Reading aloud the tender note (3)
I believe the answer is:
doh
'note' is the definition.
(alternative spelling of 'do' as in do re mi)
I don't understand how the rest of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for doh that I've seen before include "whoops!" , "an exclamation from someone who's annoyed with himself" , "Homeric grunt of annoyance" , "Note; exclamation" , "First note of major scale in music" .)