Clef
A symbol placed at the beginning of a staff to indicate the pitch of the notes.
Category
notation
Pronunciation
KLEF
Origin
French (clef, key)
Length
169 words · 1 min read
About Clef
A clef assigns specific pitch names to the lines and spaces of the staff. The three clef types are G clef (treble, centred on G4), F clef (bass, centred on F3), and C clef (centred on middle C, used as alto, tenor, and other positions).
More notation terms
Opus
View all notationterms →A numbering system for a composer's works, assigned roughly in order of publication
SlurA curved line connecting two or more notes of different pitch to indicate they should be played smoothly and connected.
Articulation MarkingsSymbols placed above or below notes to indicate how they should be attacked, sustained, or released.
Note ValueThe duration of a note relative to the beat.
ScoreA written document showing all parts of a musical composition aligned vertically on the page
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v1 · 10/04/2026Browse all terms →