Which staff or template should I choose on BlankSheetMusic.net?

Updated

Pick the template that matches the instrument or voice you are writing for, then adjust key signature, time signature, page size, and orientation before printing. BlankSheetMusic.net organizes its templates into five groups: single clef staves, tablature (TAB), combined staff + TAB, keyboard/organ staves, and ensemble or vocal scores. If you only need empty staves for one player, a single clef staff is enough. If you are writing for guitar or bass, choose a TAB template or a combined staff + TAB template. If you are arranging for several players or singers, choose the matching multi-staff template.

Single clef staves

Use these when one performer reads standard notation.

Template Use it for
No clef staff Pitch-neutral exercises, rhythm drills, or handwriting your own clef
No clef staff with lyrics line Rhythm or melody work where you also want a text line under the staff
Treble clef (G) staff Violin, flute, oboe, clarinet, trumpet, right hand of piano, most soprano/alto voices
Treble clef (G) staff with lyrics line Vocal melodies or songs where syllables sit under the notes
Bass clef (F) staff Cello, double bass, trombone, tuba, bassoon, left hand of piano, bass voices
Bass clef (F) staff with lyrics line Low vocal parts or any bass-clef line that needs text
Alto clef (C) staff Viola
Tenor clef (C) staff Cello, trombone, and bassoon in their upper registers

The lyrics-line variants only add a text line beneath the staff; they do not change the clef. Choose them when the performer needs to sing or speak text along with the notes.

Tablature (TAB)

Use TAB when the player reads fret and string numbers instead of pitches.

  • 4 string TAB — standard bass guitar, or tenor/concert ukulele if you treat it as four lines.
  • 5 string TAB — five-string bass or five-string banjo.
  • 6 string TAB — standard guitar.
  • 7 string TAB — seven-string guitar.

TAB shows where to put fingers, not which pitch results, so it is the practical choice for guitarists and bassists who do not read standard notation.

Combined staff + TAB

These pair a standard staff with a TAB staff so a reader can see both pitch and fingering.

  • Treble clef (G) + 4 string TAB — guitar or four-string bass with notation above.
  • Treble clef (G) + 6 string TAB — standard guitar.
  • Treble clef (G) + 7 string TAB — seven-string guitar.
  • Bass clef (F) + 4 string TAB — four-string bass.
  • Bass clef (F) + 5 string TAB — five-string bass.
  • Bass clef (F) + 6 string TAB — six-string bass.

Choose a combined template when you want to write the actual notes and the fretboard positions together, for example in a guitar method sheet or a bass transcription.

Keyboard and organ staves

  • Piano staff — the standard grand staff for piano.
  • Piano + staff — piano plus one extra staff, useful when a second player or a separate line is involved.
  • Piano + treble clef (G) staff — piano with an added treble line, for example a soloist above a piano accompaniment.
  • Organ staff — three staves for organ, where the pedals need their own line.

If you are writing a piano piece with no extra part, the plain piano staff is the simplest choice.

Ensemble and vocal scores

  • SATB (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) — four-part mixed choir.
  • SATB + piano staff — choir with piano accompaniment.
  • SAB (soprano, alto, bass) — three-part mixed choir.
  • SSA (soprano, soprano, alto) — treble or upper-voice choir.
  • SSATB (2 × soprano, alto, tenor, bass) — five-part mixed choir with a divided soprano.
  • Drums and percussions — a percussion staff for drum kit writing.
  • Percussion single line — one-line percussion notation for a single unpitched instrument.
  • Drums and percussions (alt clef) and Percussion single line (alt clef) — the same layouts using an alternative clef.

Match the template to the exact number of parts you are writing. If your choir is SSA, do not start from SATB and delete a line; start from SSA so the staves and spacing are already correct.

Settings to check before printing

After choosing a template, the page also lets you set:

  • Page size — A4, Letter, Legal, or Custom.
  • Margins — Default, Minimum, None, or Custom, with top, left, bottom, and right values in mm, cm, or in.
  • Orientation — Portrait or Landscape.
  • Key signature — from C Maj / A min. through all sharp and flat keys up to 7 ♯ and 7 ♭.
  • Time signature — None, Common, Cut common, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 2/2, 6/8, or 12/8.
  • Signature placing — All staves or First stave only.
  • Color — Dark, Normal, Light, or Faint.
  • Stroke width — Thin, Normal, or Thick.

Two settings are easy to overlook. Signature placing controls whether the key and time signature appear on every staff or only the first, which matters in multi-staff scores. Stroke width and Color affect how heavy the printed staves look, so if you plan to write in pencil, a lighter or fainter setting leaves more contrast between the printed lines and your handwriting.

A quick decision path

  1. One instrument, standard notation → single clef staff (treble, bass, alto, or tenor).
  2. Guitar or bass, fingering only → TAB for the correct string count.
  3. Guitar or bass, notes and fingering → combined staff + TAB.
  4. Piano or organ → piano, piano + staff, or organ staff.
  5. Choir or ensemble → SATB, SAB, SSA, SSATB, or the matching percussion template.
  6. Add a lyrics line only if the performer needs text under the notes.

Once the template and settings are chosen, use the Print button to send the current format to your printer. The site also provides a Share this link that reproduces the exact format you configured, so you can bookmark or send that link instead of rebuilding the settings later.