The Staff & Clefs

The Staff & Clefs

A staff is the foundation upon which notes are read or written. They usually consist of five lines and four spaces , which each represent a different note.

The Staff & Clefs

Clefs determine which notes are assigned to which lines and spaces.

The Staff & Clefs

Ledger lines are used to extend the range of notation possible beyond the lines and spaces contained in the staff. White notes are also referred to as natural notes.

The Staff & Clefs

The staff represents two aspects of music simultaneously; time and pitch. Time is read horizontally from left to right, and pitch is read vertically on the different lines and spaces.

The Staff & Clefs

The treble clef is generally used to notate musical notes that fall above middle c and the bass clef is used to notate musical notes that fall below middle c. When you put the two of them together it is called a grand staff.