Mar 15, 2023

5 Ways to Remember the Music Notes on a Scale

Learning to read music is an essential skill taught in music lessons! Sometimes, it’s not always the easiest though – especially for children who are just starting to pick up a new instrument.

When reading music, the musician must be able to look at a music book and play those notes on their instrument as they read along. So it’s not optional when reading music to have memorized the names and placement of the notes on a scale.

Fortunately, there are different methods and tools used by music teachers everywhere that aim to make the learning process fun and engaging for kids. In this post, we’ll explore five easy ways to remember the music notes on a scale.

1. Use Mnemonic Devices

Mnemonic devices are helpful memory aids that can help children remember the names of the notes on a scale. They’re usually crafty sentences or phrases that use letters or numbers to correspond to whatever needs to be remembered.

For example, “Every Good Boy Does Fine” is a common mnemonic for remembering the notes of the treble clef staff. The first letter of each word in the sentence corresponds to a note on the staff: E, G, B, D, and F. Similarly, “Good Boys Do Fine Always” is a mnemonic for the notes on the bass clef staff: G, B, D, F, and A.

Encourage your child to come up with their own mnemonic devices, as this can be a fun and creative way to remember the notes.

2. Practice Makes Perfect

Repetition is key when it comes to learning music. Encourage your child to spend time practicing the scales and saying the names of the notes as they play them. Repetition helps to reinforce the learning process and make the names of the notes second nature.

Make sure your child practices regularly, even if it’s just for a few minutes each day. Setting time aside as a part of a daily routine helps develop accountability and consistency. Consistency is key when it comes to learning any new skill, especially an instrument! The more time spent at home practicing, the more progress is usually made inside the lesson room.

If your child is in a private music lesson or a group music lesson, spending time outside of their regularly scheduled lesson time to study what they’ve learned in class and practice helps build muscle memory.

3. Visualize the Notes

Using labels can be a powerful tool for memorizing the music notes on a scale, especially for kids who are visual learners. By using stickers or a label maker, kids can label where each note is on their piano keys or other instrument until they’re able to visualize in their head where each note is as they play.

As kids practice their instrument, if they have the note drawn and labeled on their keyboard or even their guitar, it will be easier for them to associate the notes with their positions. This is important for reading music and being able to keep up with the song when playing.

4. Learn the Pattern

Learning the pattern of the scale you are trying to remember can make the learning process much easier. For example, the major scale follows the pattern of whole steps and half steps (W-W-H-W-W-W-H). A whole step is two half steps, while a half step is the distance between two adjacent notes on a keyboard or staff.

Encourage your child to practice playing scales and identifying the pattern of the notes. This will help them quickly identify the notes on the scale and teach them to read sheet music as they play.

5. Gamify the Process

Learning music should be fun! Try turning the learning process into a game or find a fun way to incorporate music into your child’s daily routine.

For example, you could have your child play a game where they try to identify notes on a keyboard or staff as quickly as possible. Using a timer and making kids beat their best record each time can turn it into a fun competition.

Or, you may have your child practice playing scales with a fun backing track. Experiment with the speed of the track to make it more difficult. By finding ways to make learning music fun and engaging, your child will be more likely to stick with it and make progress.

Read music like a professional

In conclusion, learning to read music takes time and practice, but there are several easy ways to remember the notes on a scale.

Encourage your child to come up with their own methods for remembering where each note is on their instrument and on the scale, whether it’s a mnemonic device or a tool they’ve come up with to keep their memory sharp! With time and practice, your child will become proficient at reading music and enjoy the many benefits that come with being a musician.

For more information about music lessons and how you can help your child pursue their musical passions, find your closest Bach to Rock music school.