Tenor clef
The tenor clef is a C clef on the fourth line from the bottom: middle C (C4) lies there. It saves ledger lines for instruments that move between bass and treble clef, such as cello, bassoon and trombone.
- Fixed
- C4 on the fourth line from the bottom
- Today for
- high cello, bassoon, trombone
- Family
- C clef
- Do not confuse
- with the transposing treble clef in choral scores
Middle C on the fourth line
A C clef puts middle C (C4) on the line on which its sign sits. In the tenor clef it is the fourth line from the bottom. As a result the staff reaches upward only to E4 and downward to D3; the C4 sits in the upper part. This suits voices and instruments that lie around C4 and go higher than the bass clef carries but lower than the treble clef conveniently shows.
A melody in the tenor clef
The C4 is on the fourth line. In this clef the melody stays inside the staff, without ledger lines.
The same notes in the bass clef
In the bass clef the high notes rise above the staff. These are exactly the ledger lines the tenor clef avoids.
How to read it
Find the C4 on the fourth line, and count from there. Upward lie D4 in the space and E4 on the top line, downward B3 in the space, A3 on the third line and so on. The table shows all places. If you know the bass clef, you will notice: the tenor clef shifts the staff up by a fifth (lowest line: D3 instead of G2).
| Place in the staff (from the bottom) | Note in the tenor clef |
|---|---|
| first line | D3 |
| first space | E3 |
| second line | F3 |
| second space | G3 |
| third line | A3 |
| third space | B3 |
| fourth line | C4 |
| fourth space | D4 |
| fifth line | E4 |
Where you find it
Today the tenor clef appears mainly in music for cello, bassoon and trombone, when the melody lies high enough that the bass clef would need many ledger lines. In older editions tenor voices were also written with it. Beware: in choral scores the treble clef with a small 8 below is also called “tenor clef”. It sounds an octave lower than written and is something quite different.
Common mistakes
- Reading the tenor clef like the alto clef: The C4 lies one line higher here.
- Confusing it with the choral “tenor clef”: That one has an 8 under the treble clef.
- Shifting the notes by an octave: The tenor clef notates the sounding pitch.
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Related terms
C clefAlto clefSoprano clefBaritone clefBass clefClefOctave clef
Editor: Maik Krohm · reviewed on 3 October 2026
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