Expert Tip: Reading the Treble Clef Quickly

Here are two common tricks to help you figure out the notes on the treble clef quicker. The first four spaces spell out the word: FACE

The first four spaces on the treble clef spell out ‘FACE’

And the notes on the lines are E - G - B - D – F, which form an acronym of ‘E very G ood B oy D eserves F un’:

The lines on the treble clef are: E G B D F

Apart from that, always keep in mind that the middle line is a B and you can count backwards or upwards through the alphabet. The note below B is an A , and the one above it is a C and so on.

Here is an example of a tune on the treble clef, originally for violin. Can you name all the notes? (Notice the use of a ledger line above the staff and that it begins on an upbeat).

Audio Example 21.1: Bach - Violin Concerto BWV 1041