Ah, the mysterious world of those inky squiggles that turn sheet music into a proper cryptic crossword for beginners. Fear not—I’ve decoded the lot, just for you.
What Are Music Symbols, Then?
Music symbols are essentially the secret language of sheet music—a collection of marks, dots, and strange doodles that tell you exactly how to play a piece without the composer having to pop round your house for a personal tutorial.
These squiggly little buggers represent different aspects of music—pitch, rhythm, tempo, dynamics, and all that jazz (quite literally, in some cases). They’re universally recognised, which means a pianist in Portsmouth and a flautist in Finland can pick up the same piece of paper and play roughly the same tune. Miraculous, when you think about it.
There are hundreds of these symbols floating about in the musical ether, but most music sticks to a more sensible selection of common ones that we’ll explore in this article. Trust me, no one’s using a triple-sharp with a half-diminished quintuplet in real life unless they’re trying to give their performers a nervous breakdown.
How to Use Music Symbols Without Having a Crisis
For beginner musicians, understanding theory is only half the battle—the practical application is where things get properly interesting (or terrifying, depending on your disposition).
Understand the Context, Darling
Music symbols should never be interpreted in isolation. That would be like trying to understand British sarcasm without the eye-roll. Everything works together in context.
For example, a staccato mark (that little dot that looks like someone’s dropped a crumb on your sheet music) means the note should be played short and detached. But how short exactly? That depends entirely on the piece’s style and tempo. A staccato in a funeral march is going to be rather different from one in a frenzied tarantella, isn’t it?
Practice Sight-Reading (It’s Like Speed-Dating for Your Eyes and Instrument)
Sight-reading is the ability to read and play music at first sight. It’s an essential skill unless you fancy spending three weeks learning each piece note by painful note.
Start with simple pieces where the notes don’t look like they’re having a migraine, then gradually work up to the more complex stuff. It’s like learning to swim—start in the shallow end before diving into Rachmaninoff.
Keep a Reference Guide Handy
Keep a reference guide (like this one!) close by for any symbols you’re unfamiliar with. Think of it as your musical phrasebook for when you’re lost in the foreign country of Complicated Sheet Music.
Now, let’s dive into the 60 most common music symbols you’ll encounter in your musical adventures. Buckle up—it’s going to be a wild ride through the land of dots and lines!
The 60 Essential Music Symbols (That You’ll Actually Come Across)
1. Accent
This sideways V symbol (looking rather like a bird’s beak having a go at your notes) tells you to give that particular note a bit more oomph than its neighbors. Think of it as the musical equivalent of bolding a word in a sentence for EMPHASIS.
2. Arpeggio
The arpeggio symbol (that wavy vertical line) tells you to play the notes of a chord individually in a sweeping motion rather than all at once. It’s like rolling down a staircase rather than jumping off the top step—far more elegant and significantly less painful.
3. Bars
These vertical lines divide music into measures or bars. They’re the punctuation of the musical world—without them, sheet music would be the equivalent of a 50-page run-on sentence. No one wants that.
4. Brace
The brace symbol is used to connect two staves that should be played together, most commonly seen in piano music connecting the treble and bass clefs. It’s like a musical staple, keeping your music from falling apart at the seams.
5. Breath Mark
These little comma-like symbols tell wind players and singers where they can sneak in a breath without the conductor glaring at them. Essential stuff, unless you’re particularly keen on passing out mid-performance.
6. Caesura
A caesura marking (looking like someone’s taken a pair of scissors to your staff) indicates a break or complete stop in playing. The conductor will decide when to bring everyone back in, so this is a perfect opportunity to check your phone. (That was a joke. Don’t do that. Ever.)
7. Chord Numerals
In sheet music, you’ll often spot roman numerals denoting each chord’s position within the key. It’s music theory’s way of showing off its classical education.
8. Clef
The clef is that fancy symbol at the beginning of every piece of sheet music that tells you which notes live on which lines. The treble clef (or G-clef) looks like a fancy ampersand that’s been to finishing school, while the bass clef (F-clef) resembles a backwards C with two dots that’s perpetually judging you.
9. Coda
The coda (a circle with a cross through it, like a target) serves as a reference point in a piece of music. When you see “To Coda,” you jump to where this symbol appears, like a musical teleportation device. Quite handy when composers can’t be bothered to write out repeating sections.
10. Common Time
The common time symbol is simply a ‘C’ that replaces 4/4 in the time signature. It’s the musical equivalent of writing ‘u’ instead of ‘you’ in a text message—it means exactly the same thing, just with less effort.
11. Crescendo
A crescendo (that opening wedge shape) indicates an increase in volume. As the symbol widens, you should play louder, as if someone’s slowly turning up your volume knob. It’s the musical equivalent of raising your voice when someone’s not listening to your story.
12. Cut Time
Cut time, shown as a C with a line through it (like it’s been slashed in a musical duel), is another way of writing 2/2 time. It tells you to count in 2 rather than 4, speeding things up a bit. It’s music’s way of saying “let’s crack on, shall we?”
