Fiolnøkkel

Fiolnøkkel, or violinnøkkel, is the treble clef used in Western musical notation. It places the note G above middle C on the second line of the staff, making that line the reference point for reading pitches in the higher range. The symbol is one of the most common clefs in modern score notation.

The fiolnøkkel is widely used for instruments and voices with high tessituras. It is standard for violin and for parts played in the higher register on instruments such as the flute, oboe, and trumpet. It is also commonly employed for soprano and mezzo-soprano vocal parts and for the right-hand part of many keyboard scores. While highly prevalent, it sits alongside other clefs, such as the bass clef (F-nøkkel) and movably designed clefs like the alto and tenor clefs, which transpose or shift the reference pitch for different voices and instruments.

In notation, the second line from the bottom represents G4, with pitches read accordingly across the five-line staff. Ledger lines extend the range above and below as needed. The fiolnøkkel has a long historical development, evolving from a stylized letter G in medieval manuscripts into the modern G-clef used today. Its enduring use reflects its effectiveness for notating higher-pitched music in various genres.