The staff and the two clefs

Sheet music is written on a staff (also called a stave): five horizontal lines with four spaces between them. Lines and spaces are always counted from the bottom up — line 1 is the lowest.

A note's vertical position is its pitch: higher on the staff = higher sound. Notes sit either ON a line (the line passes through the middle of the note) or IN a space (between two lines).

Notes use only seven letter names: A B C D E F G. After G, the letters start again at A. Moving up one position on the staff (line → space or space → line) moves up one letter.

On its own, the staff means nothing — you need a clef. The clef is the large symbol at the start of every line. The treble clef's inner curl wraps around line 2, and marks that line as G (the G above middle C). That is why it's also called the G clef.

The treble clef is used for higher notes — on piano usually the right hand.

Line notes, bottom to top: E G B D F (memory aid: Every Good Boy Does Fine). Space notes, bottom to top: F A C E — they spell FACE.

The bass clef's two dots sit either side of line 4, marking it as F (the F below middle C). It's used for lower notes — usually the left hand.

Line notes, bottom to top: G B D F A (Good Boys Do Fine Always). Space notes: A C E G (All Cows Eat Grass).

Warning: beginners often read bass clef as if it were treble clef. Every note is two letters off. Learn each clef separately; don't translate from one to the other.

Middle C is the C near the centre of the piano keyboard. It sits on a short extra line just below the treble staff, or just above the bass staff. These short extra lines are called ledger lines — they extend the staff when a note is too high or low.

Play middle C on the keyboard below. It's highlighted.