Studied by 2 peopleOctave
(octa = eight) spans eight notes, beginning and ending with the same letter name
The staff is a system for
notating pitch developed in the West during the Middle Ages (sixth century CE–1450).
The development of a precise system of notation enables
a person to read and perform music without hearing it first.
The use of notation in Western Classical music contrasts with
the absence of precise musical notation in genres like jazz, blues, and global music, which frequently are not notated.
If the music is written down, the notation may specify only
the contour of the melody, previously known by the performer.
In modern notation, pitch is written as
notes on a staff.
Initially (around the ninth century), only one line was used and
higher pitches were placed above this line, and lower pitches were placed below the line.
By the eleventh century, four lines were
utilized with one line designated F or C.
The staff today (plural: staves) consists of
five lines and four spaces numbered from the bottom to the top.
The seven letters of the musical alphabet represent
pitches in ascending order from lowest to highest.
The staff lines and spaces may represent any letter as determined by
the clef, but the letters must always be in their consecutive order.
A clef sign drawn at the beginning of each staff indicates
the letter name of each line and space. These clef signs represent the pitches F and G.
When the G clef (usually called the treble clef) is placed at the beginning of the staff,
the second line from the bottom of the staff represents the pitch G.
G Clef: All other pitches follow in alphabetical order,
ascending (forward) or descending (backward) from G.
The G clef is usually used to indicate
higher sounding pitches.
G-Clef Lines:
EGBDF
G-Clef Spaces:
FACE
The five lines and four spaces of one staff can represent
only nine letter names.
In order to extend the range of the staff,
notes above and below the staff are written using ledger lines
The ledger line for one note does not connect to
the ledger line of another note.
The distance between the lines and spaces of ledger lines is
the same as those of the staff.
Ledger lines are used
only when needed.
Notes written above the staff only use
the ledger lines that pass through or below the note
Conversely, notes written below the staff only use
ledger lines that pass through or above the note.
Ledger lines can extend the range of
the grand staff higher than the F line of the treble clef, lower than the G line of the bass clef, and can accommodate notes between the treble and bass clefs.
Middle C can be written both as
a ledger line below the treble staff and as a ledger line above the bass staff.
Pitches normally written in the treble clef may also be written
in the bass clef using ledger lines. Likewise, pitches normally written in the bass clef may also be written in the treble clef using ledger lines.
A pentatonic melody only uses
five different pitches
The F clef, usually called the bass clef, is used to indicate
voices or instruments that sing or play low pitches including male voices, the cello, and the tuba.
When the F clef is placed at the beginning of the staff,
the fourth line from the bottom is named F. All other pitches follow in alphabetical order above or below the F.
F Clef Lines:
GBDFA
F Clef Spaces:
ACEG
Note
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