Clef
(klef)


[Eng.] - [Fr.] - [from Latin meaning key]

A symbol placed at the beginning of the staff to denote which notes are indicated by the lines and spaces. The most common clefs are:

  1. the bass, or F clef, which is indicated by a stylized F, and encompasses the tones of G - a-sharp;
  2. the treble, or G clef, indicated by a stylized G, and encompassing the tones of e1 - f-sharp2;
  3. the movable, or C clef, indicated by a symbol which points to any of the five lines of the staff, indicating that that line is the pitch middle C or c1.
  4. and the neutral clef or indefinite pitch clef, which is used for percussion instruments with no specific pitch.

See also [Eng.] clef; [Fr.] clé (f); [Fr.] clef (f); [Ger.] Schlüssel (m); [It.] chiave (f); [Sp.] clave (f).

More about clefs - More about the staff - Table of musical translations
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