Treble clef notes
The five lines are E G B D F and the four spaces spell F A C E. Tap any note to hear it and see it on the piano.
Lines, bottom to top
E G B D F
“Every Good Boy Does Fine”
Spaces, bottom to top
F A C E
“FACE”
G4 · second line · 392.00 Hz
Tap a note on the staff or a white key: you hear it and see where it sits on both.
Note-reading practice
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Name the note on the staff. Use the letter buttons or type A–G on a keyboard.
Every treble clef note, from C4 to C6
| Note | Where on the staff | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| second ledger line above | 1046.50 Hz | |
| above the first ledger line | 987.77 Hz | |
| first ledger line above | 880.00 Hz | |
| space just above the staff | 783.99 Hz | |
| top line | 698.46 Hz | |
| top space | 659.26 Hz | |
| fourth line | 587.33 Hz | |
| third space | 523.25 Hz | |
| middle line | 493.88 Hz | |
| second space | 440.00 Hz | |
| second line | 392.00 Hz | |
| bottom space | 349.23 Hz | |
| bottom line | 329.63 Hz | |
| space just below the staff | 293.66 Hz | |
| first ledger line below (middle C) | 261.63 Hz |
Octave numbers use scientific pitch notation (middle C = C4); frequencies assume A4 = 440 Hz. Lines: E4, G4, B4, D5, F5. Spaces: F4, A4, C5, E5.
Reading the other hand too? See the bass clef notes, or the piano notes chart for the names of every key.
How to read the treble clef without counting from the bottom
Mnemonics get you started, but reciting “Every Good Boy…” for every note is slow. Readers who sight-read quickly use landmark notes and intervals instead:
- G4: the line the clef curls around (second from the bottom).
- Middle C (C4): the first ledger line below the staff.
- C5: the third space, right in the middle of the staff.
- G5: the space just above the top line.
From a landmark, line to the next line is a third (skip a letter) and line to the next space is a step. Learn to see those shapes and you read in groups of notes, not one letter at a time. The same step-and-skip idea shows up in intervals and in how chords are stacked from thirds.
Questions
What are the notes on the treble clef lines?
From the bottom line up: E, G, B, D, F (E4, G4, B4, D5, F5). A common mnemonic is “Every Good Boy Does Fine”.
What are the notes in the treble clef spaces?
From the bottom space up: F, A, C, E (F4, A4, C5, E5). They spell the word FACE.
Why is it called the G clef?
The treble clef grew out of a stylised letter G, and its inner curl wraps around the second line from the bottom. Whatever note sits on that line is the G above middle C (G4).
Where is middle C on the treble clef?
On the first ledger line below the staff. It is the same pitch as the C on the first ledger line above the bass clef staff, which is how the two staves of piano music connect.
Which hand plays the treble clef on piano?
Usually the right hand. In piano music the treble staff sits on top of the grand staff and the bass staff below it, but the clefs can change, so read the clef at the start of each line.
What is the fastest way to learn to read treble clef notes?
Learn a few landmark notes first (G4 on the clef’s curl, middle C below the staff and the high G on the space above the top line), then read other notes as steps up or down from the nearest landmark. Short daily drills like the one on this page build speed better than long, rare sessions.