The treble clef

The treble clef is also known as the G clef and looks like this:

When used on a modern stave it curls around the 2nd line showing that note to be G.

This is how the treble (or G) clef looks on the stave.

The notes in the treble staff follow the same pattern as other notes on the music staff:E - G - B - D - F - A - C. Click here for more information on this order of notes which, once learned, tells you both the lines and the spaces in the treble staff, and in the bass staff as well! In fact, it is well worth learning to read the entire grand staff in addition to the treble staff if you are learning to read music!

The lines of the treble staff

Notes on the treble staff may be on a line or in a space. Click here for more information and examples of this.

The notes on the lines of the treble staff follow the pattern above E - G - B - D - F

Middle C

Middle C is on a line below the treble staff. This line is part of the 'invisible' line which runs between the treble and bass staves when using the Grand Staff. Click here to read more about the invisible Middle C line

The spaces in the treble staff

The notes in the spaces of the treble staff follow the pattern above D - F - A - C - E - G. You can see that the notes in the middle spaces actually spell F A C E with the D below the staff and G above the staff either side.

Test yourself

Test your knowledge with a free online music theory quiz! Click here to take a test on the notes in the treble staff. Tip: If you know the bottom line and the bottom space of the staff, you can always work out the rest of the notes by going up using the pattern above!