The staff and the clef
Music is written on a staff of five lines. The higher the note, the higher it sounds. The symbol at the start is the clef: it tells you which note sits on each line.
Notes on the lines and spaces
In treble clef, learn the lines first and then the spaces, always from the bottom up:
Lines: Every Good Boy Does Fine. Spaces spell FACE. Notes above or below the staff use ledger lines, short extra lines added just for that note.
Open strings on the staff
These are the violin's four open strings. G sits well below the staff on ledger lines; E is in the top space.
In first position the highest note is B, with the 4th finger on the E string. Above that, violinists shift position.
→ See where each finger goes in the violin finger chart
Rhythm: how long each note lasts
The shape of a note tells you how long it lasts. A bar of 4/4 holds four beats:
| Note | What it looks like | Beats |
|---|---|---|
| Whole note | open head, no stem | 4 |
| Half note | open head with a stem | 2 |
| Quarter note | filled head with a stem | 1 |
| Eighth note | filled, with a stem and one flag | ½ |
| Dot | adds half of the note's length | + ½ |
→ Full lesson on rhythm and time signatures
Sharps, flats and key signatures
A ♯ sharp raises a note by a half step; a ♭ flat lowers it by a half step; a ♮ natural cancels both. When they appear right after the clef they form the key signature and apply to the whole piece: a ♯ on the F line means every F is played as F♯.
Symbols you'll see in violin music
- ⊓ (down-bow): pull the bow from the frog to the tip.
- V (up-bow): push the bow from the tip to the frog.
- Number above a note: the left-hand finger: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 pinky; 0 is an open string.
- Slur: several notes in the same bow stroke.
- pizz. / arco: pizz. means pluck the string; arco means use the bow again.
- Roman numeral (I, II, III, IV): which string to play on: I is E, IV is G.
Step by step: reading your first song
- Check the clef, key signature and time signature before you play.
- Say the note names of the first line out loud, without playing.
- Clap the rhythm while counting the beats.
- Play slowly, one phrase at a time, without stopping when you make a mistake.
- Repeat until it flows, and only then speed up.
→ Start with easy sheet music that has the note names · → General lesson: how to read sheet music
Practice free in the app
The app shows the fingering for every note as you play and checks you through the microphone. Free, no sign-up.
Open the app →Frequently asked questions
What clef does the violin read?
Treble clef. The viola uses alto clef and the cello uses bass clef.
What do the numbers above the notes mean?
They are left-hand fingers. 0 means an open string.
Can I learn violin by reading music from the start?
Yes, and it helps a lot. In the app every note on the staff also shows the string and finger.