Read music
Treble clef notes: lines and spaces
In the treble clef the notes on the five lines are E, G, B, D and F counting from the bottom up. The notes in the four spaces are F, A, C and E, which conveniently spell the word FACE. The treble clef is also called the G clef because its curl wraps around the second line up, which is the note G.
Click any key to hear it. Your computer's A to K row works too.
How do I remember the treble clef lines?
The traditional phrase is Every Good Boy Deserves Football, giving E, G, B, D, F from the bottom. Any sentence you invent yourself will stick better than one you were given, because you had to think about it. The spaces need no mnemonic at all: F, A, C, E spells a word.
Which hand plays the treble clef?
Usually the right hand, though not always. The treble clef carries the higher notes and in piano music the upper stave is normally the right hand. Some pieces cross the hands over, and some put both hands in the treble clef, so treat it as a guide rather than a rule.
Where does middle C sit in the treble clef?
On a short line of its own, just below the bottom line of the stave. That short line is called a ledger line. Middle C being written below the treble stave and above the bass stave is exactly what joins the two together on the page.
What is the fastest way to learn these?
Short daily drilling on a small range rather than long sessions on everything. Start with one octave either side of middle C, white keys only, and use a trainer that makes you play the note rather than name it, because naming and playing are different skills and only one of them transfers to the piano.
Keep going
Read next
Lines are G B D F A, spaces are A C E G. How to read the bass clef, and why it is not the Open → ♪ Music note values explained
Whole, half, quarter and eighth notes explained, with what a dot does and how the shapes t Open → ♪ Time signatures explained
What 4/4 and 3/4 actually mean, how to count them, and why the top and bottom numbers do d Open → ♪ Key signatures on the piano
The sharps or flats at the start of a line tell you which notes to alter all the way throu Open →
Put it into practice in the practice room, or start at the beginning with the five minute walkthrough.
Questions
Common questions
What are the treble clef line notes?
From the bottom up: E, G, B, D and F.
What are the treble clef space notes?
From the bottom up: F, A, C and E, which spells FACE.
Why is the treble clef called the G clef?
Because the curl of the symbol wraps around the second line from the bottom, which is the note G.