Notes of the Treble Clef

To become a great musician, you must understand the basics!

Why is the treble clef important?

The treble clef was historically used to mark a treble, or pre-pubescent, voice part.

Among the instruments that use treble clef are the violin, flute, oboe, bagpipe, English horn, all clarinets, all saxophones, horn, trumpet,cornet, vibraphone, xylophone, mandolin, recorder; it is also used for euphonium, baritone horn, and guitar (which sound an octave lower). Treble clef is the upper stave of the grand stave used for harp and keyboard instruments. It is also sometimes used, along with tenor clef, for the highest notes played by bass-clef instruments such as the cello, double bass (which sounds an octave lower), bassoon, and trombone. The viola also sometimes uses treble clef for very high notes. Treble clef is used for the soprano, mezzo-soprano, alto, contralto and tenor voices. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clef

Mnemonics

Some people prefer to teach the treble clef through mnemonics. This means that since the lines of the treble clef are E,G,B,D,and F, we come up with a sentence or phrase that helps us to remember those letters in the correct order. One of the most popular mnemonics for the treble clef is: Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge. Others include Every Good Boy Does Fine and Even George Bush Drives Fast. The spaces of the treble clef are even easier to remember because in order they are F, A, C, E and that already spells the word FACE. There is no need to come up with an additional phrase to help us to remember the spaces.

Using the mnemonics above, name the following notes in the treble clef:

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Hint:

Use the mnemonic EVERY GOOD BOY DESERVES FUDGE. Always start on the BOTTOM LINE.

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Hint:

Use FACE for notes in the space. Always start in the BOTTOM SPACE.

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Hint:

Use FACE for notes in the space. Always start in the BOTTOM SPACE.

Still having trouble? Use this fun song to help you memorize your lines and spaces!

Want more practice?

Try out the Music Tech Teacher Treble Note Rally Quiz!

Music Tech Teacher, Treble Note Rally Quiz

Music Tech Teacher - Treble Note Rally Quiz. Our site includes quizzes, lessons and resources for teachers and students interested in using technology to enhance music education.

musictechteacher.com

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What happens when I run out of lines and spaces?

When you run out of lines and spaces on the treble clef, you can add extensions. These small horizontal lines are called ledger lines and they can add notes above or below the staff.

If you are trying to write really low notes, try using the Bass Clef. The Bass Clef uses a different set of mnemonics. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me!