The Staff & Notes

The first thing you'll need to know about music theory is understanding the notes and where they are placed on the staff. A staff consists of five lines. Notes can be placed on the lines or in the spaces between the lines. Low notes can extend below the staff while the high notes can extend above. All the notes used on the staff in these examples are natural notes. Note placement depends on the clef your instrument uses. I'll be starting with the treble clef.

A staff with a treble clef:

There are two sets of letters to memorize on the staff. The first one being "F-A-C-E". Remembering face will help a lot. These notes are placed in the spaces like this:

The second set of letters are E-G-B-D-F. Most people remember these notes by making up a word for each letter. The most common saying is "Every Good Boy Does Fine". It's what ever works for you and makes it easier for you to remember. These notes are labeled on the lines.