noun
clef
KLEF/klef/
A symbol that indicates the pitches of notes on a musical staff.
A treble clef appears at the beginning of the musical staff.
Etymology
A clef is figuratively a “key” to reading the staff: it identifies one line’s pitch, allowing the pitches of the other lines and spaces to be determined.
In context
and spaces gives us. A grand piano, for example, can play 88 separate notes. So how do we condense 88 notes onto a single staff? We use something called a clef,
More examples
- The bass clef places lower notes on familiar lines.
- She checked the clef before reading the first measure.
- Changing the clef changes which pitches the staff positions represent.
Forms
clef · clefs
Similar words
- key signature
- Indicates recurring sharps or flats, while a clef establishes pitch positions.