Talk:Ledger line

15ma
How is the highest note on the keyboard commonly written for clarity?? It needs 5 leger lines even if the 8va symbol is used. Georgia guy 22:53, 14 October 2005 (UTC)


 * I assume you're referring to the piano. 15ma can be used instead of 8va in some cases. Thus, the highest note of the piano is just two leger lines above the treble clef with 15ma. If you're writing a couple of isolated notes up there, it makes sense to use 15ma. But if you're writing a scale run of two or more octaves, a pianist would probably prefer to see leger lines, even if ten of them. Volunteer Sibelius Salesman 19:47, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

Leger, ledger
Is the correct spelling ledger or leger? --Missmarple 08:42, 13 November 2005 (UTC)
 * Ledger. I'll fix it. -Branddobbe 06:45, 27 November 2005 (UTC)
 * This is one of those things that depend on what side of the pond you are. "Ledger" is American, "leger" is British. Most of the standard books on music notation (Read, Stone) say "leger." Volunteer Sibelius Salesman 21:09, 30 November 2005 (UTC)


 * No, "ledger" is a common misspelling, not an American variant. Did anyone bother to look at "What links here"? Anton Mravcek 22:33, 30 November 2005 (UTC)
 * If it is a common misspelling please add this valuable information to the article - and move this page to Leger line with a redirection from Ledger line 89.1.182.176 09:36, 21 December 2006 (UTC)

I have checked four dictionaries, two British (Collins and Compact Oxford English Dictionary) and two American (Merriam-Webster and American Heritage). Three of them (Collins, M-W, AHD) prefer "ledger line" (AHD doesn't even mention the spelling "leger line"), while COED prefers "leger line". COED's etymology, however, admits that it is from the word "ledger" (as opposed to the French word for "light"), so "ledger line" is also the etymological spelling. —Angr 18:00, 23 August 2007 (UTC)

Additional citations
Why and where does this article need additional citations for verification? What references does it need and how should they be added? Hyacinth (talk) 22:57, 3 November 2011 (UTC)
 * The article currently has no references or sources listed. You can use this as a guide: Citing sources. DaffyBridge (talk) 23:04, 3 November 2011 (UTC)


 * What specifically needs citing? Hyacinth (talk) 00:24, 21 March 2012 (UTC)

Other uses
A ledger line also refers to the parallel lines incised or sculpted around the edge of the top surface of a mediaeval tombstone, laid on the floor of a church or on a chest tomb, within which lines is inscribed memorial text, generally in gothic script. Thus the phrase "Inscribed on a ledger line", commonly found in the writings of English antiquarians.

Lobsterthermidor added the above section. It should be in its own article (Ledger line (tombstone)) and yet it can't because it is unreferenced. I have put the material here so that it can be re-instated if and when a reference is found. Op47 (talk) 18:47, 20 July 2012 (UTC)
 * New article now created as suggested, thanks.(Lobsterthermidor (talk) 17:54, 17 February 2017 (UTC))

Origin of the term "ledger"?
I'm curious to know how this term came into use in music.