Peeking into a musical score for the first time can be puzzling to kids who've never before encountered the symbols and structures that composers use to put their musical ideas down onto paper or a computer, where performers can then bring them to life. 

But just as memorizing the alphabet is a first step in learning how to read and write, recognizing some of these basic musical symbols is a first step to learning how to read, play, and compose music. 

This Class Notes video gives a basic overview of what's in a score: the clefs, notes, signatures, instrumentation, and other elements that musicians refer to when they perform. It combines humor with a little Beethoven to help kids start this part of their musical journey.