Understanding theory
L
earning to read music is like learning a
different language. There are so many
different directions, most of them in Italian,
and it can get confusing when you’re faced
with a page of music peppered with markings and
symbols. It can get especially sticky when certain
tunes require you to double-back on yourself
and repeat sections over and over. Where do you
start from and how do you know what to repeat?
The good news for beginners is that once youunderstand the theory behind all this melodious
jiggery-pokery, you’ll realise that all it takes is the
memorising of a few key attributes to keep you
flowing through the bars.
The first aspect to grasp is bar lines and what
different ones mean. Then codas and segno signs
step in. These symbols, alongside some Italian
directions that we will cover in more detail soon,
will give you a clear idea of what notes and bars to
repeat and when.The last things that you’ll need to recognise when
navigating your way around a piece of sheet music
are first and second time lines. These bars show you
when there are alternate endings to a tune or part of
a tune. In time and with a bit of practice, you’ll know
exactly what you need to play and where.
It’s best to think about these symbols as more like
road signs on a stave. They’ll point you in the right
direction and then you’ll be playing beautifully in
no time.Navigate music
notation
Time to get score savvy and stay on track through
notation with repeats and endingsRepeats and endings
Get to grips with the bare essentials of what to play, when and where
01 Repeat bar lines
These types of bar line instruct you to repeat parts of the music. Start-repeat
bars have dots on the right and end-repeat have dots on the left. Play bars 1–3,
repeat bars 2-3, then simply carry on.03 DS and DC
Complementing the symbols are the Italian phrasings dal segno (DS) which
means ‘from the sign’ (which is the Segno symbol), and da capo (DC) which
means ‘from the beginning’. These can be accompanied by other phrases.02 Coda and segno
These symbols are markers, used alongside Italian terms to show you where in
the music to play from or jump to. The coda symbol looks like a cross through a
circle and the segno symbol looks like a crossed S with two dots.04 Further instructions
D.C. al Fine means you should go back to the start until you reach the word ‘Fine’
(pronouned feen-ay). Once you get to Fine the piece will then end. If the D.C. al
Fine instruction is not accompanied by Fine then just play until the end.