Staff
The set of five horizontal lines and four spaces on which musical notes are written.
Category
notation
Pronunciation
/stɑːf/
Origin
Old English (staef)
Length
176 words · 1 min read
About Staff
The staff (plural: staves) is the fundamental framework of Western musical notation. Each line and space represents a different pitch, with higher positions indicating higher notes.
More notation terms
Rest
View all notationterms →A notated period of silence of a specified duration.
Note ValueThe duration of a note relative to the beat.
Ledger LineA short horizontal line drawn above or below the staff to extend its range for notes too high or too low to fit.
Dynamic MarkingA symbol or abbreviation indicating the volume at which music should be played, from very soft to very loud.
Articulation MarkingsSymbols placed above or below notes to indicate how they should be attacked, sustained, or released.
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