<P> In Western musical notation, the staff (US) or stave (UK) (plural for either: staves) is a set of five horizontal lines and four spaces that each represent a different musical pitch--or, in the case of a percussion staff, different percussion instruments . Appropriate music symbols, depending on the intended effect, are placed on the staff according to their corresponding pitch or function . Musical notes are placed by pitch, percussion notes are placed by instrument, and rests and other symbols are placed by convention . </P> <P> The absolute pitch of each line of a non-percussive staff is indicated by the placement of a clef symbol at the appropriate vertical position on the left - hand side of the staff (possibly modified by conventions for specific instruments). For example, the treble clef, also known as the G clef, is placed on the second line (counting upwards), fixing that line as the pitch first G above' middle C' . </P> <P> The lines and spaces are numbered from bottom to top; the bottom line is the first line and the top line is the fifth line . </P>

The name of the staff used for higher pitches