articulation

Expression markings are used to convey a variety of effects including dynamics (volume), tempo (speed), and other expressive nuances.
Articulation markings such as staccato (dot above or below a note), tenuto (horizontal line), or accents (sideways ‘V’) indicate how individual notes should be played.

Points to Remember

Understanding staff notation is fundamental to fully comprehending Western classical music as it’s been used across different eras. It is just as important to interpret expression and articulation markings as getting the pitch and rhythm correct. Remember, for complex time signatures or new clefs, take it slowly and count carefully!