A note is a single sound of definite pitch and duration. In notation it appears as an oval note head placed on a staff, with or without a stem and flags or beams that indicate its length.

Notes are the basic atoms of written music. Their vertical position shows pitch; their shape shows relative duration. Accidentals, articulations, and dynamic marks further refine how each note should sound. When notes are combined into melodies, chords, and rhythms, musical meaning emerges.

Performers learn to translate the visual symbol into a precise physical action—pressing a key, stopping a string, or adjusting embouchure and air—so that the intended pitch and length are produced. The relationship between the written note and the sounding result is the foundation of musical literacy.

• Single sound of definite pitch and duration
• Represented by a note head on the staff
• Combined to form melodies and chords
• Basic unit of written music