Book excerpt: The Basic Guide to How to Read Music will teach you the principles of reading music in staff notation quickly and painlessly. If you could once read music but have forgotten how, it will refresh your memory. It contains all the terms and symbols you are likely to come across when studying music and explains them fully. Helen Cooper explains the written language of music in greater detail than you might get from your teacher. This book is ideal for the classroom, private lessons, and the home.