How to read the fa key: notes, tricks and exercises
The Solo-Re-Re-Fat, spaces La-Do-Mi-Sol and three guide notes to avoid counting from the bottom. All you need to read the Fa key with exercise by instrument.
At the fourth Fa key, that's what's used today, the two points of sign around the 4th line of the pentagram and give them Fa's name. From there, the lines, from bottom up, are Solo-Si-Reo-Fa-La and spaces, The -Doo-My-SunThe central Do remains at the first additional line above the pentagram.
The piano's left hand, an electrical bass, a contraption, cello, trombone, fagot and tuba read it. Here's how to place any note without counting from bottom, tricks to avoid confusing it with the sun key, key notes from each instrument and an exercise routine. If you haven't been using the pentagram or figure, start with our guide to [read scores]](/blog/como-leer-partituras-guia-para-principiantes).
To sum up
- In Fa key, the lines are Sol-Si-Re-Fa-La and the spaces La-Do-Mi-Sol, from bottom up.
- Three guide notes are sufficient to be oriented: Sun at first line, Fa at 4th (between points) and Do at first line.
- The same note writes a line or a space lower in fa code than in sun code and sounds two more serious octaves.
- If you read the position as if it were a key to the sun, put up two note names: My turn Sun, Fa turn La.
- To write name about each note challenges reading and best read by guide and by intervals.
What's the Fa key and who's using it?
The key is the sign at the beginning of the pentagram that says what note goes on every line. The de fa was born from a stylized letter F: so his two points mark where the Fa is. Today you will almost always see her on the 4th line, and hence his complete name, F4 key. In old music there's also the Fa key in third but it's very rare at current scores. Music glossary.
| Instrumento | Uso | Detail to be taken into account |
|---|---|---|
| Piano | Left hand, usually | The key can change at half a piece and check the sign at the start of each system |
| Violonchelo | Almost always. | The acute registration also uses the code of do in fourth and the code of sun |
| Electrical and countertop low | Siempre | That's an octave more serious than written. |
| Trombone | Almost always. | advanced repertoire includes a do-in-fourth key and some bands write parts of the sun key |
| Fagot, tuba and tidal | Almost always. | Fagot also uses do key at the acute |
| Serious voices | Low and baritone with choral scores | The tenors usually read with a shortcut, low octave |
The notes in additional lines, spaces and lines
| Position | Note |
|---|---|
| 2nd additional line up | My (E4) |
| Space above first additional line | Ree (D4) |
| First additional line up | Central Do (C4) |
| Space above the 5th line | If (B3) |
| Fifth line | The (A3) |
| 4th space | Sun (G3) |
| 4th line (between points) | Fa (F3) |
| 3 er space | My (E3) |
| Section 3 | Ree (D3) |
| 2nd space | Do (C3) |
| 2nd line | If (B2) |
| First space | The (A2) |
| First line | Sun (G2) |
| Space under the first line | Fa (F2) |
| First additional line down | My (E2) |
| Space under the first additional line | Ree (D2) |
| 2nd additional line down | Do (C2) |
Two phrases to remember them
- Lines (Sol-Si-Re-Fat-La): “Soand if reraisins, Facil ands lees. "
- Spaces (La-Doa-Mia-Sol): “I dog Myra sun”.
Also look at the pattern: from one line to the next you always miss a note. From Sun to If you miss the La, that's in the space from between them, from Si to Ree, the Do. That's why lines and spaces alternate in the order of the notes, and if you know a line, you know the space from above.
