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Ledger Line

A short horizontal line drawn above or below the staff to extend its range for notes too high or too low to fit.

Category
notation
Pronunciation
/ˈlɛdʒə laɪn/
Origin

Variant of "leger" (French, light)

Length
179 words · 1 min read

About Ledger Line

Ledger lines allow composers to write notes that lie beyond the five lines and four spaces of the standard staff without changing clef. Middle C, for example, sits on one ledger line below the treble staff or one ledger line above the bass staff.
v1 · 10/04/2026Browse all terms →