In A Flash: Reading Notes on the Staff
- Let's Play Music
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
The treble clef spaces are simple to remember—think "FACE" (spells F-A-C-E) and you're on your way! If you're humming along, then you and your 3rd-year Let's Play Music student are already advancing in note reading.
Why the wait?
This is the final year of the program, and it may surprise you that we haven't focused on note reading yet. In our previous post on the LPM approach, I explained that students succeed when they understand the meaning behind the notes, learn intervals, and can audiate while reading—before tackling the abstraction of notation. Building this foundation takes two years of ear training and pre-reading.
Where are we headed?
The goal this year is for your child to read notes fluently—instantly recognizing each one. This is "note-spelling": identifying notes like "That's F. That's A" and matching them to their piano keys.
Though your child is nearing graduation from LPM, the exciting part is that they’ll soon tackle more challenging pieces. While note-spelling is crucial for learning new music, it doesn’t automatically lead to fast sight-reading. Musicians use note-spelling to identify key notes and then rely on patterns, intervals, and chord shapes to fill in the rest. Your child has already practiced these skills.
When I read music, it sounds like this in my head: "First note is D, jump down a 5th, then baby steps up, jump down a 5th, treble E, down a 3rd, baby steps up." I don't always spell out each note, but knowing them is essential.
If your child is spelling out every note, stop them! Encourage pattern recognition, interval identification, and chord shapes, while using note-spelling as a tool to reinforce it. Some kids are natural note-spellers, but this skill alone isn’t enough.
Do Flashcards Help Reading?
A parent once asked, “Why use flashcards when music notes aren’t isolated?” I demonstrated how I read new music, showing that while some notes are spelled out, they often appear in chords or runs. I highlighted the notes that required spelling, and challenged her and the student to identify them quickly. This exercise was similar to flashcards but applied directly to music.
Want to try this with a new piece? Here’s a free copy of Bach's Minuet in G, with the notes to spell marked in the first two lines. The rest will be determined by intervals, steps, and skips. Start with one hand at a time, and ask: “What interval do I need to jump? Am I going up or down?”
Let's Get Fluent
How quickly should students recognize notes? If it takes more than 1-2 seconds to play a note while sight-reading, they’ll struggle.
We break the process into two steps: first, say the note name, then play it on the keyboard. This year, challenge your child to identify all 27 note cards in one minute!
This may be easy or difficult for your child. The goal is to improve their time with each practice. Most teachers have incentive clubs, like "In A Flash," to motivate students to beat their personal best, even by just 5 seconds.
At Home Practice
Most progress comes from at-home practice. Here are some ideas to help:
On the Road: Flashcards can be practiced anywhere. Keep a set in your car and have your child go through them before turning on the radio. You can also carry a set in your purse and fit them into your daily routine.
Less Singing: Gradually reduce the use of mnemonic songs (e.g., "All Cows Eat Grass"). Students will rely on the lyrics less as they understand the notes. If needed, encourage your child to only say one word from the lyrics.
Tricky Pile: If your child takes too long to identify a note, place it in a "do-over" pile. Review these extra cards to give them more attention.
Favorite Four: Choose a small group of notes to focus on for a few minutes, like E, F, G, A. Drill them to help your child see the relationships between notes.
Pick A Card: Have your child pick a flashcard from a pile to read aloud.
Road to Success: Lay the cards out in a line. Your child walks along, picking them up and reading them. For added fun, make a tradition of it, like leading to snack time!
Memory: Use both octaves of cards to practice identifying notes from different octaves. Quickly shout out letters when flipping two cards.
Searching for…: Lay the cards out and ask your child to find a specific note, like "A" or "the note a third above C." You can also race against another child.
Quiz Mom: Let your child quiz you and try to trick them. If they catch your mistake, they earn a point!
Sorting: Sort cards into piles (e.g., ABC, DE, FG). You can create more challenging sorting tasks, like sorting by letters in a word.
Wild Card: Choose one letter to be a "wild card" and do something fun when it’s found, like tickling or giving a kiss!
Duck Duck Goose: Spread the cards in a circle. Players walk around while you say "Duck, Duck…Goose!" and quickly read the card in front of them. The last person to read is out!
Online Fun: Drill with online flashcards from MusicTheory.net or try music games on Tonic Tutor or Musicards.net. Let us know if you find any other great online tools!
iPad Fun: Use apps like Music Tutor or Noteworks for practice. There are many great apps for note reading—share your favorites!
Have fun with flashcards and help your child learn to read them quickly. We'd love to hear about the games you enjoy and see photos of your kids practicing!
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