50 thoughts on “How to Read Sheet Music: Easy Steps & Infographic

  1. Nice one for a beginner..But as a learner of keyboard, my challenge now is on ear-training-ie how to distinguish clearly soh sound for instance from lah or fah on a given key!.. How can u help??

    1. Hi Emmanuel-Thanks for the kind words. Check out this comprehensive beginner’s guide to ear training for some help: /blog/ear-training-guide-z02

  2. Hi I’m trying to learn a song from a piano book for my graduation but I’ve only taken basic right hand piano lessons. I do not know how to play with my left hand but I also really want to play this song. Is there some way I can learn the song in time?

    1. Hi Michael-Thanks for reaching out. Depending on your time frame, we can help set you up with a piano teacher near you. Or you can try searching YouTube for a tutorial.

  3. This is still confuseing I don’t know how to play but twinkle twinkle little star and that’s what I taught myself and I am a beginner tryed many methods and tryed them each day but still didn’t work

    1. Hi Emma, I’m sorry but I don’t have much space to write in length here but the real reason I’m leaving a reply at all is I noticed we have the same last name. And it’s about “as comon as a cold day in L.A.” to quote Incubus… I’ve learned to be more aware of the simple signs that life flags me with and I think this may be one of them. If you feel like it e-mail me at niyikang@hotmail.com

    2. Try just doing chords without caring which hand to use. This is my style of learning and it helps that much. After that, you could move on to sheet music.

      Hope it helps!

    3. You got this! if you play the same keys as twinkle little star, you can call it 3 small bears and you have diversity!

      1. It doesn’t always have to be fudge. It can be anything that works for the person. I always went with every good boy does fine and it worked for me!

  4. Thank you so much for helping me with my confusion on my notes and also thank you for helping me for the test.

  5. I’ve been playing piano for about 2 years, self taught and go purely off sound and can get complicated songs, but I can’t read piano music at all. I need a song done in 2 weeks and its intermediate level. Do you think I’d be able to learn it from the sheet music? I’m having a lot of trouble.

    1. Hi Kayla,

      There is a great app for mobile devices called “Pianorobot” Easy to use and suitable for anyone since it uses only symbols. Very effective method learning piano notation. Don’t take my word for it, go try it out yourself! Free download on the AppStore and Play Store.

    1. Hi Naresh, If you’re really struggling to read music notes, the best thing I’d recommend is to take some music theory classes for beginners. TakeLessons Live has online music theory classes that are free to try for 30 days. These classes are designed to walk beginners through the steps needed to master reading and understanding music. Hope that helps! Good luck. 🙂

  6. hi!
    i really want to know how to play the piano especially reading notes.
    i don’t know where to start, can you give me some insights?

    1. Hi Artemio! I’d recommend getting started with some free classes for beginners so you can get used to the instrument and decide if it’s something you’d want to pursue more. Have you heard of TakeLessons Live? Check it out and try online piano classes free for 30 days! These classes are a great intro to the piano and reading notes. Hope that helps 🙂

  7. I have been playing guitar for a number years now with no formal class, I was just taught how to read a tab, I got no knowledge on scales like how to play with it (logic behind the chords being played on diff frets) but I can pretty much tell what the sound is, esp if its out of tuned, I would like to check if the way I play using tabs can be used on piano, this turning the note might work for me though I dont know where I will start since the piano field is just way too long, I guess thats the counterpart of the frets? left is the lowest tone then the right is the highest? how am I supposed to know where on the keyboard I will start playing? the black ones are confusing as well, ive noticed that there are pedals, i hope theres a guitarist who can clarify this.

    1. Hi Dailyn! That’s awesome that you can already play piano by ear. To learn how to read music, I’d highly recommend taking piano lessons with a teacher near you, or even online. Here at TakeLessons, we also offer 30 days of free online classes where you can learn more piano basics, such as how to read notes. Check out the classes here. Hope that helps! Best of luck 🙂

  8. Hi all, I’m a beginners. I wanted to share that there is an app called simply piano. I have paid a membership after the free trial because the app teaches you to play piano, listens to what your playing and sends you to practice modes when you make mistakes. I can keep going about the app because I’ve been learning so much and still am. Already can play songs with two hands not perfect but getting there. Try the free trial for yourself and you will be playing in no time.

  9. Hi, I’ve played piano and I gotta say it is fun to learn but it does get a bit annoying when you keep messing up on the same part

  10. Hi Jessica!

    I would love for you to try out this app called ‘Pianorobot’. Please try it out and tell me what you think? Several piano teachers use it worldwide and find it useful 🙂 We are always looking for feedback to enchance the learning game experience.

    Thank you

  11. This is a great material. I’ve always been interested in learning music but never had that opportunity. Big help. Really big help. Thanks.

  12. What you emphising on writtings you should put it into demo for more understanding especially for the beginers

  13. Am just starting to play a Yahama PSO-330 Keyboard.Had piano lessons when a teenager many years ago and now starting with this keyboard as I don`t have a piano

  14. I am saving up for a weighted key keyboard, and have been practicing reading sheet music ahead of time to better help my understanding. Now this is probably a stupid question, but with an 88 key keyboard, how do you know what spot on the board you are playing the notes on? Like does the sheet music tell you where, or do you just do whatever you want, major, minor, etc. I really have no knowledge of piano playing except for the letters when playing treble clef/right hand….

  15. This is a good article. I will bookmark your website. I’m looking for a music blog which talk about piano, guitar or drum for my study. Thanks

  16. For those who want to use a teacher to teach them the piano they must also accept that many will take longer to get you to master and develop the skills than other ways mentioned.

  17. I want to learn piano and voice training but am looking 4 d free one CU’s am not rich but I have passion 4 d two

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