Notation, Staff, and Clef notes

Notation 

Introduction 

  • Notation represents musical sounds and the interpretation of those sounds; it refers to the writing of notes 

  • Standard notation is staff notation 

Note placement 

    High and low pitches 

  • Higher lines and spaces represent higher pitches                            

    Ledger lines 

  • Temporary short lines above and/or below the staff

  • Ledger lines are connected to individual notes and are never connected to each other 

Notation practice 

Notating pitches 

  • Note heads should be upward to the right 

Notating stems 

  • Upward stems go on right 

  • Downward stems go on left 

  • Stems should be about an octave in length (Roughly 4 staff spaces) 

Notating sharps 

  • Accidentals are always drawn on the left hand side of the note head

Notating flats 

  • Vertical line of flat is about two staff spaces tall 

    • Rounded part is about one 

Notating Naturals 

  • Vertical lines are about two staff spaces long 

  • Horizontal lines are sightly slanted upward 

Clefs 

Introduction 

  •    Clef: Musical symbol that fixes are particular pitch onto a specific place on the staff 

Treble Clef 

  • Known as the G clef 

  • Used for high pitched instruments 

    • Piccolo, flute, oboe, clarinet, Violin, Guitar, Trumpet, Far right hand keyboard 

  • fixes G above middle C onto the second line of the staff 

Bass Clef 

  • Used for low pitch instruments 

    • Double bass, Trombone, Tuba, Bassoon, Cello, Electric bass, far left hand keyboard 

  • Also known as F clef 

  • Fixes F below middle C onto the fourth line of the staff 

C Clef 

  • Moveable clef that can be positioned 

  • The C clef always points to C4 (middle C) 

    Alto Clef 

  • Most common form of C clef 

  • Mixes middle C onto the third lone of the staff 

    Tenor Clef 

  • Fixes middle C onto the fourth line of the staff 

The Grand Staff 

  • The grand staff combines treble and bass clef 

    Middle C 

  • Middle C can be written as an upper or lower extension 

    • Should not be written in the middle space between the staves 

    Ottava Sign 

  • Indicates notes should be played an octave higher than written