The guide notes: to be oriented without counting from bottom
Counting "Sun, La, Si..." from the first line every time works the first week and then becomes slow. Readers with experience are oriented with a few notes that they recognize at once and estimate them by closeness.
| Guide note | That's where she's at. | How to Remember Her |
|---|---|---|
| Fa (F3) | 4th line | The one that surrounds both points of the key |
| Sun (G2) | First line | Sun on the ground of the pentagram |
| Do (C3) | 2nd space | The Do an octave under the power station |
| Central Do (C4) | First additional line up | The note that share the key and that of the sun |
| Serious Do (C2) | 2nd additional line down | Two lines under, two octaves under the power station |
With the leading notes as anchors, read by intervals: from a line to a neighbor space there's a second (one step), from a line to the next line there's a third, and so. If a note's in space just above the 4th line Fa, it's Sun, with nothing more to count.
How can I not confuse her with the sun key?
The most common mistake of those who first learned the key to the sun is to read the de fa with the names of the other. Three ideas to avoid:
- He's got two names. If you instinctively read an "in sun" position, put up two note names: the first line would be My in sun, so in fa it's Sun, and the first space would be Fa, so it's La.
- A lower position. The same note writes a line or a space lower in fa code: The Sun is in the second line and first line in fa and the La, in the second space in sun and first place in fa. They sound with two octaves of difference.
- The lines are similar. The lines are Mi-Solo-Reo and Fa and Fa, Solo-Reo-Fa and Fa and they share the Sun, Si and Reo and Fa and they only put up a place with them. The spaces have an equal place to them: Fa-La-Do-My in the sun, The-Do-Mi-Sun in Fa.
A track to detect error while you play: if at the piano your left hand drops two white keys from under where I should, or what sounds doesn't suit the harmony of the right, you're probably reading in shortcode.
The Fa key to your instrument
Piano
At Do's place of the left hand, finger 5 goes into Do's second space and thumb onto the 4th space Sun: Do, Ree, Mi, Fa and Sun, alternating space and line. At Do's place at central, the Left thumb plays Do's additional line and finger 5 goes to Fa's 4th line. Learning to read both keys at once is part of [piano] classes.](/clases/piano) from first year.
Electrical and countertop low
The air ropes are written as follows: My at the first additional line down, The at the first space, re at the third line and Sun at the 4th space. They sound an octave more serious than what's been written but that doesn't change anything at all at reading. Many bassist start with tablatums; reading score is what's opening up the door to big gangs, orchestras and recordings. We work with them at the high-end class. low electrical.
Violonchelo
A memory trick: the four air strings fall onto lines. Do at the second additional line down, Sun at the first line, re at the third and La at the fifth.
Trombone
Three first place notes that you're gonna read all the time: If you're going to be on second line, Fa's going to be on 4th line and if you're going to be reading space about 5th line.
Exercises to read fluently
- Cards. Do cards with the note from Do grave to Do central. Five minutes a day, with the name say out loud. When you go quickly, time up.
- Guide notes first. On a score, look and point only at Fa, the Sun of the first line and Do. Then read the rest from them.
- Readings by intervals. Without name, say if every note goes up or down and if it's a step or a leap.
- Write. Play or sing a note and write it onto the pentagram. Write fixes the location more than read.
- Solpus talking. Read the low line by saying the names in rhythm, as we explain at what's the solphis.
- First glance. Four new jobs a day with a slow and continuous metronomer and with an easy to correct.
If you want to strengthen reading at any key along with rhythm and harmony, [music theory] classes](/clases/teoria-musical) They are the place to do so with method.
Frequently asked questions
Why's that called a fa key?
Because it indicates where the Fa note is: the note that remains between its two points. The sign comes from a letter F that, with centuries, has been stylized to the current form.
Where's the central Do in the fa key?
The first additional line above the pentagram. It's the same note as with the first additional line above and it's the meeting point between the two hands of the piano.
Is the key to fa more difficult than that to the sun?
It's no more difficult in itself, and that's how it feels because most of us first learn about and practice it more. With a few minutes of reading every day, the Fa key becomes just as natural.
Do you read an electrical bass with a fa code?
That's right. It's written in fa code and sounds an octave more serious than what's written and so's the bottom. Many bassist use pics, but reading score's very useful to play in assemblies and recordings.