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In sheet music, music symbols are used to describe the way a particular piece of music should be played. That’s why sheet music is still so important for communicating how to play a piece of music. But written music uses a lot of different symbols to describe what to play exactly and it can be confusing to know what each symbol means. That’s why we’ve put together a master list of music symbols you need to know to read sheet music. Let’s learn the 60 most important music symbols! Hot tip: Learning music theory? Subscribe to our newsletter and get lessons, inspiration, and theory ideas delivered to your inbox every week! Never miss a post from the LANDR Blog. Get the newsletter weekly. 1. AccentThe accent is a sideways V found on the top or bottom of the head of a note. It indicated that the specific note should be played at an increased dynamic over the other notes in the bar. 2. ArpeggioThe arpeggio symbol indicates to the player that the notes in the chord should be played independently and in a sweeping motion similar to the way an arpeggio is played. 3. BarsA bar or measure in music is symbolized by vertical lines on the staff. The notes of a specific measure are written between each vertical bar. 4. BraceThe brace symbol is used to indicate that two clefs on a musical staff are connected and should be played together. It’s used most commonly to visually connect the bass and treble clef in piano music. 5. Breath MarkBreath marks are comma like symbols used between notes to indicate where wind players and choir singers may take a breath between passages. 6. Caesura
A caesura marking indicates a break or stop in playing. In this case, it is the conductor who will decide when to bring the ensemble back in. 7. Chord NumeralsIn sheet music, you’ll often see roman numerals denoting the chord’s position within the key of a piece of music. 8. ClefThe clef is a symbol used at the beginning of every piece of sheet music. It indicates the note value of each line on the staff.
There are many clefs in music but the two most common are the treble and bass clef. These clefs are also known as the G-clef and F-clef because they both indicate where G in the treble clef and F in the bass clef are found respectively. Choral music also makes use of different C-clefs for soprano, alto, tenor and baritone to indicate where middle C is found on the staff. 9. CodaThe coda serves as a reference point in a piece of music. For example, when the instruction “to coda” is written the player is expected to continue playing from where the coda symbol is located on the sheet. The coda is denoted by a circle with a cross through it. 10. Common TimeThe common time is 4/4 time. It’s denoted by a C symbol where the time signature is found. It’s simply another way of instructing the player to play 4/4 time. 11. CrescendoA crescendo indicates an increase in dynamic (or loudness) during a piece of music. As the shape opens up the player should increase their volume. 12. Cut TimeSimilar to common time, cut time is another way of writing 2/2 time in the time signature section of a piece of sheet music. It’s denoted by a C symbol with a bar through it. 13. Da Capo“Da Capo” is an instruction given on a piece of sheet music to restart playing the piece from the very beginning. It’s usually symbolized by the initials D.C. if it’s not expressly written. 14. Dal SegnoSimilar to Dal Capo, Dal Segno instructs the player to resume playing from a sign symbol found elsewhere in the piece. It’s usually written as the initials D.S. if it’s not expressly written. 15. DampThe instruction to damp is symbolized by a circle with an X through it. For example, the instruction is may be given to a timpani player when a drum must be muted. 16. Damp AllSimilar to Damp, the Damp All symbol is used to instruct a player to damp every part of the instrument that’s ringing at a specific moment. It’s denoted by two circles with a cross through it. 17. DecrescendoThe symbol for decrescendo is the opposite of crescendo. It indicates to the player a gradual reduction in dynamic over a series of notes. 18. Demi Flat
A demi flat symbol is used to instruct the player to play a note one quarter-tone lower than the natural note. 19. Demi Sharp
A demisharp symbol is used to instruct the player to play a note one quarter-tone higher than the natural note. 20. Double FlatA double flat symbol is used to indicate that a note is to be played two steps down. It’s symbolized by using two flat symbols together. 21. Double SharpSimilar to the double flat, the double sharp refers to a not that is to be played two semitones up from its natural state. 22. Down-bow
A down-bow symbol indicates that a string player must play the note using a downward bowing motion. 23. Dynamic NotationDynamics are notated in music with the letters p for piano, m for mezzo and f for forte. Piano means a quieter dynamic than mezzo piano and forte means to play with a louder dynamic that than mezzo forte. 24. FermataFermata is a music symbol used to indicate that a note should be held until given a cue from the conductor to continue playing. 25. FlatA flat note is a note played one semitone below its natural state. 26. FortepianoThe fortepiano music symbol tells the player to abruptly shift from a loud dynamic to a quiet dynamic. 27. G-clef Ottava AltaAn ottava alta g-clef indicates that all notes on the staff should be played one octave higher. 28. G-clef Ottava BassaAn ottava bassa g-clef indicates that all notes on the staff must be played one octave lower. 29. GlissandoA glissando symbol instructs the player to slide in pitch up and down from note to note. 30. Grace NoteA grace note is a short note that’s played quickly and quietly before the main note on the downbeat. 31. HemiolaA hemiola in music defines a rhythmic ratio of 3:2. It’s notated with a bracket and the number three if the music is in duple meter or the number two if the music is in triple meter. 32. Key SignatureThe key signature is symbolized in music by a series of sharps or flats at the beginning of a piece on a musical staff. 33. Marcato AccentA marcato is a slightly more intense accent than a regular accent. 34. Multi RestA multi rest indicates that the player should rest for multiple bars. 35. Music EndA double bar is the music symbol used at the end of the piece to indicate where it ends. 36. NaturalA natural note is a note that’s neither sharp nor flat. 37. Neutral Clef
The neutral clef is used when note values don’t apply to the instrument being played. It’s most commonly used for percussion notation since many percussion instruments don’t use standard notes. 38. NoteNotes are used to communicate rhythms and pitches. There’s many different kinds of notes, each signifies a specific subdivision in duration relative to a whole note.
