List of musical symbols

A clef assigns one particular pitch to one particular line of the staff on which it is placed. This also effectively defines the pitch range or tessitura of the music on that staff. A clef is usually the leftmost symbol on a staff, although a different clef may appear elsewhere to indicate a change in register. Historically, clefs could be placed on any line on a staff (or even on a space), but modern notation almost exclusively uses treble, bass, alto, and tenor clef.

	G clef (Treble clef) The spiral of a G clef (not a point on the spiral, but the center around which the spiral is drawn) shows where the G above middle C is located on the staff. A G clef with the spiral centered on the second line of the staff is called treble clef.[2] The treble clef is the most commonly encountered clef in modern notation.
Alto clef Tenor clef	C clef (Alto, and Tenor clefs) The center of a C clef points to the line representing middle C. The first illustration here is centered on the third line on the staff, making that line middle C. When placed there, the clef is called alto clef, which is mainly used for the viola but is sometimes used for other instruments. The second illustration shows the clef centered on the fourth line—this clef is called tenor clef. Tenor clef is used for bassoon, cello, trombone, and double bass when the notes get very high, avoiding the use of excessive ledger lines. Until the classical era, C clefs were frequently seen pointing to other lines (it is sometimes called a "movable clef"), mostly in vocal music, but this has been supplanted by the universal use of the treble and bass clefs. Modern editions of music from such periods generally rewrite the original C-clef parts to either treble (female voices), octave treble (tenors), or bass clef (tenors and basses). The C clef was sometimes placed on the third space of the staff (equivalent to an octave treble clef) but this usage is unusual since all other modern clefs are placed on lines.
	F clef (Bass clef) An F clef places the F below middle C on the line between the dots.[2] When placing the F below middle C on the fourth line, as shown here, it is called bass clef, which is by far its most common usage. Bass clef appears nearly as often as treble clef in modern music notation. In older notation, particularly for vocal music, F clefs were sometimes centered on the third line (baritone clef) but this usage has essentially become obsolete.
	Octave clef Treble and bass clefs can be modified by octave numbers. An "8" below the clef (as in the diagram) indicates that pitches will sound an octave lower than they would with the unmodified clef. A "15" below indicates a two-octave shift. These numbers may also be used above the clef to indicate pitches one or two octaves higher. A treble clef with an eight below is the most common version, typically used in music for guitar or tenor voice. Sometimes a shift of one octave up is indicated by drawing two clefs instead of one.
On a 5-line staff On a single-line staff	Neutral clef Used for pitchless instruments, such as percussion instruments, this is not a true clef—the lines and spaces do not indicate pitches—but it occupies the position of a clef. In this case, the lines and spaces indicate specific instruments, such as the different individual instruments in a drum set. It may also be drawn on a single-line staff for single percussion instruments.
	Tablature Also not a true clef—the lines and spaces do not represent pitches—tablature notation is used in place of ordinary staff notation for some string instruments, such as the guitar. The lines represent the strings of an instrument (for standard 6-stringed guitars, six lines would be used). Numbers on the lines show which fret to use. Because the lines represent strings rather than pitches, the spaces between the lines are never used.

In American usage, musical note and rest values have names that indicate their length relative to a whole note. A half note is half the length of a whole note, a quarter note is one quarter the length, etc.

Note	British name / American name	Rest
	Large (Latin: Maxima) / Octuple whole note[3]
	Long / Quadruple whole note[3]
	Breve / Double whole note
	Semibreve / Whole note
	Minim / Half note
	Crotchet / Quarter note[4][5]
	Quaver / Eighth note For notes of this length and shorter, the note has the same number of flags (or hooks) as the rest has branches.
	Semiquaver / Sixteenth note
	Demisemiquaver / Thirty-second note
	Hemidemisemiquaver / Sixty-fourth note
	Semihemidemisemiquaver / Quasihemidemisemiquaver / Hundred twenty-eighth note[6][7]
	Demisemihemidemisemiquaver / Two hundred fifty-sixth note[3]

	Beamed notes Eighth notes (quavers) and shorter notes have flags to indicate their duration, but beams can be used instead of flags to connect groups of these notes. This is usually done to indicate a rhythmic grouping but can also be used to connect notes in ametrical passages. The number of beams is equivalent to the number of flags on the note value—eighth notes are beamed together with a single beam, sixteenth notes with two, and so on. In older printings of vocal music, the use of beams is sometimes reserved for notes that are sung on one syllable of text (melisma). Modern notation of vocal music encourages the use of beaming in a consistent manner with instrumental engraving, however. In non-traditional meters, beaming is at the discretion of composers and arrangers and can be used to emphasize a rhythmic pattern.
	Dotted note Placing a dot to the right of a notehead lengthens the note's duration by one-half. Additional dots lengthen the previous dot instead of the original note, thus a note with one dot is one and one half its original value, a note with two dots is one and three quarters—use of more than two dots is rare. Rests can be dotted in the same manner as notes.
	Ghost note A note with a rhythmic value, but no discernible pitch when played. It is represented by a (saltire) cross (similar to the letter x) for a notehead instead of an oval. Composers will primarily use this notation to represent percussive pitches. This notation is also used in parts where spoken words are used.
	Multi-measure rest A compact way to indicate multiple measures of rest. Also called gathered rest or multi-bar rest.

