Clave (musical notation)
1. Key Sun in second (soprano)
2. Key do in third (high)
3. Key do in fourth (tenor)
4. Key fa in fourth (low)
The clef in musical notation is a sign whose function is to indicate the height of the written music, assigning a certain note to a line of the staff, which is taken as a reference point for establish the names of the rest of the notes. It is located at the beginning of each staff, although it can be changed at any time during the course of the work if required. The three current symbols used to represent the different clefs—the C clef, the F clef, and the Treble clef—are the result of the historical evolution of three signs represented respectively by the letter “C”, “F” and “ G" according to the alphabetic notation that was used in the past.
There are a number of cases in which special key signs, or substitute signs, are used. This is the case of the octave transposition clefs, which add a figure (8 or 15) above or below the clef sign to indicate how many octaves and to which direction the music that appears should be transposed. written on that staff. Among the substitute signs, there is the neutral clave or percussion clef, which, unlike the rest of the clefs, is a convention that indicates that what is written next on the staff is for percussion and assigns to the various lines and spaces percussion instruments of unspecified pitch instead of pitches or musical notes. Another substitute sign for the clef is the one used in music for fretted instruments that is usually written in tablature. It is indicated that it is a tablature by means of the letters TAB represented vertically at the beginning of the staff.
History
Music was initially transmitted orally, but over time the need arose to write it down in order to remember and transmit it. The first systems of notation were quite primitive and only indicated the upward or downward direction of the voice. One of the basic problems was to name and represent in writing the sounds that were sung, so that the clave, whose origin dates back to the X century , was one of the first musical signs to appear.
In the 11th and 12th centuries, clefs were already used at the beginning of tetragrams. At first, instead of a specific clef sign, the reference line of the staff was labeled only with the name of the note that was to appear, according to alphabetic notation. These letter keys (litterae-clavis or claves signatae) were the most frequent in Gregorian chant notation:
- “C”do): represented the key doIt's the oldest. The "c" was drawn in a small scale as the capital "C" represented a lower octave.
- «F»fa): represented the key fa. At some point in its evolution, the sign was made up of three small black squares (the key to do plus an additional point).
- «G»Sun): represented the key Sunthat joined after the other two keys. It appeared written as a tiny "g".
Later, the keys of do and fa were used, which could be placed on different lines, in the second, third and fourth of the tetragram. This period is associated to Guido d'Arezzo, who laid the foundations of notation and the current musical system, although previously there was already another attempt at notation proposed by Hucbaldo. Later, they were also used to mark the pitches in which the different voices sang when a polyphonic musical system began to be used. Over time, these letters were stylized to form the current spellings of the keys. They began to be modified during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, but it is mainly from the year 1600 when the current spelling began to be used.
Many other clefs were used, especially in the early days of song notation. Among them are most of the notes from the low Γ (gamma, the note that today is written in the first line of the clef of F in fourth) to the note G (sol) above middle C, represented by a lowercase g. Also included are two forms of lowercase b for the note below middle c, represented by a round b for b flat (B♭) and a square b for if becuadro (B♮). These clefs were, in order of frequency of use: F, c, f, C, D, a, g, e, Γ, B, and round/square b.
Individual keys
In current musical notation, three types of clef are used (do, fa and sol), which can be placed on different lines inside the pentagram. Clefs fill in for the limitations of the staff, as the number of pitches that can be represented on the staff—even with additional lines—is nowhere near the number of notes an orchestra can produce. The criteria for using one clave or another are basically two: that the range of the instrument that is going to interpret it is appropriate to the range of notes imposed by the clave, and that it be as clear and simple as possible to facilitate the reading of the score by the musician. Thus, the clef determines the pitch: the sol clef for high pitches assigns sol4; the fa clef for low pitches assigns the fa3 and the c clef for intermediate pitches assigns the do4. The further down the staff a clef is placed, the higher the pitch it represents; on the contrary, the higher up the key is, it will represent a lower range. The set of the three keys and the seven positions is called the "septiclavio".
