16.6 · The Staff

Read your first melody

Below is a real melody, written the real way: where a note sits says which pitch, and its shape says how long. A filled head with a stem is one beat; a hollow head holds longer. Follow the ring as it plays, then name what you see.

Play and follow

Eight notes, mostly steps, ending on a longer note.

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That's the opening of Beethoven's Ode to Joy.

Quiz · Read it back

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What's the very first note of the melody?

Where to take this

The practice rooms use this same notation. The Melodic dictation room has you write what you hear; the Sight singing room has you sing what you read.

Open the practice rooms ▸
Score 100% on every quiz and game to complete this lesson. A perfect run sticks: a later miss never undoes it.The bass clef