Most music has a rhythmic pulse with a uniform number of beats—each segment of this pulse is shown as a measure. Time signatures indicate the number of beats in each measure (the top number) and also show what type of note represents a single beat (the bottom number). There may be any number of beats in a measure but the most common by far are multiples of 2 and/or 3 (i.e., 2, 3, 4, and 6). Likewise, any note length can be used to represent a beat, but a quarter note (indicated by a bottom number of "4") or eighth note (bottom number of "8") are by far the most common.

	Simple time signatures This example shows that each measure is the length of three quarter notes (crotchets). 3 4 is pronounced as "three-four" or "three-quarter time".
	Compound time signatures In a compound meter, there is an additional rhythmic grouping within each measure. This example shows 6 8 time, indicating 6 beats per measure, with an eighth note representing one beat. The rhythm within each measure is divided into two groups of three eighth notes each (notated by beaming in groups of three). This indicates a pulse that follows the eighth notes (as expected) along with a pulse that follows a dotted quarter note (equivalent to three eighth notes).
	Common time This symbol represents 4 4 time—four beats per measure with a quarter note representing one beat. It derives from the broken circle that represented "imperfect" duple meter in fourteenth-century mensural time signatures.
	Alla breve or cut time This symbol represents 2 2 time—two beats per measure with a half-note representing one beat.
	Metronome mark This notation is used to precisely define the tempo of the music by assigning an absolute duration to each beat. This example indicates a tempo of 120 quarter notes (crotchets) per minute. Many publishers precede the marking with letters "M.M.", referring to Maelzel's Metronome. This is a tempo marking, not a time signature—it is independent of how the beats are grouped (the top number in a time signature), although it defines the tempo in terms of the counting note (the bottom number).

Dynamics are indicators of the relative intensity or volume of a musical line.

	Pianississimo Extremely soft. Softer dynamics occur very infrequently and would be specified with additional ps.
	Pianissimo Very soft.
	Piano Soft; louder than pianissimo.
	Mezzo piano Moderately soft; louder than piano.
	Mezzo forte Moderately loud; softer than forte. If no dynamic appears, mezzo-forte is assumed to be the prevailing dynamic level.
	Forte Loud.
	Fortissimo Very loud.
	Fortississimo Extremely loud. Louder dynamics occur very infrequently and would be specified with additional fs.
	Sforzando Literally "forced", denotes an abrupt, fierce accent on a single sound or chord. When written out in full, it applies to the sequence of sounds or chords under or over which it is placed. Sforzando is not to be confused with rinforzando.
	Fortepiano Indicates that the note is to be played with a loud attack, and then immediately become soft.
	Crescendo A gradual increase in volume. Can be extended under many notes to indicate that the volume steadily increases during the passage.
	Diminuendo Also decrescendo A gradual decrease in volume. Can be extended in the same manner as crescendo.
	Niente Meaning "nothing". May be used at the start of a crescendo to indicate "start from nothing" or at the end of a diminuendo to indicate "fade out to nothing".

Rarely, even softer or louder dynamic levels are indicated by adding more ps or fs. While ppp is called "pianississimo" and fff is called "fortississimo", these words (formed by adding an additional "iss") are not proper Italian.

Dynamics are relative, and the meaning of each level is at the discretion of the performer or the conductor. Laws to curb high noise levels in the workplace have changed the interpretation of very loud dynamics in some large orchestral works, as noise levels within the orchestra itself can easily exceed safe levels.[9]

Articulations specify the length, volume, and style of attack of individual notes. This category includes accents. Articulations can be combined with one another and may appear in conjunction with phrasing marks (above). Any of these markings may be placed either above or below a note.

	Staccato This indicates that the note should be played shorter than notated, usually half the value, leaving the rest of the metric value silent. Staccato marks may appear on notes of any value, shortening their performed duration without speeding up the music.
	Staccatissimo or Spiccato This indicates that the note should be played even shorter than staccato. It is usually applied to quarter notes or shorter notes. In the past this marking's meaning was more ambiguous—it was sometimes used interchangeably with staccato and sometimes indicated an accent and not a shortened note. These usages are now almost defunct but still appear in some scores. For string instruments this indicates a bowing technique in which the bow bounces lightly upon the string.
	Tenuto This symbol indicates that the note should be played at its full value, or slightly longer. It can also indicate a degree of emphasis, especially when combined with dynamic markings to indicate a change in loudness, or combined with a staccato dot to indicate a slight detachment (portato or mezzo staccato). In percussion notation, this sign indicates a slight accent.
	Fermata or Pause A fermata indicates that a note, chord, or rest is sustained longer than its written value. It will usually appear on all parts in an ensemble. The fermata is held for as long as the performer or conductor desires.
	Accent An accent indicates that a note should be played louder, or with a harder attack than surrounding unaccented notes. It may appear on notes of any duration.
	Marcato A marcato marking indicates that the note should be played louder or more forcefully than a note with a regular accent mark. In organ notation, this sign often does not indicate marcato when in the pedal stave otherwise it still does, but instead that a pedal note should be played with the toe. When printed above the note it indicates the right foot's toe, and below the note indicates the left foot's toe.

