Skip to main content

The Staff

Learning Objective

1.A: Identify, draw, and describe a staff

Video​

What is a staff?​

A typical five-line staff

One way to think about a staff (plural "staves") is that it is an empty canvas on which we can draw notes. Just like how the alphabet allows you to write words, the staff allows you to write notes!

Lines and Spaces​

Lines and spaces in a staff.

A staff consists of five horizontal lines, evenly spaced, and each note is placed on the line or space that corresponds to its pitch.

You count lines and spaces of a staff from the bottom. The bottom line is line 1, the space above it is space 1, the line above that is line 2, and so on.

Practice​

"The Staff" worksheet​

tip

Questions 1-3 cover the basics of the staff. Questions 4-5 are covered in "Treble (G) Clef and Bass (F) Clef". Use the "Print" button to print the worksheet and write on it. Some browsers have a "Draw" button that allows you to mark up the PDF digitally.

Answer Key

Finale ® Worksheets, Copyright © 2009 by MakeMusic, Inc. MakeMusic grants permission to duplicate this worksheet for non-profit, educational use only, provided each copy includes this copyright notice. Copies may not be sold or included in any materials offered for sale to the general public

Quizlet​

Flashcards​

Additional Resources​

Readings​

Lessons​

Reference​