Q 01/05

How many lines does a standard musical staff have?

A) Five

B) Seven

C) Four

D) Six

Answer · why

A) Five

Plainchant staves had four lines, and guitar tablature uses six, one per string.

Q 02/05

The mnemonic 'Every Good Boy Does Fine' names the lines of which clef?

A) Tenor

B) Treble

C) Bass

D) Alto

Answer · why

B) Treble

Treble: the symbol is a stylised letter G that curls around the G line, which is why it is also called the G clef.

Q 03/05

The bass clef fixes which note on the fourth line of the staff?

A) G above middle C

B) D below middle C

C) Middle C itself

D) F below middle C

Answer · why

C) Middle C itself

That makes it an F-clef, one of only three clef symbols in modern notation alongside the G and C clefs.

Q 04/05

Which orchestral instrument is the main user of the alto clef?

A) Trombone

B) Cello

C) Bassoon

D) Viola

Answer · why

D) Viola

Viola: the alto clef puts middle C on the centre line, which suits the instrument's middle range, while cellos, bassoons and trombones borrow the teno...

Q 05/05

What are the short extra lines that carry notes too high or low for the staff called?

A) Bar lines

B) Ledger lines

C) Phrase marks

D) Double bars

Answer · why

B) Ledger lines

Ledger lines: instruments use different clefs partly to avoid them, because each clef keeps a part's usual range on the staff.