What is music notation?
Q: What is music notation?
A: Music notation is a way of writing down music so that anyone can play it.
Q: How many lines are there in the stave used by most musicians in the Western world?
A: Most musicians in the Western world write musical notes on a stave with five parallel lines and four spaces in between them.
Q: What is the purpose of writing music down?
A: Writing music down makes it possible for a composer who makes up (composes) a piece of music to let other people know how the music is supposed to sound, so that it can then be played or sung by anybody who can “read music”.
Q: How was folk music traditionally learned?
A: Folk music was traditionally learned by listening to it and trying to copy it.
Q: Are there any other systems used today for writing down music besides the stave system used by most musicians in the Western world?
A: Yes, there are many others, some of which are still in use today in different cultures.
Q: Is reading musical notation necessary for playing or singing a piece of written-down music?
A: Yes, reading musical notation is necessary for playing or singing a piece of written-down music.
