Music Clefs
A clef is the symbol at the start of a staff that fixes which pitch each line and space represents. Change the clef and every note on the same five lines is read differently — here is how the treble, bass, alto, and tenor clefs work.
The two staves join to form the grand staff used for piano. Middle C (C4) lives between them — one ledger line below the treble staff and one ledger line above the bass staff — which is why it belongs to neither and both.
The four common clefs
Each clef names a reference line, and every other note is counted up or down from it.
| Clef | Also called | Used by | Reference line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Treble | G clef | Violin, flute, guitar, high voices, piano (right hand) | 2nd line from bottom = G4 |
| Bass | F clef | Cello, double bass, trombone, tuba, piano (left hand) | 4th line from bottom = F3 |
| Alto | C clef | Viola | Middle line = middle C (C4) |
| Tenor | C clef | Upper range of cello, bassoon, trombone | 4th line from bottom = middle C (C4) |
How to read clefs
A staff is just five lines and four spaces. On its own it says nothing about pitch — the clef at the far left is what anchors it. Once you know one reference line, you spell the musical alphabet (A B C D E F G) up through the spaces and lines and wrap back to A. That single anchor is all you need to name every note.
For the treble clef, the mnemonics do the counting for you. Reading the lines from the bottom up gives E G B D F — “Every Good Boy Does Fine” — while the four spaces conveniently spell F A C E. For the bass clef, the lines read G B D F A (“Good Boys Do Fine Always”) and the spaces read A C E G (“All Cows Eat Grass”).
Why more than one clef?
Clefs exist to keep a wide range of instruments and voices near the middle of the staff instead of drowning in ledger lines. High parts sit comfortably in the treble clef; low parts fit the bass clef. The two combine into the grand staff, and middle C (C4) — roughly 261.63 Hz — sits on a ledger line right between them, shared by both hands at the piano.
The movable C clefs
The alto and tenor clefs are both C clefs: the point where the symbol pinches marks middle C. Put that point on the middle line and you have the alto clef, the everyday clef of the viola. Slide it up to the fourth line and you have the tenor clef, used for the higher passages of cello, bassoon, and trombone so the notes stay on the staff.
Clefs also govern where a key signature's sharps or flats are drawn on the staff — see key signatures for that. To hear the exact pitch behind any note you name, open the note frequency chart, and to see how those keys relate, explore the circle of fifths.
Frequently asked questions
What is the treble clef?
The treble clef, or G clef, marks the higher pitches on the staff. Its spiral curls around the second line from the bottom, fixing that line as G above middle C (G4). From there the lines read E, G, B, D, F and the spaces spell F, A, C, E. It is used for violin, flute, guitar, high voices, and the right hand of the piano.
How do you read the bass clef?
The bass clef, or F clef, covers the lower pitches. Its two dots straddle the fourth line from the bottom, marking that line as F below middle C (F3). The lines then read G, B, D, F, A ("Good Boys Do Fine Always") and the spaces read A, C, E, G ("All Cows Eat Grass"). Cello, double bass, trombone, tuba, and the left hand of the piano use it.
What is the difference between treble and bass clef?
They fix different reference pitches, so the same line means a different note in each. The treble clef sets its second line to G4 for higher instruments and voices, while the bass clef sets its fourth line to F3 for lower ones. On the grand staff the two are joined, with middle C (C4) sitting on a short ledger line between them.
What are the alto and tenor clefs?
The alto and tenor clefs are both C clefs, whose center points to middle C (C4). The alto clef puts middle C on the middle line and is read mainly by the viola. The tenor clef puts middle C on the fourth line and is used for the higher ranges of the cello, bassoon, and trombone.
Put a name to every pitch.
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