Reading Music · Chapter 2 of 12
The Treble Clef
A clef at the start of the staff tells you which note each line and space stands for. The treble clef is the one for higher notes.
A staff by itself doesn’t say which notes its lines stand for. The clef, the large sign at the start of every line of music, does. The treble clef is used for higher notes, usually the ones your right hand plays.
The G clef
The treble clef is also called the G clef. It started long ago as a fancy letter G, and its curl wraps around the second line from the bottom. That line is G: the G just above middle C (G4). Once you know where G is, you can find every other note by stepping up or down from it.
The lines and spaces
From the bottom up, the treble lines are E G B D F, and the spaces are F A C E.
About memory aids. Sayings like “Every Good Boy Does Fine” are just aids to get you started; make up your own if you like. In the long run, read by landmarks and steps: know a few notes by heart (G on line 2, middle C below the staff, the C in the third space) and count steps from the nearest one. That gets faster than reciting a sentence.
From middle C up
Middle C sits just below the treble staff, on a short line of its own (a ledger line). D hangs just under the bottom line. From there the notes climb line, space, line, space: the C position you already know, written on the staff.
Practice
Three drills, each from a different side. Start with On the staff, and try With ledger lines after chapter 4.
Remember
- The treble clef is the G clef: its curl circles line 2, which is G.
- Lines E G B D F; spaces F A C E.
- Learn a few landmark notes and count steps from them.