Music Symbols Notation Symbols Composing Symbols
Comprehensive guide to music symbols and musical notation. Learn about note symbols, clefs, rests, accidentals, dynamics and more. Complete reference for composers, musicians and music students with all essential staff symbols and their meanings.
| Symbol | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 𝅝 | Whole Note | The basic note with the longest duration |
| 𝅗𝅥 | Half Note | Duration is 1/2 of a whole note |
| ♩ | Quarter Note | Represents a quarter note duration |
| ♪ | Eighth Note | Represents an eighth note duration |
| 𝅘𝅥𝅯 | Sixteenth Note | Duration is 1/16 of a whole note |
| 𝅘𝅥. | Dotted Quarter Note | Duration equals a quarter note plus an eighth note |
| ♫ | Beamed Eighth Notes | Two eighth notes connected together |
| ♬ | Beamed Sixteenth Notes | Two sixteenth notes connected together |
| ♭ | Flat | Lowers the pitch by a semitone |
| ♯ | Sharp | Raises the pitch by a semitone |
| ♮ | Natural | Cancels the effect of sharps or flats |
| 𝄞 | Treble Clef | Determines the pitch position on the staff |
| 𝄢 | Bass Clef | Clef used for lower vocal parts |
| 𝄡 | Alto Clef | Clef used for middle vocal parts |
| 𝄐 | Tie | Connects notes of the same pitch |
| 𝄑 | Slur | Connects notes of different pitches, play smoothly |
| 𝄒 | Breath Mark | Indicates where to take a breath |
| 𝄓 | Accent | Indicates the note should be played with emphasis |
| 𝆒 | Crescendo | Gradually increase in volume |
| 𝆓 | Diminuendo | Gradually decrease in volume |
| 𝄿 | Repeat Sign | Indicates a section of music should be repeated |
| 𝄩 | Long Rest | Indicates a rest for an entire section |
| 𝄻 | Whole Rest | Indicates a rest for the entire measure |
| 𝄼 | Half Rest | Rest duration is half of a whole note |
| 𝄽 | Quarter Rest | Rest duration is 1/4 of a whole note |
| 𝄾 | Eighth Rest | Rest duration is 1/8 of a whole note |
| 𝄿 | Sixteenth Rest | Rest duration is 1/16 of a whole note |
| 𝅀 | Thirty-second Rest | Rest duration is 1/32 of a whole note |
| 𝅁 | Sixty-fourth Rest | Rest duration is 1/64 of a whole note |
| 𝅂 | One Hundred Twenty-eighth Rest | Rest duration is 1/128 of a whole note |
| 𝄋 | Bar Line | Vertical line dividing measures |
| 𝄀 | Bar Line | Indicates the end of a measure |
| 𝄂 | Final Bar Line | Double bar line indicating the end of a piece |
| ♭ | Flat (Simplified) | Lowers the pitch by a semitone |
| ♯ | Sharp (Simplified) | Raises the pitch by a semitone |
| ♮ | Natural (Simplified) | Cancels the effect of sharps or flats |
| 𝄆 | Left Repeat Sign | Indicates the beginning of a repeat section |
| 𝄇 | Right Repeat Sign | Indicates the end of a repeat section |
| 𝆮 | Pedal Down | Press down the sustain pedal |
| 𝆯 | Pedal Up | Release the pedal |