13. Da Capo
“Da Capo” (or “D.C.” if the publisher was feeling lazy) is an instruction to restart playing from the very beginning. It’s Italian for “from the head,” which sounds much more elegant than “go back to the start because I couldn’t be bothered to write it all out again.”
14. Dal Segno
Similar to Da Capo, Dal Segno (or “D.S.”) tells you to resume playing from a sign symbol (§) found elsewhere in the piece. It’s like a musical “Go To” command in programming, only considerably more stylish.
15. Damp
The instruction to damp (a circle with an X through it) tells players to mute their instrument. It’s particularly common in percussion music when you need to shut that cymbal up before it drowns out the entire orchestra.
16. Damp All
Similar to Damp, the Damp All symbol (two circles with crosses through them) instructs a player to mute everything that’s currently making noise. It’s the musical equivalent of shouting “Everyone shut up!” in a room full of chattering people.
17. Decrescendo
The symbol for decrescendo (a closing wedge) is the opposite of crescendo. It indicates a gradual reduction in volume, like someone’s slowly turning your volume down as you drift off to sleep.
18. Demi Flat
A demi flat symbol instructs the player to play a note one quarter-tone (quarter note) lower than the natural note. It’s mostly used in contemporary classical music by composers who enjoy watching their performers suffer.
19. Demi Sharp
A demisharp symbol instructs the player to play a note one quarter-tone higher than its natural state. Again, this is primarily used by composers who delight in making life difficult for their musicians.
20. Double Flat
A double flat symbol means “play this note two semitones lower than its natural state.” It’s symbolized by two flat symbols huddled together for warmth.
21. Double Sharp
The double sharp (looking rather like a little x) tells you to play a note two semitones higher than its natural state. It’s the musical equivalent of a double espresso—raising everything up just that little bit more.
22. Down-bow
The down-bow symbol tells string players to use a downward bowing motion. It resembles a square bracket that’s fallen over, much like string players after a particularly vigorous symphony.
23. Dynamic Notation
Dynamics in music are notated with letters like p (piano) for quiet, m (mezzo) for medium, and f (forte) for loud. Apparently, “quiet”, “medium”, and “loud” weren’t fancy enough, so we had to borrow from Italian.
24. Fermata
The fermata (looking like an eyebrow raising over a beauty spot) tells you to hold a note longer than its written value. How much longer? That’s between you and your sense of musical drama.
25. Flat
The flat symbol (♭) tells you to play a note one semitone lower than its natural state. It looks like a lowercase ‘b’ that’s had a bit too much to drink.
26. Fortepiano
The fortepiano symbol (fp) tells you to start a note loud and immediately drop to a quieter dynamic. It’s the musical equivalent of shouting the first word of your sentence before whispering the rest. Quite dramatic, really.
27. G-clef Ottava Alta
An ottava alta G-clef (a treble clef with a little ‘8’ above it) indicates that all notes should be played one octave higher than written. It’s sheet music’s way of saying “Actually, everything here needs to be higher than it looks.”
28. G-clef Ottava Bassa
Conversely, the ottava bassa G-clef (treble clef with ‘8’ below) tells you to play everything an octave lower than written. Quite useful when composers can’t be bothered to use ledger lines.
29. Glissando
A glissando symbol (a wavy or straight line between notes) instructs you to slide continuously from one pitch to another. It’s particularly satisfying on a piano, where you can drag your fingernail across the keys like you’re scratching a musical itch.
30. Grace Note
A grace note is a tiny note that’s played quickly before the main note, like a musical appetizer before the main course. It adds a bit of flair to what might otherwise be a rather pedestrian melody.
31. Hemiola
A hemiola creates a rhythmic ratio of 3:2, essentially superimposing one meter over another. It’s notated with a bracket and the number three in duple meter or two in triple meter. It’s the musical equivalent of patting your head while rubbing your tummy—rhythmically disorienting but impressive when pulled off.
32. Key Signature
The key signature appears at the beginning of each staff as a series of sharps or flats. It tells you which notes are consistently sharp or flat throughout the piece, saving the composer from having to write accidentals everywhere and preventing your sheet music from looking like it has a bad case of musical measles.
33. Marcato Accent
The marcato accent (an inverted V) is like the regular accent’s more intense cousin. It tells you to play a note with extra emphasis, as if you’re particularly cross with it.
34. Multi Rest
A multi rest indicates that you should rest for multiple bars. It’s often a welcome sight for musicians who fancy a quick nap during the performance.
35. Music End
The double bar line at the end of a piece is music’s way of saying “That’s all, folks!” It’s the musical full stop, the end of the road, the final curtain.
36. Natural
A natural sign (♮) cancels any previous sharp or flat affecting a note. It looks rather like a square that’s trying to stand up straight after a few too many at the pub.
37. Neutral Clef
The neutral clef (often used as a percussion clef) is for instruments that don’t have specific pitches. It’s music’s way of saying “Just hit it, mate, don’t worry about the notes.”
