Tools / Note reading games / Grand staff

Grand staff notes

The grand staff is a treble staff and a bass staff joined by a brace, with middle C on a ledger line between them. It's how piano music is written. Check the chart, then read notes on both staves in the game. Free, no signup.

Grand staff landmark notes

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Grand staff notes chart

Grand staff notes from F2 (below the bass staff) up to G5 (above the treble staff). Middle C appears twice: on a ledger line above the bass staff and on a ledger line below the treble staff. Same key, same pitch.

The grand staff (also called the great staff) stacks a treble clef staff on top of a bass clef staff, joined on the left by a brace and a line. Together they cover the middle of the piano with only a few ledger lines. The two staves meet at middle C: one ledger line below the treble staff and one ledger line above the bass staff are the same note.

Treble staff and bass staff at a glance

	Lines (bottom to top)	Spaces (bottom to top)
Treble staff (top)	E G B D F · Every Good Boy Does Fine	F A C E · spells FACE
Bass staff (bottom)	G B D F A · Good Boys Do Fine Always	A C E G · All Cows Eat Grass

The same line or space is a different note on each staff: the bottom line is E on the top staff and G on the bottom staff. The usual mistake on the grand staff isn't forgetting a note, it's reading the bass staff with treble clef names. Glance at the clef, then read. There are full guides for each clef on the treble clef notes and bass clef notes pages.

Landmark notes across the grand staff

Pianists often learn the grand staff from a ladder of landmark notes, most of them Cs an octave apart, and read everything else by step or skip from the nearest one:

Low C (C2): two ledger lines below the bass staff.
Bass C (C3): the second space of the bass staff.
Bass F (F3): the fourth line of the bass staff, between the clef's dots.
Middle C (C4): the ledger line between the staves.
Treble G (G4): the second line of the treble staff, where the clef curls.
Treble C (C5): the third space of the treble staff.
High C (C6): two ledger lines above the treble staff.

Level 1 of the game drills six of these (C3, F3, middle C on both staves, G4 and C5). Once they're instant, levels 2 to 4 add every note on both staves, the ledger notes between them and accidentals.

Notes between the staves

The notes around middle C can be written on either staff. A3, B3 and C4 can sit on ledger lines below the treble staff; C4, D4 and E4 can sit on ledger lines above the bass staff. Which one the composer uses usually depends on which hand plays the note, and on keeping the lines easy to read. In the chart above, middle C is shown in both places. Level 3 of the game includes these in-between notes on both staves, which is often where piano reading slows down.

The right hand usually reads the treble staff and the left hand the bass staff, but that isn't a rule: either hand can take notes from either staff, and some passages put both hands in the same clef.

Who reads the grand staff?

Piano, keyboards, harp, celesta, marimba and other keyboard-like instruments. Organ music adds a third staff for the pedals. If you're learning piano, it also helps to know where each note is on the keyboard: try the piano keys game. And since reading tells you a note's name but not its sound, pair it with some interval ear training.

How to practise grand staff notes with the game

Practice mode is untimed and endless. Tap the letter (or press A–G on a keyboard), hear the note, and get the right answer plus a mnemonic or landmark hint when you miss. Tap Hint before answering if you are stuck.
Levels build up: landmark notes, then every note on both staves, then the ledger notes between the staves, and finally sharps and flats. Get 13 of your last 15 notes right and the next level unlocks, but you can pick any level at any time.
Sprint mode gives you 60 seconds. Every 5 correct answers in a row raises your combo multiplier, up to x4, and a miss resets it. Your best score for each level is saved, and you can copy your result to share it.
Notes you miss come back more often. The game weights its picks towards the notes you get wrong, and the note map under the game colours every line and space by your accuracy, so you can see your weakest note at a glance.

A few minutes a day works better than one long session (see spaced repetition for musicians). Go for accuracy first; speed follows. Say the note name out loud before you tap, and when a level feels easy, mix it up: interleaved practice is harder in the moment but sticks better.

Frequently asked questions

What is the grand staff?

The grand staff is a treble clef staff and a bass clef staff joined by a brace and a line on the left. It is used for piano and other instruments with a wide range, and the two staves meet at middle C.

Where is middle C on the grand staff?

Between the two staves, on its own short ledger line. Written just below the treble staff or just above the bass staff, it is the same note: the C closest to the middle of a piano keyboard.

What are the notes on the grand staff?

Treble staff lines E G B D F and spaces F A C E; bass staff lines G B D F A and spaces A C E G. Together with the ledger notes between them they run continuously from the bottom of the bass staff to the top of the treble staff.

Why can the same note be written on both staves?

Notes around middle C (roughly A3 to E4) can be written with ledger lines below the treble staff or above the bass staff. Composers pick whichever is clearer, often based on which hand plays the note.

Does the right hand always play the treble staff?

Usually the right hand reads the top staff and the left hand the bottom staff, but it is not a rule. Either hand can play notes from either staff, and sometimes both staves use the same clef.

Is this grand staff notes game free?

Yes. It is free, with no signup and no email gate, and it runs in your browser on phone or desktop. Your note map and sprint bests are saved on your device only. On iPhone, sound starts after your first tap because iOS requires a tap before a page can play audio.