Reading Scores

 

Contents: Time  Signature| Bar | Numbered Notes | Dots Below/Above Numbers | Sharps ♯ and Flats ♭ | Note Length | Slurs | Repeat Signs | Volta Brackets |Lyrics | Double black Bar Lines | Wikipedia Links |
Name & Image	Explanation
Time Signature
	The Time Signature is found at the beginning of each score and represents the number of beats in each bar. Usually it's 4/4 =4 beats in one bar Rarely, but you might encounter different time signatures such as 3/4 , 2/4 etc.
Bar Lines
	These are vertical lines dividing the score into regular segments called bars, each containing the total number of beats specified in the time signature.
Numbered Notes
Each whole number in a bar represents a quarter note (on it's own eg |1 4 7 3|)You would notice that the numbers range from 0 to 7. 0 would represent a break in the music, while 1 to 7 corresponds with the musical scale of C to B.
Dots Below Number
A dot below a number decreases it by one octave, and 2 dots below the number would mean 2 octaves lower etc.
Dots Above Number
Conversely,a dot above the number increases it by one octave higher. Similarly 2 dots above would mean 2 octaves higher etc.
Sharps♯ & Flats
	In music theory there are different kinds of scales. Egs include major scales (C major scale,F major scales etc) containing the Sharps ♯, and the minor scales (B minor scale etc) containing the Flats ♭. Sharps ♯ and Flats♭♭
	Sharps ♯ are actually a half increment of a note on a scale. On a piano you press the black bars next to the corresponding note on the right. In a harmonica you press the button and play the corresponding note.
	For Flats ♭ there are actually a half decrement of a note on the scale. Some of you would thus find a connection between sharps and flats. Yes! There is indeed a connection between the sharps and flats. Eg ♭5 = ♯4 & ♭2 =♯1
More precise information on Sharps and Flats can be found at Wikipedia:Sharps and Flats Not to worry! For the sheets, I have converted the flats to it's corresponding sharps and each single note would  have the sharp symbol on it's left as necessary. Note that this  is unlike full music sheets whereby the scales are shown as key signatures at he begining of each line and each musician is able to read and play accordingly. (more info : Wikipedia: Key Signitures)
Notes Length
	A dot after the no (eg 3) would increase the length of the note by half. 2 dots would increase it by 3 quarters.An underline below the number (eg 2) would cut the length of the note by half - 2 lines would mean by 2 halves.
Slurs
	A curvey line linking two (or more) numbers at the top is called a tie or slur and means that notes are played as one together. Notice the difference: You would play first two notes (joined by the slur at the top)as one longer note, as opposed the last 2 notes (without the slur line)- you play them as 2 separate notes.
Repeat Signs
	These repeat signs allow you to repeat parts of the music. When you encounter the right repeat sign, you will jump back and repeat the section right from where the left repeat sign is. After repeating once and moving to the right repeat sign again, you will play on with the rest of the song.
Volta Brackets
These volta brackets allow different parts of a music to be played on repeats. Hence, these brackets usually come appear together with the repeat signs. Example (refer to below image): You would play the section indicated by the 1st volta bracket (highlighted in green), before repeating right from  where the left repeat sign is (yellow). After that when you encounter the volta bracket again, you skip straight to the section marked by the 2nd volta bracket (blue), and continuing on with the rest of the song (purple).
Lyrics
They are meant to help you to recognize which notes correspond to which section of the songs. As adding them are time consuming, I add only to some songs (when I have more time and usually to the English & Chinese songs.
Bold Double Bar Line
	This marks the end of the song.
More Information can be found on wikipedia:	- JianPu (Numbered Musical Notations) - Modern Musical Symbols