符头为音符的一部分，它可以在五线谱的线或间上。符头的位置可以标示乐器的音高，而爵士鼓的乐谱中其位置和形状可以标示乐器的种类。

符头源自纽姆记谱法中的"Punctum"( )，但音符时值要到Franco of Cologne于其1280年的著作论述才逐渐成形。当时的符头为正方形、菱形或长方形，椭圆形的要到十六世纪末才出现。

In music, a notehead is the elliptical part of a note. Noteheads may be colored completely black or white, indicating the note value (i.e., rhythmic duration). In a whole note, the notehead is the only component of the note. Shorter note values attach a stem to the notehead, and possibly beams or flags. The longer double whole note can be written with vertical lines surrounding it, two attached noteheads, or a rectangular notehead.