Questions: Introduction to the Treble Clef

Question 1

What does the treble clef tell you?

• A. How fast to play the music
• B. How loud to play the music
• C. Which notes the lines and spaces of the staff represent
• D. What instrument to play

Answer: (C)

The treble clef is a symbol at the beginning of the staff that assigns specific letter names to the lines and spaces, telling you which notes they represent.

Question 2

The treble clef is the only clef used in music.

• T. True
• F. False

Answer: False

There are other clefs, such as the bass clef, which is used for lower-pitched instruments and voices. The treble clef is just one of several clefs.

Question 3

Notes can only be placed on the lines of the staff, not in the spaces.

• T. True
• F. False

Answer: False

Notes sit both on the lines and in the spaces of the staff. Each line and each space represents a different note.

Question 4

What mnemonic can help you remember the line notes of the treble clef (E, G, B, D, F)?

Model answer: Every Good Boy Does Fine

A good answer gives the common mnemonic 'Every Good Boy Does Fine' where each word starts with the letter of a line note from bottom to top: E, G, B, D, F.

Question 5

What do the space notes of the treble clef spell?

• A. BEAD
• B. FACE
• C. CAGE
• D. DEAF

Answer: (B)

The space notes from bottom to top are F, A, C, E, which spell the word FACE. This makes them easy to remember.