Definitions for clef
klɛfclef

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. clefnoun

   a musical notation written on a staff indicating the pitch of the notes following it

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. clefnoun

   A symbol found on a musical staff that indicates the pitches indicated by the lines on the staff

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Clefnoun

   In musick, a mark at the beginning of the lines of a song, which shews the tone or key in which the piece is to begin. Ephraim Chambers

   Etymology: from clef, key, Fr.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Clef

   A clef (from French: clef 'key') is a musical symbol used to indicate which notes are represented by the lines and spaces on a musical stave. Placing a clef on a stave assigns a particular pitch to one of the five lines, which defines the pitches on the remaining lines and spaces. The three clef symbols used in modern music notation are the G-clef, F-clef, and C-clef. Placing these clefs on a line fixes a reference note to that line—an F-clef fixes the F below middle C, a C-clef fixes middle C, and a G-clef fixes the G above middle C. In modern music notation, the G-clef is most frequently seen as treble clef (placing G4 on the second line of the stave), and the F-clef as bass clef (placing F3 on the fourth line). The C-clef is mostly encountered as alto clef (placing middle C on the third line) or tenor clef (middle C on the fourth line). A clef may be placed on a space instead of a line, but this is rare. The use of different clefs makes it possible to write music for all instruments and voices, regardless of differences in range. Using different clefs for different instruments and voices allows each part to be written comfortably on a stave with a minimum of ledger lines. To this end, the G-clef is used for high parts, the C-clef for middle parts, and the F-clef for low parts. Transposing instruments can be an exception to this—the same clef is generally used for all instruments in a family, regardless of their sounding pitch. For example, even the low saxophones read in treble clef. A symmetry exists surrounding middle C regarding the F-, C- and G-clefs. C-clef defines middle C whereas treble clef and bass clef define the note at the interval of a fifth above middle C and below middle C, respectively. Two common mnemonics for learning the clef lines are:

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. clef

   A clef is a musical symbol used at the beginning of a staff to indicate the pitch of the notes being written. It establishes the relationship between particular lines or spaces on the staff and specific notes. The most commonly used clefs are the treble clef, bass clef, and alto clef.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Clefnoun

   a character used in musical notation to determine the position and pitch of the scale as represented on the staff

2. Etymology: [F. clef key, a key in music, fr. L. clavis key. See Clavicle.]

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Clef

   A clef is a musical symbol used to indicate the pitch of written notes. Placed on one of the lines at the beginning of the stave, it indicates the name and pitch of the notes on that line. This line serves as a reference point by which the names of the notes on any other line or space of the stave may be determined. Only one clef that references a note in a space rather than on a line has ever been used. There are three types of clef used in modern music notation: F, C, and G. Each type of clef assigns a different reference note to the line on which it is placed. Once one of these clefs has been placed on one of the lines of the stave, the other lines and spaces can be read in relation to it. The use of three different clefs makes it possible to write music for all instruments and voices, even though they may have very different tessituras. This would be difficult to do with only one clef, since the modern stave has only five lines, and the number of pitches that can be represented on the stave, even with ledger lines, is not nearly equal to the number of notes the orchestra can produce. The use of different clefs for different instruments and voices allows each part to be written comfortably on the stave with a minimum of ledger lines. To this end, the G-clef is used for high parts, the C-clef for middle parts, and the F-clef for low parts—with the important exception of transposing parts, which are written at a different pitch than they sound, often even in a different octave.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Clef

   klef, n. a musical character placed on the staff by which the absolute pitch of the notes is fixed. [Fr., from L. clavis; Gr. kleis, a key.]

Suggested ResourcesRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. CLEF

   What does CLEF stand for? -- Explore the various meanings for the CLEF acronym on the Abbreviations.com website.

Matched Categories

1. • Musical Notation

How to pronounce clef?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say clef in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of clef in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of clef in Pythagorean Numerology is: 8

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=clef
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Clef
3. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=clef
4. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clef
5. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
6. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clef
7. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=clef
8. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=clef