39. Ottava AltaOttava alta indicates that the notes on the sheet should be played one octave higher than what’s written. 40. Ottava BassaOttava bassa indicates that the notes on the sheet should be played one octave higher than what’s written. 41. Percussion ClefA percussion clef is used to indicate that the sheet music is written for atonal instruments that aren’t subject to a specific pitch. Usually, this applies to percussive instruments. 42. Quintuplet
A group of notes barred together with the number five on top instructs the player to play the five notes within the note’s value in duple time. For example, a eighth-note quintuplet should be played with a quarter note’s worth of time. 43. RepeatA repeat symbol indicates to the player to repeat a section, either from the top or from the repeat start symbol. 44. RestRests are used to communicate when a player should be silent. There are many kinds of rest, each with a time length value based on a subdivision of a whole rest.
45. SegnoSegno is the sign where a player resumes playing after passing a dal segno instruction. 46. Sextuplet
A group of notes barred together with the number six on top instructs the player to play the six notes within the note’s value in duple time. For example, a eight note sextuplet should be played with a quarter note’s worth of time. 47. SforzandoSforzando calls for a loud and abrupt increase and decrease in dynamic. 48. SharpA sharp symbol indicates that a note must be played one semitone higher than its natural state. 49. SimileIn sheet music, a simile symbol indicates that the player should repeat what’s written in the previous bar. 50. Slur
In sheet music, a slur symbol indicates that the player must play all the notes connected without any articulation, essentially the notes should be played slurred together. 51. StaccatoA staccato mark on a note indicates that the player should play the note shorter and more abbreviated than it’s typical value. 52. StaffThe staff in sheet music the five horizontal lines around which notes are written. The staff is the base structure for all written music. 53. Sustain Pedal EngageThe sustain pedal engages symbol indicates to a piano or vibraphone player to depress the sustain pedal and let the notes ring out. 54. Sustain Pedal ReleaseThe sustain pedal release symbol indicates to the play that the sustain pedal should be turn off at a specific point in the piece. 55. TenutoThe tenuto marking tells the player to sustain the note to its absolute maximum values. Tenuto notes should as little space as possible between them. 56. Time SignatureThe time signature is the stacked number symbol at the beginning of a piece of music. It dictates the meter and number of beats in a bar. 57. TremoloThe tremolo markings indicate the player should play the notes in a rapidly repeating way to create a tremolo effect. 58. Trill
A trill symbol instructs the player to oscillate between two chromatic notes very quickly. 59. Up-bow
An up-bow symbol indicates that a string player must play the note using an upward bowing motion. 60. Volta BracketsVolta brackets tell the player to play an alternate ending section after a repeat. Music symbols are importantNow you know pretty much every symbol used in sheet music. With a little bit of practice, you’ll be reading and playing music without thinking twice about the music symbols on the page. Alex Lavoie works as a staff writer at LANDR by day and moonlights as a drummer for folk-rock outfit The Painters. Gear guides, tips, tutorials, inspiration and more—delivered weekly. Keep up with the LANDR Blog. What is the symbol for silence in music?In music notation, this rest symbol is a rectangle that sits on top of the middle line of the staff. The symbol extends upwards and fills about ½ of the fourth space on the staff.
What symbol of music which means pause or silence?Fermata is the Italian name for the sign (𝄐), which in English is commonly called a Pause, and signifies that the note over which it is placed should be held on beyond its natural duration. It is sometimes put over a bar or double bar, in which case it intimates a short interval of silence.
What represents a whole bar of silence?Whenever you want an entire bar to be silent you always use a semibreve rest. This is the case even if the time signature is 2/4 or 3/4.
What does musical symbol represent?In sheet music, music symbols are used to describe the way a particular piece of music should be played. That's why sheet music is still so important for communicating how to play a piece of music.
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What musical symbol represents the silence
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