Clef - GNU LilyPond
Description: GNU LilyPond

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#### 6.3.1 Clef

The clef indicates which lines of the staff correspond to which pitches. The clef is set with the `\clef` command

>          { c''2 \clef alto g'2 }

Supported clefs include

`treble, violin, G, G2`
  G clef on 2nd line
`alto, C`
  C clef on 3rd line
`tenor`
  C clef on 4th line.
`bass, F`
  F clef on 4th line
`french`
  G clef on 1st line, so-called French violin clef
`soprano`
  C clef on 1st line
`mezzosoprano`
  C clef on 2nd line
`baritone`
  C clef on 5th line
`varbaritone`
  F clef on 3rd line
`subbass`
  F clef on 5th line
`percussion`
  percussion clef
`tab`
  tablature clef

By adding `_8` or `^8` to the clef name, the clef is transposed one octave down or up, respectively, and `_15` and `^15` transposes by two octaves. The argument clefname must be enclosed in quotes when it contains underscores or digits. For example,

>          \clef "G_8" c4

##### Commonly tweaked properties

The command `\clef "treble_8"` is equivalent to setting `clefGlyph`, `clefPosition` (which controls the Y position of the clef), `middleCPosition` and `clefOctavation`. A clef is printed when any of these properties are changed. The following example shows possibilities when setting properties manually.

>          {
>            \set Staff.clefGlyph = #"clefs.F"
>            \set Staff.clefPosition = #2
>            c'4
>            \set Staff.clefGlyph = #"clefs.G"
>            c'4
>            \set Staff.clefGlyph = #"clefs.C"
>            c'4
>            \set Staff.clefOctavation = #7
>            c'4
>            \set Staff.clefOctavation = #0
>            \set Staff.clefPosition = #0
>            c'4
>            \clef "bass"
>            c'4
>            \set Staff.middleCPosition = #4
>            c'4
>          }

##### See also

Program reference: Clef.

This page is for LilyPond-2.8.8 (stable-branch).

Other languages: English.
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