Piano/Treble Clef and Bass Clef

Music can be written in a variety of ways. Less intricate systems exist which only indicate the basic structure (chord changes) of a song and require the reader to already know the melody or improvise one, while more formal systems allow for carefully indicating each sound to make and also when to be tacit (silent), and the respective durations of each. The vast majority of Western music in the modern era is written using a system of notation where each sound is represented by a symbol called a note which is placed within an arrangement of five parallel lines running horizontally known as a staff, where the lines and spaces between them each correspond to a consecutive pitch (acoustic frequency) in a scale, with lower pitches at the bottom and higher ones at the top. The specific symbol used for each note indicates its duration, and other symbols called rests indicate the lengths of silence between them, if any.

The first symbol on every staff is a symbol called a clef, whose function is to identify one of the lines of the staff as representing a particular note. Pianos, able to play notes ranging over many octaves simultaneously, usually have music written with two staves, each with a different clef. The treble clef, or G clef, is used for the higher sounding notes, usually played with the right hand. The bass clef, or F clef, is used for the lower sounding notes, usually played with the left hand. When the two staves are joined on the left by a brace, they are collectively called a grand staff.

The treble clef, also called G clef. Notice how the lower part swirls around the second line from the bottom, the G line. A quarter note on G is also shown.

The bass clef, also called F clef. Notice how the two dots are placed above and below the F line.

The right hand plays the treble clef the left hand plays the bass clef.