This concept has several names depending on the language of the country in which it is used:
Staff (sing.) / staves (plur.) Stave (sing.) / staves (plur.)
The staff (stave ) is like grid formed of horizontal lines and spaces. This grid called staff is used to write music notes. The most common staff has five horizontal lines and four spaces. Lines and spaces are numbered from bottom to top and music notes can be on a line or in a space.
Usage of the staff (stave )
Music notes are read from left to right, like a book.
Music notes can be written on a line or in a space.
If a note is in a line, next and previous notes will be on spaces.
If a note is on a space, next and previous notes will be on lines.
High-pitched notes are on top of the staff, and low-pitched notes are on the bottom of the staff.
Ledger lines
If there is no more lines or space to draw music notes, ledger lines are used. Ledger lines will extend the staff, and there can be as many ledger lines as needed.
Note: The word ledger can be spelled leger.
Grand staff / Great stave
The grand staff is composed by 2 staves joined by a curly bracket (called a “brace”) and is mainly used for the piano or the harp. The grand staff increase the range of music notes that can be written.
Example with Twinkle Twinkle Little Star played by a harp:
Ensemble staves
For more than one instrument, multiple staves are used.
Here is an example of the divertimento K563 from Mozart for violin, viola and cello.
Other staves
Staff (stave ) for percussion instruments
Some percussion instruments need only one staff, in this case just one line is needed.
Example with a tambourine:
Staff (stave )for the guitar
A lot of guitarists don't use the 5 lines staff but use a 6 lines staff instead. There is one line for each string of the instrument, it is called a tablature (TAB), the lowest line represent the lowest string and the highest line represent the highest string.
Staff (stave )for the bass guitar
The bass guitar has only 4 strings, so the tablature is composed by only 4 lines.
Non similar staves usage
Non similar staves can be used simultaneously
Ancient staves
In the past, like for Gregorian chants, the staves was very different, with only 4 lines.
How many lines are there in a standard staff (like for the piano or the violin)?
In a staff like those for the piano, there are five lines.
4 lines
5 lines
6 lines
7 lines
Too much
How many spaces are there in a standard staff (like for the piano or the violin)?
In a staff like those for the piano, there are four spaces.
4 spaces
5 spaces
6 spaces
7 spaces
Too much
Where are the high-pitched notes placed in the staff?
High-pitched notes are on top of the staff.
on top
at the bottom
in the middle
it depends
Where are the low-pitched notes placed in the staff?
High-pitched notes are on top of the staff.
on top
at the bottom
in the middle
it depends
What is a grand staff (great stave)?
When two staves are joined by a brace, to be played at once by a single performer (piano, organ, harp), it is called a grand staff (American English) or great stave (British English).
a very big staff
two staves are joined by a brace
three staves are joined by a brace
four staves are joined by a brace
it depends
How do you read staff music?
Music notes on staves are read from left to right, just like a book.
