TIME SIGNATURE

When reading music, one of the first element we will encounter is the time signature. Measures are qualified by two numbers used in the time signature. The number on top indicates the amount of beats existing in each measure (we will later explain the function of the number on the bottom):

TIED NOTES

Tied notes are written with a curved line connecting two notes that are on the same line or the same space in the staff. Notes of any length may be tied together, and more than two notes may be tied together.

Here is an example showing how notes are joined together by ties.

 
A semibreve joined with a crotchet


When notes are joined by ties the beats of the notes are added creating one sound. In other words the sound is as long as the number of beats for each note when they are added together.
The tie goes from the head of the first note to the head of the next, on the other side.
 

BAR LINES

Music is divided up by bar- lines.

The space between bar- lines is called a bar

The kinds of bar lines are: bar line, double bar line, Repeat bar line.

NOTES VALUE IN MUSIC

CROCHET AND CROCHET REST

Musicians will say that a crotchet is one beat

A rest is an interval of silence in a piece of music, marked by a symbol indicating the length of the pause. The crotchet rest  is 1 beat too.