In this lesson
A note’s position on the staff tells you its pitch. Its shape tells you its rhythmic value. Start by finding the clef, then read the notehead’s position.
The staff
Scroll a diagram sideways if you cannot see its full width.
A staff has five horizontal lines and four spaces between them. Count both from the bottom upwards. A notehead can sit on a line or in a space.
These positions follow the musical alphabet: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, then A again. Moving from a line to the next space moves one letter name higher. Moving down reverses the order. The clef fixes which letter belongs to each position.
Without a key signature or accidentals, those letters name the natural notes, which are the white keys on a piano. Sharps, flats and naturals can alter the pitch without moving the notehead to another line or space. The lesson on steps and accidentals explains these signs.
Staff lines work differently from guitar tablature. A line on a standard six-string tab represents a string; a line on a staff represents a pitch position.
Treble clef
The treble clef is also called the G clef. Its curl centres on the second line from the bottom, identifying that line as G above middle C.
| Treble-clef positions | Letter names, from bottom to top |
|---|---|
| Lines | E, G, B, D, F |
| Spaces | F, A, C, E |
The spaces spell FACE. To find a nearby note, start from a position you know and count through the letters, alternating lines and spaces.
Read the example from left to right: A4, D4, D5, G5, F4, A5. These are written pitches, with middle C labelled C4. The two Ds are an octave apart. All six symbols are quarter notes. G5 sits just above the staff; A5 sits on the first ledger line above it.
Ledger lines
A ledger line is a short extra line used for notes above or below the staff. The same line-space pattern continues beyond the five main lines.
For example, the bottom line of the treble staff is E. The space immediately below it is D, and the first ledger line below the staff is middle C. At the top, the fifth line is F, the space above is G, and the first ledger line above is A. You do not need to memorise a separate system for these notes.
Bass clef
The bass clef is also called the F clef. Its two dots sit on either side of the fourth line from the bottom, identifying that line as F below middle C.
| Bass-clef positions | Letter names, from bottom to top |
|---|---|
| Lines | G, B, D, F, A |
| Spaces | A, C, E, G |
Ledger lines extend the bass staff too. Middle C is on the first ledger line above it.
The grand staff
The grand staff combines two five-line staves, normally treble above bass, joined for reading together. Piano music commonly uses this arrangement.
Middle C connects the two: it can be written on a ledger line below the treble staff or on a ledger line above the bass staff. These are two ways to write the same pitch. The space between the staves does not contain a permanent extra staff line.
A note for guitarists
Guitar music conventionally uses treble clef but sounds one octave lower than written. A small 8 beneath the clef can make this explicit, although guitar scores often leave it out. The letter names still follow the treble-clef table; the instrument’s convention determines the sounding octave.
To practise, name the bottom treble line, the space below it and the ledger line below that. The answers are E, D and middle C. These are written-note names; guitar sounds an octave lower.
Further reading
Open Music Theory: reading clefs explains the clefs and ledger lines. The Open University’s guide to middle C explains its position between the two staves.