Free reference · Written pitch
Tenor clef: notes, landmarks and free reading exercises
Tenor clef places middle C, C4, on the fourth line from the bottom. Its lines read D3, F3, A3, C4, E4; its spaces read E3, G3, B3, D4.
Updated · Original Arco exercises · No signup
Start with C4
Cellists meet tenor clef when a passage would need many ledger lines in bass clef. Learn its C4 anchor directly. These are written pitches; changing the clef does not itself transpose the music or prescribe a playing position.
C4 lies on the fourth line, one line above its position in alto clef. The center of the C-clef symbol moves with this landmark.
Every staff line and space
Read this table from bottom to top in pitch. These are natural notes with no key signature or accidentals. Octave numbers change between B and C.
| Position from bottom | Written pitch |
|---|---|
| Line 1 | D3 |
| Space 1 | E3 |
| Line 2 | F3 |
| Space 2 | G3 |
| Line 3 | A3 |
| Space 3 | B3 |
| Line 4 | C4, clef landmark |
| Space 4 | D4 |
| Line 5 | E4 |
Three exercises with answers
Name the notes from left to right before revealing each answer. These patterns practise pitch reading only; there is no time signature or rhythm test. You can read and reveal everything without JavaScript.
1. Find the moved C landmark
Begin on the fourth line. Read one step down, return, and take one step up.
Reveal answer: Find the moved C landmark
C4 → B3 → C4 → D4. The fourth line is C4 in tenor, not E4 as it would be in alto.
2. Read a familiar cello pitch
Start on A3, the open A-string pitch for cello, then move upward in steps.
Reveal answer: Read a familiar cello pitch
A3 → B3 → C4 → D4. A3 is the middle line in tenor clef, whereas it is the top line in bass clef.
3. Above the tenor staff
Begin on the top line, climb two steps, then return to the top line.
Reveal answer: Above the tenor staff
E4 → F4 → G4 → E4. G4 occupies the first ledger line above this staff. It is not the same pitch as the first ledger line above bass clef.
A mistake to watch for
Do not mistake tenor clef for a tenor voice written in octave treble clef. They use different symbols and different pitch placement. Also avoid assuming that a new clef always means a shift: read the pitch before choosing a fingering.
Transfer this to your part
Write C4, D4 and E4 in bass clef, then find the same pitches in tenor clef. Their staff heights differ, but their octave names remain C4, D4 and E4. Compare this with a cello part at a real clef change.
The interactive note quiz currently supports treble, bass and alto only. Use the tenor exercises above and real cello clef changes to practise this clef; there is no tenor quiz mode yet.
Notation reference: Open Music Theory, Reading Clefs. Exercises and diagrams are original Arco material. No affiliation or endorsement is claimed.