The treble clef, often called the G clef, is a fundamental symbol in music notation. As we spoke in the previous lectures a note can be placed below the stuff above the stuff on each line and in each space like here. The problem is that it doesn’t tell us anything, we don’t have a reference point, we don’t know which note is which, therefore we don’t know what to play. And here comes the role of the Clef. There are many clefs, but in this lecture, we’ll be talking about two of them – Treble Clef and Bass Clef. That’s how they look on the music stave those are their symbols Treble Clef and Bass Clef. (Fig. 1)
fig. 1-Treble and Bass Clefs.
The Treble Clef Symbol:
The treble clef resembles a stylized letter “G” with a loop that wraps around the second line of the staff. It’s positioning indicates that the second line represents the note G. (fig.2)
fig.2
In fact, that is all that you need to memorize from this lecture about the treble Clef. I’ll repeat again it looks like the stylized letter G and the loop is around the second line which indicates the place of the note G. You can easily remember that because the other name of the treble Clef is G Clef.
The bass clef symbol
Also known as the F clef, is a vital symbol in music notation. Its shape resembles a backward “C” with two dots. The staff line between those two dotes is the place for the note F.
Fig.3
The Bass Clef looks like a backward “C” (fig.3) with two dots on its right side the line that it’s between those two dots is the place of the note F.
In other words, the treble Clef tells us where the G note is, and the bass Clef tells us where the F note is.
Quiz
- Which Clef is this? (fig.4)
Fig.4
- What is the name of the note placed on the 2nd line of the staff in the example below? (fig.5)
Fig.5
- What is the name of the note placed on the 4th line of the staff in the example below? (fig.6)
Fig.6
- Which is this clef?(fig.7)
Fig.7