In theory, since there are five lines on the staff and three clefs, we could have fifteen possible clefs. However, six of these keys are redundant. For example, a clef of g in the third would be exactly the same as a clef of c in the first. That leaves nine clefs, all of which have been used historically: two for the G clef, three for the F clef, and four for the C clef. . Even the 5th c clef came to be used although it is redundant as it is the same as the 3rd f clef. For this reason, the do clef earned the name “mobile do clef”. In any case, currently only four clefs are used regularly: sol in second, fa in fourth, do in fourth, and do in third; of which the first two are the most frequent.
Treble clef
The symbol used to represent this key comes from a stylized version of the letter G, which in alphabetic musical notation represents the note sol. Specifically, the sign is based on a spiral similar to a G, which is linked to a kind of S. This clef places the note sol4 on the staff (according to the scientific registry index), G4 (according to the Anglo-Saxon notation) or sol3 according to the Franco-Belgian registry index. This is the note g which is found four white keys to the right of middle C on the piano. The sol clef, generally used to represent high-pitched sounds, can have two positions: second and first line. Such placement is determined by the beginning of the spiral of this key, although in modern notation the last one has fallen into disuse.
Second treble clef
 |  Diagnostic Scale do in key Sun in 2.a.  Play (?·i)The key Sun located on the second line of the staff is called the Sun in second or simply key Sun. In the Baroque period it was known as "Italian landmark". Currently in English and German it is called respectively "treble clef" (“key for sharp”) and Violinschlüssel (“Violin key”). When it is appropriate to represent sharp sounds, it appears in the music for the instruments with higher tessitures; especially the oboe, flute, violin, some percussion instruments and the right hand of the piano (unlike the left hand, which is usually in the key of the fa). In vocal music, the voices of soprano and contralto are in this key; although, in their origins, it was not so, because each had its own key. The key Sun it is the most used today. |
First treble clef (deprecated)
 |  Diagnostic Scale do in key Sun in 1.a. Play (?·i)The key Sun located on the first line of the staff is called the Sun in the first or formerly “French key” and “Violin key”, since it was used in violin scores. Today it has fallen into disuse, but during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries especially in France, it was customary to write the music for violin or flute in the key Sun in the first, as it gave the possibility to represent in the staff a little more sharp sounds. This key assigns to the notes the same name as the key fa in fourth, but in a more acute woe. |
F-clef
The symbol used to represent this key comes from a stylized version of the letter F, which in alphabetic notation represents the note fa. This clef places the note fa3 on the staff (F3 in American scientific notation and fa2 in Franco-Belgian notation). The line to which it refers is delimited by two small dots, one above the other, which are placed to the right of the key. This key can have three positions: in the fourth, third and fifth line. Although, in modern notation the last two have fallen into disuse. It is generally used to represent bass sounds.
F 4th clef
 |  Diagnostic Scale do in key fa in 4.a. Play (?·i)The key fa located on the fourth line of the staff is called the fa in fourth and formerly “low place”, since the music for the low voice was written in this key. At present, it is used mainly by the most serious instruments of the rugged rope (violonchelo, counterbass); along with the most severe of the metal wind (tuba, trombón) and the wood wind (fagot, contrafagot). It can also be found in the lower pentagram of the harp or keyboard instruments such as the piano, as well as in the music for percussion (mainly used for shafts, although sometimes also for other instruments such as box, pump or dishes). This is the key in use that allows you to write more serious sounds about the staff. |
F clef in third
 |  Diagnostic Scale do in key fa in 3.a. Play (?·i)The key fa located on the third line of the staff is called the fa in the third and formerly “baritone area”, since the vocal music for baritone was written in this key. He was employed as a transposition key for instruments of severe thesis. Today, its use is practically limited to the transport by non-transponder instrument interpreters. |
F 5th clef (deprecated)
 | The key fa located on the fifth line of the staff is called the fa in fifth and formerly “subgrave key”. Some composers came to use it sometime, such as Ockeghem, Heinrich Schütz or later Bach at the Musical offer; but it has now fallen into disuse. This key assigns to the notes the same name as the key Sun in second, but in a more severe two octave tesitura, thus providing the most severe thesitura of all possible combinations of keys in the staff. |
C clef
The symbol used to represent this key comes from a stylized version of the letter C, which in alphabetic notation represents the note do. Specifically, the sign is made up of two C's upside down, one on top of the other. This clef places the central note C or C4 (C4 in American scientific notation, C) on the staff. 3 in Franco-Belgian notation and c5 in Riemann notation). This key can present five positions: fifth, fourth, third, second and first line. Although, in modern notation the first and the last two have fallen out of use. It is generally used to represent medium sounds.
