Musical Symbols / Notation: the Classic FM guide

21 October 2014, 17:18 | Updated: 6 January 2017, 14:45

Your comprehensive guide to musical notation and symbols.

Note

 Value (beats)

Rest

  Semibreve Grey Background

 

= Semibreve / Whole note - 4 beats

 

Grey Background Musical Symbols

Musical Symbols:

 

= Minim / Half note - 2 beats

 

Music Symbols:

Grey Background Musical Symbols

 

= Crotchet / Quarter note - 1 note

 

Grey Background Musical Symbols

Musical Symbols:

= Quaver / Eighth note

Music Symbols:

Grey Background Musical Symbols  

= Semi-quaver / Sixteenth note

Grey Background Musical Symbols
Musical Symbols:  

= Demi-semi-quaver / Thirty-second note

Music Symbols:
Grey Background Musical Symbols  

= Hemi-demi-semi-quaver / Sixty-fourth note

Grey Background Musical Symbols
Music Symbols:

= Sharp

 
Grey Background Musical Symbols

= Flat

 

 

Symbol

Dynamics

Grey Background Musical Symbols

= Piano pianissimo

Music Symbols:

= Pianissimo

Grey Background Musical Symbols

= Piano

Music Symbols:

= Mezzo-piano

Grey Background Musical Symbols

= Mezzo-forte

Music Symbols:

= Forte

Grey Background Musical Symbols

= Fortissimo

Music Symbols:

= Forte fortissimo

Grey Background Musical Symbols

= Sforzando

Music Symbols:

= Forte-piano

 

Miscellaneous Symbols

 
Grey Background Musical Symbols

 = Treble clef

Music Symbols:

 = Bass clef

Grey Background Musical Symbols

 = Tenor clef

Music Symbols:

 = Ottava alta (an octave above) 

Grey Background Musical Symbols

 = Ottava bassa (an octave below)

Music Symbols:

 = Two octaves above

Grey Background Musical Symbols

 =  Two octaves below

Music Symbols:

 = Da capo (from the beginning)

Grey Background Musical Symbols

 = Dal segno (from the sign)

Music Symbols:

 = Segno

Grey Background Musical Symbols

 = Coda (go to the coda)

Music Symbols:

 = Sustain pedal down

Grey Background Musical Symbols

 = Release pedal

Music Symbols:

 = Trill

Grey Background Musical Symbols

 = Turn

Music Symbols:

 = Inverted-turn

Grey Background Musical Symbols

 = Mordent

Music Symbols:

 = Inverted mordent

Grey Background Musical Symbols

 = Crescendo (hairpin)

Music Symbols:

 = Diminuendo / decrescendo (hairpin)

Grey Background Musical Symbols

 = Accent 

Music Symbols:

 = Common time (4/4)

Grey Background Musical Symbols

 = Alla breve / Cut time (2/2)

Music Symbols:

 = Fermata (pause)