Reading Music for Handbells

I often recommend to our new handbell cracker customers, that it is useful to learn to read music rather than to just play the bells according to the colour codes. Besides the pure enjoyment of being able to read music, it also allows you access to ALL available music and not just that which has been specially colour-printed for bell ringers. The name of the note for each handbell is printed on the coloured dot. Finding that name in printed music is easy - just match the name of the note to the corresponding one on any music sheet.

Want to learn how to read music? Well, here, is the way my primary school teacher taught me the names of each notes - many, many years ago and I have never forgotten!

The lines in music are called the "Staff". For today we will just concentrate on the names of the notes. Starting at the bottom, the note between the first two lines is "F". If you read the notes, between the lines, from bottom to top, you can see they spell FACE. An excellent way to remember their names.

The notes on the lines, from the bottom to the top of the staff are: EGBDF. Need help remembering? Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge!

Wow! Look how much you have learned already!

Stay tuned for future lessons. Meanwhile, practice reading music by identifiy each note below for "Row, Row, Row Your Boat". We know you can do it!!