C 3rd clef
 |  Diagnostic Scale do in key do in 3.a. Play (?·i)The key do located on the third line of the staff is called the do in third or “contact key”, because the music for hire was usually represented in this key. It is also associated with the counter-tenor voice, also receiving the name "container key". It is used in music to rape, viola da gamba, mandola and sometimes for high trombone. You can also see in instruments in charge of intermediate voices such as oboe or sweet flute; besides appearing in ancient vocal music. Some traces of this key survive in the written parts for troupe by Serguéi Prokófiev, as well as in their symphonies. Sometimes, it appears in the key music until today as the organ corals of Brahms or Dream John Cage's piano. |
Fourth C clef
 |  Diagnostic Scale do in key do in 4.a. Play (?·i)The key do located on the fourth line of the staff is called the do in fourth or “tight place”, because the tenor music used to be represented in this key. It is used in the written music for fagot, as a transition key for some acute notes of the cello as well as to represent the acute notes of the tenor and bombardment trombone. On occasions, you can still see in scores of ancient vocal music. |
First C clef (deprecated)
 |  Diagnostic Scale do in key do in 1.a. Play (?·i)The key do located on the first line of the staff is called the do in the first or “soprano area”. At present, it has fallen into disuse by limiting its employment to transport by non-transpository instrument interpreters. In other times it was used mainly to represent the part of soprano in vocal scores. |
Second C clef (deprecated)
 |  Diagnostic Scale do in key do in 2.a. Play (?·i)The key do located on the second line of the staff is called the do in second or “key of mezzosoprano”, because the music for mezzosoprano used to be written in this key. Currently it is hardly used, except for some fragments in order to avoid an excessive number of additional lines in music for mezzosoprano, as well as for transport by non-transpository instrument interpreters. |
Fifth C clef (deprecated)
 |  Diagnostic Scale do in key do in 5.a. Play (?·i)The key do located on the fifth line of the staff is called the do in fifth. This key rarely appears in current scores, as it is exactly equivalent to the key fa in third. In fact, both of them receive the denomination "baritone key". |
Other keys
Octave Transpose Clefs
|  8th transposition keys.  Diagnostic Scale do in low eighth transposition key. Play (?·i) Diagnostic Scale do in high octave transposition key. Play (?·i)Sometimes the keys do not represent the real sound that emits an instrument. In some cases the instrument is refined by an octave more serious than the key in which it is written and in other cases the instrument is refined by a more acute octave. This is called "octavation" or "transposition of the eighth". La key Sun has been used since the 18th century for the transposition of instruments that sound a lower octave, such as the guitar, the high peak flute or the voice of tenor in vocal music. On the other hand, the contra bass and the contraphagot are written in key fa in fourth, but they sound like a more serious octave. To avoid ambiguities, especially in the context of coral music, modified keys are used:
Strictly speaking, a guitar score (acoustic or electric) should have a sun key with a "8" below since its notes match the piano tesitura an octave below. I mean, the do written in the first additional line under a pentagram played on a guitar corresponds to the do3 while, in a piano score, this same note corresponds to do4However, this is in many cases given by understanding and is often omitted. There are other options to represent the same concept:
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| La key fa can also be scored with an octave transposition sign.
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In most cases sheet music editors don't bother to add the "8" to the clefs of these transposing instruments, as they consider the difference in octaves to be understood. In other cases, it is added in some fragment of the work in octave notation using 8th or 8th high if it is more acute and 8vb or 8th bassa if it is more serious. In this way, a key change or an excessive number of additional lines is avoided.
