What you see above is the total number of notes possible using a five-line staff. In this case, we see an example that uses treble clef, making the lowest note D, just below the staff, and the highest note G, just above the staff. There are a total of eleven notes possible. The problem is that virtually every musician is capable of producing (with an instrument or her voice) far more than eleven notes. So what do we do if we need to notate a pitch that exists outside the range of the clef/staff? For example, could we write an A above the G at the top of the staff? We can. We use temporary lines called ledger lines (or "leger" lines, depending on who you are talking to).
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