staff explained
theorySTAF
A detailed guide to the five horizontal lines on which Western music is notated.
The staff (also called a stave) is a set of five horizontal lines and four spaces on which musical notes are written. Each line and space represents a different pitch, determined by the clef placed at the beginning of the staff. The treble clef (G clef) is used for higher instruments and voices, while the bass clef (F clef) serves lower instruments and voices. Together, the treble and bass clef staves form the grand staff, connected by a brace, as used in piano music. Notes that fall above or below the staff are written on ledger lines. The staff also carries the key signature (indicating the key), time signature (indicating the meter), and various performance markings for dynamics, articulation, and tempo. The five-line staff has been the standard framework for Western music notation since the 11th century.