Neutral key
 |  Rock rhythm pattern for battery. Play (?·i)The neutral or percussion key, unlike the rest of the keys, does not assign musical notes to the various lines and spaces but rather assigns undetermined height percussion instruments. It is a convention that indicates that the following is written in the pentagram for this type of instrument, and therefore has no specific height or refinement. With the exception of some common percussion distributions such as battery, the encoding of lines and spaces to instruments is not standardized, so it is necessary a legend or indication about the staff that signals what to touch. On the other hand, the staves with a neutral key do not always have five lines; sometimes, the musical guidelines for percussion only have one line, although other configurations may be used. Determined high-rise percussion instruments do not use the neutral key, but are usually noted in pentagrams other than undefined height percussion. Music for shaves is scored in key faand music for instruments of percussion of foils (xylophones, metallophones, marimbas, etc.) are written in key Sun Or in a two-bit system. In addition, the neutral key is sometimes used to indicate the use of high-rise techniques defined in non-percussion instruments, such as hitting the body of a violin, a cello or an acoustic guitar, or when a choir is given instructions to trample, applaud or snap your fingers. However, the most common thing is that rhythms are represented by signs of "X" in the conventional staff with a comment placed above on the appropriate rhythmic action. |
Tab Clef
 |  Diagnostic Scale do in height. Play (?·i)The music for guitar, bass and other instruments with frets on many occasions does not appear written in traditional staffs but in tablatures. Unlike the staves, the note is not represented but the position of the fingers on the frets. To point out that it is a tablature is indicated at the beginning of the work with the TAB letters in vertical sense instead of a key. The TAB sign would have the same meaning as the percussion key, since it is not a key in the strict sense but rather a symbol that is used instead of a key. The number of lines of the tablature is not necessarily five, since each line represents one of the strings of the instrument. For example, six lines are used for six string guitars, seven for a seven string guitar or four lines for the traditional bass. The numbers that appear on the lines describe what transt must be pressed on the rope. |
Graphic representation
The clefs must be represented at the beginning of the work, placed before the key signature and the compass. Likewise, they must appear in the first bar of each stave throughout the entire work, always before the key signature; although some publishers do not. If it is necessary to change the clef in the middle of a score, because the pitch changes and a higher or lower passage would require too many additional lines, the change can be made at any point in the piece, even if it is not the first bar of the staff.
- Pyanistic music
Music for the piano, an instrument with a large register, is generally written on a system of two staves: the upper one —played with the right hand— in the clef of sol and the lower one —played with the left hand— in the clef of f. >; other times this rule is changed by requiring hand crossings or by writing both hands on a single staff. For example, György Cziffra's transcription of Johann Strauss Jr.'s Tritsch-Tratsch Polka, whose beginning is written on just one stave. In stave systems, the clefs work exactly the same as if there were only one staff, complying with the general clef rules already described.
- Music for more than one instrument
When writing music for duets, trios, quartets, quintets, chamber orchestras, symphony orchestras, etc., all the instruments are usually represented in a single score, arranged vertically from the highest to the lowest ranges. In orchestral scores, which are used as a guide by the conductor, the general rules for clef placement are maintained. Thus, the staff of each instrument is independent and is represented in the corresponding key. On the other hand, there are the particelle or specific scores for each instrument, which are used by each performer.
- Music for more than one voice
In vocal and choral music, all the voices are usually represented in a single score, each one in its corresponding stave, as in the particelle. In vocal polyphony the most common voices are four: soprano, alto, tenor and bass. Until a century ago, the keys used for each voice were different from those usually used today.
- The voice of soprano was represented in key do in the first or “soprano area”.
- The voice of contralto was represented in key do in third or “contact zone”.
- The tenor voice was represented in the key do in fourth or "tight zone".
- The low voice was represented in key fa in fourth or “low zone”.
Currently the correspondence between keys and voices has varied, except for some fragments.
- The voice of soprano is represented in key Sun second.
- The voice of contralto is represented in key Sun second.
- The tenor voice is represented in key Sun in second, although as its tessitura is a more severe octave, a small 8 is usually added at the bottom of the key.
- The low voice is represented in key fa in fourth.
Occasionally, vocal scores may appear written on two staves instead of four. In this way, in the upper staff, in the key of sol, the soprano and contralto voices are represented; while in the lower one, in the key of fa in fourth, the tenor and bass voices are represented.