Treble Clef Notes: Chart, Memory Tricks, Quiz and Worksheet
The treble clef, also called the G clef, marks the note G4 on line 2 of the stave. From the bottom, the five lines are E G B D F and the four spaces are F A C E. Middle C sits on one ledger line below the stave. The treble clef is used for higher sounds, such as the piano’s right hand, violin, flute and recorder.
Updated · By the Classfern Music Department
Works in the UK and the US. This version uses UK words and school years (bar, stave, crotchet, KS2, Year 4); the US version uses measure, staff, quarter note and grades. · US version of this page
Key facts
- The treble clef is the G clef: it marks G4 on line 2 from the bottom, where the curl wraps round.
- Lines from the bottom: E G B D F. Spaces: F A C E.
- Middle C (C4) is one ledger line below the stave.
- The five lines and four spaces hold nine notes, from E4 to F5. Ledger lines extend the stave up and down.
- Played by: piano (right hand), violin, flute, recorder, oboe, clarinet and more.
What are the notes of the treble clef?
The treble clef lines are E, G, B, D, F from the bottom, and the spaces are F, A, C, E. Together they run in alphabet order: E (bottom line), F (bottom space), G, and so on up to F on the top line.
Music only uses seven letter names, A to G, and then they start again. Moving up one step on the stave (line to space, or space to line) moves up one letter. That is why you only need one or two “anchor” notes: from G4 on line 2 you can count up or down to any note.
How do you remember treble clef notes?
Use a sentence for the lines and a word or sentence for the spaces. For the treble clef lines (E G B D F) try “Every Green Bus Drives Fast”, and for the spaces, the spaces spell the word FACE.
- Lines: Every Green Bus Drives Fast, or Every Good Boy Deserves Football.
- Spaces: F A C E spells “FACE” – the face in the space.
- Landmarks: learn three notes by sight – middle C (one ledger line below), G (line 2, where the clef curls) and the top-line F – and count from the nearest one. Readers who rely only on a sentence are slower than readers who know landmarks.
Where is middle C in the treble clef?
Middle C sits on one short ledger line just below the treble stave. It is the same note as the middle C written above the bass stave, which is how the two staves join up in piano music (the grand stave).
Treble clef notes chart
Every note from C4 to C6, where it sits, and a button to hear it on the piano.
| Note | Where it sits | Hear it |
|---|---|---|
| C C6 | On 2 ledger lines above | |
| B B5 | Above 1 ledger line above | |
| A A5 | On 1 ledger line above | |
| G G5 | Just above the stave | |
| F F5 | Line 5 | |
| E E5 | Space 4 | |
| D D5 | Line 4 | |
| C C5 | Space 3 | |
| B B4 | Line 3 | |
| A A4 | Space 2 | |
| G G4 | Line 2 | |
| F F4 | Space 1 | |
| E E4 | Line 1 | |
| D D4 | Just below the stave | |
| C C4 (middle C) | On 1 ledger line below |
Sounds are made in your browser. This tool never uses the microphone, and nothing is recorded, saved or sent.
Which instruments use the treble clef?
The treble clef is for higher sounds. Piano (right hand), Violin, Flute and many more read it.
Full list: piano (right hand), violin, flute, recorder, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, French horn, guitar (sounds an octave lower), ukulele, glockenspiel and xylophone, singers (tenors read it an octave lower). Some instruments, such as the cello, bassoon and trombone, switch to other clefs for their highest notes.
When do children learn the treble clef at school?
In England, the national curriculum for Key Stage 2 (Years 3–6, ages 7–11) asks pupils to “use and understand staff and other musical notations”, so most children meet the treble clef in KS2, often while learning recorder, ukulele or glockenspiel.
At KS3 (Years 7–9) pupils are expected to “use staff and other relevant notations appropriately and accurately”. GCSE music then expects confident reading in both clefs. For a full set of beginner lessons, try Classfern’s free treble clef lesson in the Learn to read music course.
Treble clef notes quiz: name the note
Marked by Classfern Ten notes on the treble clef stave. Pick the letter name. Choose “with ledger lines” when you are ready for a challenge. Questions are made fresh each time by the Classfern lesson engine; your answers stay on this device.
Treble clef worksheet maker (printable)
Self-assessed 24 notes to name, with an answer key that folds away. Every sheet is different, so a class can swap and check each other’s work. Print it on A4 or US Letter.
Treble clef facts quiz
Marked by Classfern 5 multiple-choice questions on the Classfern lesson engine. Your answers stay on this device.
Classfern’s free treble clef page is part of the Classfern Music Department at lessonplanner.info. The pictures are drawn with the same music drawing code as the Classfern reading course.
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