chord identification understanding voice-leading style awareness The ToolKIT, which is accessible from all pages of the site, outlines the three main analytical skills that TonalityGUIDE.com aims to develop. It also links to a short introduction to the study of tonality as well as a reminder of some basics (note and interval labels, clefs and transpositions).

Clefs tell you what notes the lines and spaces on the stave refer to and instruments are written in different clefs to avoid ledger lines. The four most common are treble (which curls around g1), alto and tenor (which centre on c1) and bass (in which the two dots centre on f1).

The example shows middle C (c1) in the four most common clefs (treble, bass, alto, tenor):

The table below shows which clefs are used in writing for some common orchestral instruments:

Instrument	Clef
Flute	Treble
Oboe	Treble
Clarinet	Treble
Bassoon	Tenor, Bass
Horn	Treble, Bass
Trombone	Tenor, Bass
Violin	Treble
Viola	Alto
Cello	Bass
Bass	Bass (although the parts are written an octave higher than it sounds)

information and orientation as you browse around TonalityGUIDE.com chord identification understanding voice-leading style awareness