Never fear, I break down the very basics of musical notation to allow you to succeed.
Help! I Can’t Read Music! — A Friendly Guide for Total Beginners
What you’ll learn
- Choral singers looking to improve their note reading.
- Pitch rhythm and the relevant symbols.
- Accidentals: sharps flats and how they apply to the music.
- Key signatures and time signatures.
Course Content
- Introduction –> 1 lecture • 2min.
- Main course –> 1 lecture • 36min.
- Conclusion –> 3 lectures • 14min.
Requirements
Help! I Can’t Read Music! — A Friendly Guide for Total Beginners
Do you sing in a choir but panic the moment you see a sheet of music?
Do you wish you could follow along with confidence instead of feeling lost?
This course is for you.
Help! I Can’t Read Music! is a relaxed, encouraging introduction to music-reading for absolute beginners. You don’t need any previous knowledge, and you certainly don’t need to be “musical already.” If you can count to four and recognise up and down, you can learn this.
Led by Benedict Lewis-Smith—a professional conductor, pianist, and Director of Music at St Columba’s, Knightsbridge—this course breaks music down into simple, manageable steps with no jargon, no pressure, and no overwhelm.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Understand how the musical staff works
- Recognise notes and their rhythms
- Read in both treble and bass clefs
- Follow your choir part with much greater confidence
- Clap and count rhythms clearly
- Understand key signatures and time signatures at a basic level
- Read simple melodies on your own
Who this course is for:
- Choir singers who feel embarrassed admitting they “can’t read music”
- Adults returning to music after a long break
- Absolute beginners who have never read music before
- Anyone who wants a calm, straightforward explanation without technical overload
What makes this course different?
- Short, clear lessons designed to reduce overwhelm
- Real examples from choir music you actually sing
- Encouraging, friendly teaching that assumes no prior knowledge
- Practical steps you can use immediately in your next rehearsal
- Designed with the emotional side of learning in mind (confidence building matters!)
If you’ve ever sat in a rehearsal thinking “I hope nobody realises I’m guessing,” this course will help you finally feel secure, confident, and proud of your musicianship.
Let’s take away the fear and make reading music simple.
Join the course now, and start your musical journey today.