Treble clef notes: lines, spaces and ledger lines
Treble clef notes: lines E G B D F, spaces F A C E, middle C on a ledger line. See every note on the staff, hear it, and practise with a note quiz.
On the treble clef the five lines are, from bottom to top, E G B D F ("Every Good Boy Does Fine") and the four spaces spell F A C E. The clef curls around the second line, which is G above middle C (G4). Middle C sits on one ledger line below the staff.
The line notes: E G B D F
Mnemonic: Every Good Boy Does Fine.
The space notes: F A C E
Mnemonic: FACE.
Landmark notes to read faster
- G G4: The treble clef's curl wraps around the 2nd line: that line is G, which is why it is also called the G clef.
- C C4: Middle C sits on the first ledger line below the staff.
- C C5: The C an octave above middle C is in the 3rd space.
Read from landmarks instead of counting from the bottom: a note one step above a landmark is the next letter.
Ledger lines above and below the treble clef
Treble clef quiz: name the note
Six notes, from ledger lines to the top of the staff. Pick the letter.
Score: / 6 (your score updates as you answer)
Every treble clef note, from A3 to C6
| Note | Position | Frequency | Hear it |
|---|---|---|---|
| C6 | on ledger line 2 above | 1046.50 Hz | |
| B5 | above ledger line 1 | 987.77 Hz | |
| A5 | on ledger line 1 above | 880.00 Hz | |
| G5 | just above the staff | 783.99 Hz | |
| F5 | line 5 | 698.46 Hz | |
| E5 | space 4 | 659.26 Hz | |
| D5 | line 4 | 587.33 Hz | |
| C5 | space 3 | 523.25 Hz | |
| B4 | line 3 | 493.88 Hz | |
| A4 | space 2 | 440.00 Hz | |
| G4 | line 2 | 392.00 Hz | |
| F4 | space 1 | 349.23 Hz | |
| E4 | line 1 | 329.63 Hz | |
| D4 | just below the staff | 293.66 Hz | |
| C4 | on ledger line 1 below | 261.63 Hz | |
| B3 | below ledger line 1 | 246.94 Hz | |
| A3 | on ledger line 2 below | 220.00 Hz |
Who reads the treble clef?
Violin, flute, oboe, clarinet, trumpet, guitar (written an octave higher than it sounds), the right hand of the piano, and most vocal parts above the bass.
Timed note drill
Frequently asked questions
What are the line notes of the treble clef?
From bottom to top: E, G, B, D, F. A common way to remember them is "Every Good Boy Does Fine".
What are the space notes of the treble clef?
From bottom to top: F, A, C, E, which spells FACE.
Where is middle C on the treble clef?
On the first ledger line below the staff. It is the same note as middle C on the first ledger line above the bass staff.
Why is the treble clef called the G clef?
Its curl circles the second line from the bottom and marks it as G (the G above middle C, G4).
What note is above the top line of the treble clef?
G (G5), sitting just above the top line F. The next ledger line above is A5.