Notes of the Grand Staff

Memorize piano treble staff and bass staff notes with visual help and mnemonic devices.

Treble Staff Notes

The piano’s top staff, the treble staff, deals mostly with notes above middle C.

The treble staff is marked with the treble clef (or G-clef); its notes are as follows:

• Line Notes: Starting on the lowest of the five lines, E,G,B,D,F.
  Use the phrase, “Every Good Boy Does Fine,” to help you remember.
• Space Notes: Starting in the first space, F,A,C,E.
  Use the word FACE to help you remember the notes of the spaces.

Bass Staff Notes

The piano’s lower staff, the bass staff, concentrates on notes lower than middle C.

The bass clef—also called an F-clef—marks the bass staff. Its notes are as follows:

• Line Notes: Starting on the lowest of the five lines, G,B,D,F,A.
  Memorize the phrase, “Good Boys Do Fine Always,” to help you remember.
• Space Notes: Starting in the first space, A,C,E,G.
  Memorize the phrase, “All Cows Eat Grass,” to help you remember.

Notes on the bass staff appear to be dropped down from their positions on the treble staff. For example, an E is in the uppermost space of the treble staff, but is one space lower in the bass staff.