Ornaments modify the pitch pattern of individual notes.

	Tremolo A rapidly repeated note. If the tremolo is between two notes, then they are played in rapid alternation. The number of slashes through the stem (or number of diagonal bars between two notes) indicates the frequency to repeat (or alternate) the note. As shown here, the note is to be repeated at a demisemiquaver (thirty-second note) rate, but it is a common convention for three slashes to be interpreted as "as fast as possible", or at any rate at a speed to be left to the player's judgment. In percussion notation, tremolos indicate rolls, diddles, and drags. Typically, a single tremolo line on a sufficiently short note (such as a sixteenth) is played as a drag, and a combination of three stem and tremolo lines indicates a double-stroke roll (or a single-stroke roll, in the case of timpani, mallet percussion and some untuned percussion instruments such as triangle and bass drum) for a period equivalent to the duration of the note. In other cases, the interpretation of tremolos is highly variable, and should be examined by the director and performers. The tremolo symbol also represents flutter-tonguing.
	Trill A rapid alternation between the specified note and the next higher note (determined by key signature) within its duration, also called a "shake". When followed by a wavy horizontal line, this symbol indicates an extended, or running, trill. In music up to the time of Haydn or Mozart the trill begins on the upper auxiliary note.[10] In percussion notation, a trill is sometimes used to indicate a tremolo. In French baroque notation, the trill, or tremblement, was notated as a small cross above or beside the note.
	Upper mordent Rapidly play the principal note, the next higher note (according to key signature) then return to the principal note for the remaining duration. In some music, the mordent begins on the auxiliary note, and the alternation between the two notes may be extended. (In other words, in some music, the upper-mordent sign means exactly the same as the trill sign.) Regardless of the style of music, the pattern finishes on the principal note. In handbells, this symbol is a "shake" and indicates the rapid shaking of the bells for the duration of the note.
	Lower mordent (inverted) Rapidly play the principal note, the note below it, then return to the principal note for the remaining duration. In much music, the mordent begins on the auxiliary note, and the alternation between the two notes may be extended.
	Gruppetto or Turn When placed directly above the note, the turn (also known as a gruppetto) indicates a sequence of upper auxiliary note, principal note, lower auxiliary note, and a return to the principal note. When placed to the right of the note, the principal note is played first, followed by the above pattern. Placing a vertical line through the turn symbol or inverting it, it indicates an inverted turn, in which the order of the auxiliary notes is reversed.
	Appoggiatura The first half of the principal note's duration has the pitch of the grace note (the first two-thirds if the principal note is a dotted note).
	Acciaccatura The acciaccatura is of very brief duration, as though brushed on the way to the principal note, which receives virtually all of its notated duration. In some styles of music, the acciaccatura is played exactly on the beat and the principal note is marginally late; in other styles, the acciaccatura is marginally early and the principal note is on the beat. It is also possible on some instruments to play both notes exactly on the beat and then quickly release the acciaccatura. In percussion notation, the acciaccatura symbol denotes the flam, the miniature note still positioned behind the main note but on the same line or space of the staff. The flam note is usually played just before the natural durational subdivision the main note is played on, with the timing and duration of the main note remaining unchanged. Also known by the English translation of the Italian term, crushed note, and in German as Zusammenschlag (simultaneous stroke).

	Ottava alta 8va is placed above the staff to indicate that the passage is to be played one octave higher.
	Ottava bassa 8vb is placed below the staff to indicate that the passage is to be played one octave lower.[11][12]
	Quindicesima alta 15ma is placed above the staff to indicate that the passage is to be played two octaves higher.
	Quindicesima bassa 15mb is placed below the staff to indicate that the passage is to be played two octaves lower.

8^va and 15^ma are sometimes abbreviated further to 8 and 15. When they appear below the staff, the word bassa is sometimes added.

• Singing
• Musical instruments
• Cluster
• Graphic notation
• Music theory
• Glossary of musical terminology
• Musical Symbols (Unicode block)
• Shape note
• Musical Symbols (disambiguation)

Elaine Gould, Behind Bars – The Definitive Guide to Music Notation. Faber Music (publisher), 2011.

• Comprehensive list of music symbols fonts
• Music theory & history (Dolmetsch Online)
• Dictionary of musical symbols (Dolmetsch Online)
• Sight reading tutorial with symbol variations Amy Appleby