Reading notes that sound together
Notes written one above the other sound at the same time. Two stacked notes are an interval. Three or more are a chord. Reading them fast is mostly pattern spotting: you learn what a third, a fifth and a triad look like.
Intervals: count lines and spaces
Count from the lower note to the upper one, including both. Neighbouring positions are a 2nd, a skip is a 3rd. A 3rd is line to line or space to space; a 5th spans three lines or three spaces. The number is just the count. The quality (major, minor, perfect…) comes from the half steps, so sharps and flats matter.
Chords: a stack of thirds
A triad in root position is three notes stacked in thirds: all on lines or all in spaces, like a little snowman. The bottom note is the root that gives the chord its name. The distance between the notes tells you the quality: major is a major 3rd then a minor 3rd, minor the other way round, diminished two minor 3rds, augmented two major 3rds. Add a note a third higher and it becomes a seventh chord.
When the stack is turned over
If the notes do not form a neat stack, the chord is probably in an inversion: a different chord tone is at the bottom. Rearrange the notes into thirds in your head. Whatever ends up at the bottom is the root.
A few reading habits
- Find the gaps. Notes with a gap of one line or space between them are a third apart. A note directly next to another is a 2nd, drawn on the other side of the stem.
- Spell, then name. Say the letters from the bottom up (E G C), then rearrange to thirds (C E G).
- Check the accidentals. A flat on the middle note usually makes the chord minor; a sharp on the top note can make it augmented.
New to the staff? Start with Staff reading. To learn what each interval and chord sounds like, try the intervals drill, triads and seventh chords.
Frequently asked questions
How do I read an interval on the staff?
Count the lines and spaces from the lower note to the upper note, counting both. Two notes on neighbouring positions are a 2nd, line to line (or space to space) is a 3rd, and so on. That gives the number. The quality (major, minor, perfect, augmented, diminished) comes from counting half steps, taking any sharps or flats into account.
How do I spot a chord on the staff?
A triad written in root position is a stack of thirds: three notes all on lines, or all in spaces, with one empty line or space between neighbours. The bottom note is the root. Add a fourth note a third higher and you have a seventh chord.
What if the notes are not stacked neatly?
Then the chord is in an inversion. Rearrange the notes in your head into a stack of thirds. The note that ends up at the bottom is the root. For example E G C is a C major chord with E at the bottom (first inversion).
Why are some noteheads on the opposite side of the stem?
When two notes are a 2nd apart, their heads would overlap, so one is written on the other side of the stem. It is still the same chord or interval. In a chord, a 2nd between neighbouring notes usually means a sus2, an added 9th or a seventh chord turned into an inversion.
Do I need to know key signatures first?
Not for this drill: sharps and flats are written next to the notes. In real music the key signature at the start tells you which notes are sharp or flat all the way through, so it helps to learn it alongside this.