I have a question about ledger lines. I've been reading more music notation and I find that Im having trouble reading the higher notes on the staff. You know the ones on the ledger lines. Im pretty sure that the notes just start over in the same pattern, G B D F A on the lines and A C E G in the spaces, right? If I am right any suggestions on tricks to reading the notes easier would be helpful. Thanks

Are you talking about notes above the staff? If so, your space-line pattern is wrong.
For example: C is on a space on the staff, the octave is on a line above the staff.

Yes, I mean the notes above the staff like this:

-o-
o
---------o------ <---lines

----------------
(spaces)
----------------

----------------

----------------

I know that the first note on the line is an A, so are the notes just in order. Making the leder line one C, and so on to G?

Yes, the first ledger line above the bass clef is C, middle C to be specific. This is where, on a Grand Staff (which includes both the bass and treble clef), the notes make the transition into the treble clef. But, seeing as you're probably not playing piano, starting from the bottom of the bass clef, the order of the "spaces" is A-C-E-G-B-D-F. The reason I brought up the treble clef is because that is essentially where you are playing, and the spaces are different than the bass clef. In the treble clef, the spaces spell out FACE (easy way to remember), as opposed to ACEG in the bass clef. So, the answer, if I understand your question correctly, is no.

EDIT: I probably could have presented that more clearly, so here's a link that I found which should answer your questions.

http://www.musictheory.halifax.ns.ca/2notes.html

Originally posted by istaticl


I know that the first note on the line is an A, so are the notes just in order. Making the leder line one C, and so on to G?
All the notes go in order, forget about lines and spaces for a second. Starting with G: GABCDEF GABCDEF. See a pattern?

Originally posted by Turock
All the notes go in order, forget about lines and spaces for a second. Starting with G: GABCDEF GABCDEF. See a pattern?

Yea I see the pattern, Im pretty sure I got it now. Thanks for all the help.

The more you read notes above the the staff the easier it will get.

Learning the treble clef helped me alot. I recently took a piano class. Now instead of counting ledger lines above the bass clef, I look at the lines and spaces as though they are the treble clef after middle C,( one ledger line). Then you are in treble clef. It works for me, but I am not sure I explained it very well.

im in the same boat as you here, Im trying to better my site reading skills too,

I do this to help solidify it all in my mind.

I take a piece of paper and i make the staff..I then write out all the notes above it and below it, exactly how youd see it written on a piece of notation.
This helped me to solidify in my brian a little bit better. Now when I see it I dont have to go from the bottom up sayin to myself A, B, C, D, E etc.


a lil trick to remember that also helped me...


__G
__E
__C

1 line above staff=C
2 lines above staff = E
3 lines above = G