38. Note
Notes are the building blocks of written music, communicating both rhythm and pitch. They come in various shapes indicating different durations, from the whole note (looking rather like a surprised “O”) to the hemidemisemiquaver (a black blob with more flags than an international summit).
39. Ottava Alta
Ottava alta (marked as “8va” with a dashed line) tells you to play the notes one octave higher than written. It’s particularly useful when composers can’t be bothered to use seventeen ledger lines above the staff.
40. Ottava Bassa
Ottava bassa (marked as “8vb”) indicates that notes should be played one octave lower than written. It’s the musical equivalent of speaking in a deep voice to sound more authoritative.
41. Percussion Clef
The percussion clef indicates that the music is written for percussion instruments. It’s usually a vertical line with two dots, looking rather like an emotionless face judging your rhythmic accuracy.
42. Quintuplet
A quintuplet (five notes with a “5” above them) instructs you to play five notes in the time normally taken by four. It’s the musical equivalent of trying to cram five people into a four-seater car—technically possible but somewhat uncomfortable.
43. Repeat
Repeat signs (looking like bookends with dots) tell you to repeat a section of music. They’re the composer’s way of getting more music for less effort—the ultimate recycling scheme.
44. Rest
Rests tell you when not to play—when to shut up, essentially. Each type of rest corresponds to a note value, from whole rests (looking like top hats hanging from a line) to hemidemisemiquaver rests (which look like someone’s had a nervous breakdown with a pen).
45. Segno
The segno (resembling a stylized “S” with a dash through it) is where you resume playing after encountering a “D.S.” instruction. It’s like a musical checkpoint where you can save your progress.
46. Sextuplet
A sextuplet instructs you to play six notes in the time normally taken by four. It’s for when a quintuplet just isn’t quite challenging enough for the performer.
47. Sforzando
Sforzando (often marked as “sfz”) calls for a sudden, forceful accent. It’s the musical equivalent of shouting one word in the middle of a sentence for dramatic EFFECT.
48. Sharp
The sharp symbol (♯) indicates that a note should be played one semitone higher than its natural state. It looks rather like a hashtag that’s had one too many espressos.
49. Simile
Simile tells you to continue playing with the same articulation or technique as before. It’s music’s way of saying “same again, please” without having to write it all out.
50. Slur
A slur connects different notes, indicating they should be played smoothly without separation. It’s the legato counterpart to staccato’s choppiness—the smooth peanut butter to staccato’s crunchy.
51. Staccato
Staccato (indicated by dots above or below notes) tells you to play each note short and detached, as if the note is too hot to hold onto. It’s the musical equivalent of tiptoeing across hot sand.
52. Staff
The staff (or stave, if you’re being properly British) is the five-line playground where all the musical action happens. Without it, notes would just be floating about with no idea where they belong, poor things.
53. Sustain Pedal Engage
The sustain pedal symbol (looking like an asterisk on the floor) tells pianists to press the right pedal, allowing notes to ring out beyond their written duration. It’s the musical equivalent of a heavy fog—everything blends together.
54. Sustain Pedal Release
The sustain pedal release symbol (looking rather like a little footstool) tells pianists when to lift the pedal. It’s the “and now stop that blending, please” instruction.
55. Tenuto
Tenuto (a horizontal line above or below a note) indicates that a note should be held for its full value or slightly longer. It’s the musical equivalent of lingering on a word for emphasis.
56. Time Signature
The time signature appears at the beginning of a piece as two stacked numbers. The top number tells you how many beats per bar, while the bottom number tells you what type of note gets one beat. It’s the rhythmic recipe for the entire piece.
57. Tremolo
Tremolo markings (slashes through a note stem) indicate rapid repetition of a single note or alternation between two notes. It’s what happens when a note has a case of the shivers.
58. Trill
A trill (marked as “tr” with a wavy line) instructs the player to rapidly alternate between two adjacent notes. It’s the musical equivalent of not being able to make up your mind between two options, so you just keep switching back and forth.
59. Up-bow
The up-bow symbol tells string players to play with an upward bow stroke. It looks like a “V” that’s been hitting the gym.
60. Volta Brackets
Volta brackets (those numbered brackets above measures) indicate alternate endings after a repeat. It’s music’s version of “Choose Your Own Adventure”—except the composer has already decided the adventure for you.
Music Symbols: Actually Rather Important
Now you know pretty much every symbol used in sheet music that you’re likely to encounter unless you’ve decided to specialise in avant-garde experimental pieces (in which case, good luck to you).
With a bit of practice, you’ll be reading and playing music without thinking twice about all these squiggles and dots. They’ll become second nature, like reading road signs or deciphering your doctor’s handwriting.
And if you forget what something means? Well, that’s what this guide is for. Bookmark it, print it, tattoo it on your forearm—whatever helps you remember that a coda isn’t a type of fish and a sharp isn’t just something you don’t want to step on with bare feet.
Happy music-making, you brilliant lot!
