Figure 2.4

Ledger Lines

The student should exercise particular care when drawing ledger lines. A common
mistake of nascent music students is placing the ledger line on the wrong side of
the notehead. When drawing notes observe several other properties:

1. Stems extend up or down from the notehead to the next pitch-class of

the same name.This practice for notating stem length has its early
origins as a pitch designation, not as a durational value.

2. Stems are drawn down from noteheads on the middle line of the staff

and above. Below the middle line, stems are drawn up.

3. In extended passages across the middle line of the staff, stems may be

the same direction. There is no rule for this: it is a matter of visual
uniformity.

4. For stems up: the stem is always on the right side of the notehead. For

stems down: the stem is always on the left side of the notehead.Stem
placement has not always been uniform. When studying scores of
earlier music, one will readily observe that stem placement in relation
to the notehead seemed to be a matter of choice, style, or convenience

Pitch Placement on the Staff

Using these notational devices and practices, exact pitch placement can be shown.
Note that the pitch that is one ledger line above Bass Clef is identical to the pitch
that is one ledger line below Treble Clef (both are “Middle C”). This shared,
connective pitch is reminiscent of the middle line from the Guidonian staff and
serves to connect the two staves.

Chapter 2 The Elements of Pitch:Sound, Symbol, and Tone

2.1 Pitch and Pitch-Class

58