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# clef

noun (a clef, clefs)

«clef» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

A sign at the start of a line of written music that shows how high or low the notes are: the treble clef for higher notes and the bass clef for lower ones. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clef/#m1)

### In the lessons

In music lessons the treble clef (curly, like a fancy G) is used for recorder, violin and right hand on the piano; the bass clef for low instruments and the left hand. Phrases: «treble clef», «bass clef», «G clef», «F clef».

### Examples

- Draw a treble clef at the start of the stave. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clef/#x1)
- The bass clef is used for the cello and the tuba. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clef/#x2)
- Piano music has a treble clef on top and a bass clef underneath. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clef/#x3)
- The treble clef curls round the line for G. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clef/#x4)
- In the bass clef, the notes have different names on the same lines. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clef/#x5)

### Note

Countable: clefs. Say «clef» like «cleff». In French «clef» means «key». «Bass» clef sounds like «base», not like the fish «bass».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «clef» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clef/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«clef» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/clef.html) on Mova free.