Types of 'C' Clefs

Hey, hi! Here the subject is about C clef. What do you mean by clef in music? A clef is a musical symbol showing the name and pitch of the notes on one line. This line serves as a reference point by which the names of the notes on any other line or space.

Then what does C clef mean? The C clef is a movable clef. The simplest reason to use it is to avoid needing to use ledger lines. Ledger lines are the extra lines used after the basic lines. Nowadays C clefs become more important in orchestral music. It’s used for certain instruments including the viola, cello, bassoon, and more. The major purpose of C clefs is for vocal music.

C Clef

The symbol of a C clef is a thick vertical bar, followed by a thin bar and finally, curly design added to the right.

The focus of the design in the centre of the clef symbol. Any line cut through the centre of the clef symbol is the note middle C (C4). So it’s called the C clef.

Different Positions

In the early period, they used 5 unique positions of the C clef. The C clefs purposely used in vocal music. Every new position fits the range of a certain voice and explained by the names of the clefs, corresponding to a specific voice type. 3 out of 5 are nowadays not in common usage. Instead, written on either treble or bass clef.

Types of C Clefs

• • Soprano Clef

(Soprano is the highest voice type) The soprano clef is a specific position of the C clef that features C4 on the lowest line of the staff/lines:

In older music, they used to write vocal parts for soprano, which is a high women’s or child’s voice. The vocal range of a soprano voice is usually from around C4 up to G5 or higher.

The placement of the clef makes the area of the staff coincide almost perfectly with the range of the soprano. Practically every note written for a soprano will stay inside the staff, without having to resort to ledger lines, and this was the advantage.

• • Mezzo-soprano Clef

The mezzo-soprano clef places the centre of the design on the 2nd lowest line of the staff (one line above soprano clef):

Mezzo-soprano is a medium female voice type. The normal range of a mezzo-soprano is from around A3 up to A5. This places A3 on the lowest staff line, which again avoids ledger lines by adjusting the main staff area to the mezzo-soprano range. Just like soprano clef, mezzo-soprano clef is no longer in use, but it still exists in older vocal scores.

• • Alto Clef

The alto clef features middle C on the centerline of the staff:

Alto clef is one of the two C clefs that’s still in use nowadays. Alto clef is sung by the lowest female voice type or else mezzo-sopranos. It’s also well placed for any instruments that have a medium range. Nowadays it’s best known for its use in writing for viola. In fact, some even refer to it as “viola clef”.

• • Tenor Clef

Tenor clef featuring a C clef on the 2nd highest line as:

Tenor clef is the other C clef still in use in contemporary music.

It uses tenor clef in vocal music for a tenor and is a medium-high male voice type. They use tenor clefs for cello, bassoon, and trombone, as it is also normally used to play notes on the higher register.

• • Baritone Clef

The fifth and final position is the baritone clef is on the top line of the staff:

The baritone clef used for a male voice type somewhere between tenor and bass. However, a baritone clef is actually identical to F baritone clef.

Both clefs have C4 on the top line of the staff, and F3 on the middle line; in fact, all the notes are exactly the same:

That’s why it’s not used often since there was already a similar cleft that provided the same function.

Learn Music Online - Stay Home - Stay Safe

If you are a music lover, then learn music from your home. Meet our experts who teach piano, electronic keyboard, guitar online with our creative step-by-step structured curriculum. Get our additional course “Voice Culture” for free when you sign up for an Online Music Classroom membership! 

Check out the video tutorial, sheet music, midi, karaoke and bundle to buy from Music Library!

We provide you with an opportunity to buy musical instruments from Musician Product on Amazon. 

Join now at classroom.goldsmth.com

To Learn Music – Anytime – Anywhere

What is your opinion about this blog? Tell us in the comments below