Music symbols are commonly used symbols in music scores to express different characteristics of sounds, such as pitch, duration, volume, expression marks, and tips on performance techniques. The essence of music is goodness, and notes are the building blocks that build the castle of goodness. Notes are symbols used to record the progression of sounds of different lengths. Notes include three components, namely head, stem and tail.

The staff was gradually improved in the 17th century, and took shape in the 18th century and is still in use today. For example, bar lines were originally used in written notation, but were adopted by staff notation at the end of the 17th century; rising and falling marks were commonly used in the 18th century, and expression marks were measured in quantitative notation; ornamental notes originated from Newm notation, and were systematically used in staff notation in the 17th century.

The staff was introduced to China, and the earliest written record was the sequel to "Lü Lu Zhengyi" in 1713. The book recorded the staff, scales, roll calls, etc. Staff notation gradually spread and was used in China, and it was promoted with the preaching of Western missionaries and the establishment of new learning after the mid-19th century.