Xylophone Notes Chart (with Glockenspiel Notes)
Xylophone notes use the seven letters C, D, E, F, G, A and B, printed on the bars from the longest (lowest) on the left to the shortest (highest) on the right. A classroom alto xylophone has 16 bars from C4 (middle C) to A5, including spare F♯ and B♭ bars. A glockenspiel uses the same letters on metal bars and sounds higher.
Works in the UK and the US. This version uses UK music words (bar, crotchet, quaver, stave); the US version uses measure, quarter note, eighth note and staff. · US version of this page
Updated · By the Classfern Music Department
Key facts
- The note letters repeat every 7 bars: C D E F G A B, then C again one octave higher (the 8th bar).
- Longest bar = lowest note. The bars get shorter, and higher, from left to right.
- Classroom alto xylophone: 16 bars, C4 to A5, sounding as written. The soprano sounds an octave higher; the bass xylophone plays C3 to A4.
- Orchestral xylophone: about 3½ octaves, written F3 to C7, sounding one octave higher than written.
- Glockenspiel: the same letters on metal bars. An orchestral glockenspiel sounds two octaves higher than written; a classroom alto glockenspiel one octave higher.
- Spare bars: F♯ lets you play in G major, B♭ in F major. You swap them in for F or B.
- Bar colours vary by maker. Classfern’s tools use C red, D orange, E yellow, F green, G teal, A blue and B purple – always read the letter too.
Try it: press a bar to hear its note
Each bar shows its letter and octave number. Press a bar (or Tab to it and press Enter) to hear it; switch the sound between xylophone and glockenspiel. On a small screen, scroll the bars sideways for the high notes. Self-assessed Can you find C, E and G on your own instrument, then check them here?
Sounds are made in your browser. This page never uses the microphone, and nothing is recorded or sent.
What are the notes on a xylophone?
The notes on a xylophone are the letters C, D, E, F, G, A and B, repeating up the instrument. Each bar plays one note, and the longest bar is the lowest. Most classroom xylophones start on C.
| Bar | Letter | Note | Classfern colour | Alto xylophone sounds | Alto glockenspiel sounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | C4 (middle C) | red | C4 | C5 |
| 2 | D | D4 | orange | D4 | D5 |
| 3 | E | E4 | yellow | E4 | E5 |
| 4 | F | F4 | green | F4 | F5 |
| 5 | F♯/G♭ | F♯4 | dark grey (spare bar) | F♯4 | F♯5 |
| 6 | G | G4 | teal | G4 | G5 |
| 7 | A | A4 | blue | A4 | A5 |
| 8 | B♭/A♯ | B♭4 | dark grey (spare bar) | B♭4 | B♭5 |
| 9 | B | B4 | purple | B4 | B5 |
| 10 | C | C5 | red | C5 | C6 |
| 11 | D | D5 | orange | D5 | D6 |
| 12 | E | E5 | yellow | E5 | E6 |
| 13 | F | F5 | green | F5 | F6 |
| 14 | F♯/G♭ | F♯5 | dark grey (spare bar) | F♯5 | F♯6 |
| 15 | G | G5 | teal | G5 | G6 |
| 16 | A | A5 | blue | A5 | A6 |
The number after the letter is the octave: C4 is middle C, C5 is the next C up. Classroom music for alto xylophone is written where it sounds, so the note on the stave and the bar match. The glockenspiel’s bars carry the same letters but ring an octave higher, which is why music for it is written lower than it sounds.
What are the notes on a glockenspiel?
A glockenspiel has the same note letters as a xylophone, C D E F G A B, on metal bars. An 8-note glockenspiel runs from C to high C; classroom alto and soprano glockenspiels add F♯ and B♭; an orchestral glockenspiel covers about 2½ octaves.
| Glockenspiel | Bars | Written range | Sounds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8-note glockenspiel (C to high C) | 8 | C4 to C5 | Two octaves higher |
| Alto glockenspiel (classroom, C to A, with F♯ and B♭) | 16 | C4 to A5 | One octave higher |
| Soprano glockenspiel (classroom, C to A, with F♯ and B♭) | 16 | C4 to A5 | Two octaves higher |
| Chromatic glockenspiel (G to C, 2½ octaves) | 30 | G3 to C6 | Two octaves higher |
Toy and 8-note glockenspiels vary, so go by the letters stamped on the bars. On a chromatic glockenspiel the sharps and flats are a raised back row, set out in groups of two and three like the black keys of a piano.
Which bar is middle C on a xylophone?
On a classroom alto xylophone, middle C (C4) is the longest bar, on the far left. On a chromatic instrument, every C is the plain bar just to the left of a group of two raised bars.
Once you know C, the other letters follow in order: D is the next bar, then E, F, G, A, B and C again. On an 8-note glockenspiel the first bar is also marked C, but it sounds one or two octaves above middle C.
| Xylophone | Bars | Written range | Sounds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alto xylophone (classroom, C to A, with F♯ and B♭) | 16 | C4 to A5 | As written |
| Soprano xylophone (classroom, C to A, with F♯ and B♭) | 16 | C4 to A5 | One octave higher |
| Bass xylophone (classroom, C to A, with F♯ and B♭) | 16 | C3 to A4 | As written |
| Chromatic xylophone (F to C, 3½ octaves) | 44 | F3 to C7 | One octave higher |
What is the difference between a xylophone and a glockenspiel?
A xylophone has wooden (or synthetic) bars and a dry, woody sound; a glockenspiel has metal bars and a bright, ringing sound. Both use the same note letters. An orchestral xylophone sounds one octave above the written note, an orchestral glockenspiel two octaves above.
| Xylophone | Glockenspiel | |
|---|---|---|
| Bars | Wood or synthetic | Metal (steel or aluminium) |
| Sound | Short, dry, woody | Long, bright, bell-like |
| Beaters | Rubber, plastic or yarn heads | Hard plastic or metal heads |
| Orchestral range | About 3½ octaves (F3–C7 written) | About 2½ octaves (G3–C6 written) |
| Sounds | One octave higher than written | Two octaves higher than written |
In the classroom both are tuned percussion: you can play tunes on them, unlike a drum. Chime bars, handbells and tuned percussion tubes use the same letters, so a song written for one can be shared across a whole class.
How do you read notes for the xylophone?
Name the written note on the treble clef stave, then strike the bar with the same letter. The lines are E, G, B, D and F from the bottom, the spaces F, A, C and E, and middle C sits on a short line below.
- Check the clef: xylophone and glockenspiel music uses the treble clef (bass xylophone uses the bass clef).
- Name the note: lines E G B D F (“Every Good Boy Deserves Fun”), spaces F A C E.
- Find the bar with that letter, in the right octave: notes low on the stave are the long bars on the left.
- Check for a sharp or flat: F♯ and B♭ are the spare bars.
New to reading music? Classfern’s free learn to read music course on lessonplanner.info starts with exactly these notes.
Sharps and flats on the xylophone
A diatonic classroom xylophone has only the plain letters plus spare F♯ and B♭ bars that you lift in when a song needs them. A chromatic (orchestral) xylophone or glockenspiel has every sharp and flat in a raised back row, like the black keys on a piano. Each raised bar has two names: the bar between C and D is C♯ or D♭.
Quick quiz: xylophone and glockenspiel notes
Six questions on letters, bars and octaves. Marked by Classfern Your score stays in this browser.
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