Reading Music 2 The TREBLE CLEF The Great Staff Clefs The Treble Clef Staff Quiz - Quiz Answers Exercises Lesson Material Music Reading Course Complete Music Notation Overview : Basic Theory 1 - Basic Theory 2
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RM 2.1 - The Great Staff

Our present notation system uses a music staff with 11 lines. It is called the Great Staff. Notes with the seven letter names, A B C D E F and G, are placed on and in between the lines of the Great Staff.

Audio 2.1

RM 2.2 - Clefs

Reading pitches from a staff with 11 lines can be confusing. Also, apart from the keyboard, the music notation for most instruments does not require all 11 lines of the Great staff.
Music is therefore written on staffs of five lines only.

But which five lines of the Great staff are selected ?
To identify the five lines a Clef is displayed at the beginning of the staff (Clef = 'key' in French).

In our present notation system two Clefs are most commonly used :

1. The Treble Clef covers the top 5 lines of the Great staff.
   The Treble Clef identifies the G line for the G above Middle C (4th line from the top). It is therefore sometimes also called the G Clef.
   The Treble Clef staff is used for most instruments, and for the right hand music for the piano.

   
   

2. The Bass Clef covers the bottom 5 lines of the Great staff.
   The Bass Clef identifies the F line for the F below Middle C (4th line from the bottom). It is therefore sometimes also called the F Clef.
   The Bass Clef staff is used for the piano left hand music, the baritone vocalist and for several bass instruments, such as the contra bass, tuba and trombone.

Put simply : The Great staff is divided into two halves. The top 5 lines are covered by the Treble Clef staff, the bottom 5 lines are covered by the Bass Clef staff. The line exactly in the middle of the Great staff is not included in either of the two 5 line staffs. The note on this line ('Middle C' on the keyboard) always occurs on a so-called ledger line (see Lesson 7) : below the Treble Clef staff, or above the Bass Clef staff.

RM 2.3 - The Treble Clef Staff

For most instruments the only staff of concern is the Treble Clef Staff.

The notes on the lines of the staff are, from the bottom to the top line :

This sequence of notes is memorised by numerous young (and not so young) students with the aid of the line :

RM 2.4 - Quiz

1. How many lines are covered by the Great Staff ?
   
   
2. How many octaves are covered by the Great Staff ?
   
   
3. What does this range represent ?
   
   
4. Which note is on the line exactly in the middle (the 6th line) of the Great Staff ?
   
   
5. Which lines are covered by the Treble Clef staff ?
   
   
6. Which notes are located on the lines of the Treble Clef staff ?
   
   
7. Which notes are located in the spaces of the Treble Clef staff ?
   
   
8. Place the following letter names ascending pitch order.
   
   The lowest note is in each case the F. All other notes are above it within 1 octave range.
   1. C A D G F

   2. F B E D G

   3. C F D B A E

   4. D F E G A C

   5. F B E A D G C

RM 2.5 - Exercises

Rule : Never, never, never write letter names above or below notes on the staffs of exercises, songs or any other sheet music ! ! ! Always use Answer Sheet 1 for writing down letter names. Print several copies of this page so you have enough for all relevant exercises.

Exercise 2.1

Exercise 2.1 : Draw a Treble Clef at the start of each staff. Then identify each note.
Record your answers on a copy of Answer Sheet 1.
ANSWERS to Exercise 2.1

Exercise 2.2

Exercise 2.2 : Identify each note in the Table.
Record your answers on a copy of Answer Sheet 2.
Draw a Treble Clef at the start of each staff.
(Notes in red are located on lines, all other notes are in spaces)
ANSWERS to Exercise 2.2

Exercise 2.3

Play the notes of Exercise 2.1 and Exercise 2.2 on your instrument.

1. First play the notes freely at your own pace.

2. Then use a Metronome and play each note for 4 beats (Example Ex 2.1).

On the examples the last note of each line (notes 12, 24, 36, etc.) is played short, to help you back on the right track in case you get lost.

RM 2.6 - Lesson Materials