Notation & reading
Treble clef
Treble clef is a G clef that places the G above middle C on the second line of the staff, and it is the clef used for violin and for the upper register of viola.
The curl of the symbol wraps the second line, marking it as G4. From there the line notes read E, G, B, D, F and the spaces spell F, A, C, E. It is the most widely used clef in western music, covering violin, flute, oboe, clarinet, trumpet, the right hand of the piano, and most vocal writing.
Violists read treble clef for high passages and switch back to alto clef when the line descends, so a violist is genuinely bi-literate. Cellists and bassists meet it at the top of their ranges as well.
Try it now · no account needed
Read upward from a treble-clef landmark
Find G4 on the second line from the bottom. Moving up one staff position at a time gives A4 in the next space, then B4 on the middle line. Lines and spaces both count as steps.
Second line: G4 → next space: A4 → middle line: B4
The numbers identify octaves: middle C is C4, and G4 is the G above it. This example has no key signature or accidentals. Learn the landmark, then read the direction and distance instead of restarting a mnemonic for each note.
Check your understanding
Starting on B4, the middle line of treble clef, move up to the next space and then the next line. What are the two notes?
Show answer and explanation
C5 in the third space, then D5 on the fourth line. Count staff positions upward, and change the octave number when you move from B to C.
A common mix-up
A line does not have the same note name in every clef. The middle line is B in treble clef, D in bass clef and C in alto clef. Check the clef before using a landmark.
Related terms
Every term in this glossary is taught in context somewhere in Arco's curricula, on the staff, on the keyboard, and on your own fingerboard at the same time.