Music Theory 101

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The Bass Clef

All the same rules apply to the bass clef that apply to the treble clef. The only difference is the notes on the lines/spaces. So there is still a staff that has a bottom, top, 5 lines, and 4 spaces. 

 

The only difference is that it is now the bass clef symbol attached to the staff. The bass clef looks like this:

 

 

Here are all the rules that apply to the bass clef.

 

 

So 1 way to understand/memorize it is this way:

 

  • The bottom of the staff is the note/letter - F
  • The first line of the staff is the note/letter - G
  • The first space of the staff is the note/letter - A
  • The second line of the staff is the note/letter - B
  • The second space of the staff is the note/letter - C
  • The third line of the staff is the note/letter - D
  • The third space of the staff is the note/letter - E
  • The fourth line of the staff is the note/letter - F
  • The fourth space of the staff is the note/letter - G
  • The fifth line of the staff is the note/letter - A
  • The top of the staff is the note/letter - B

 

Now that way is kind of weird. I like separating it into three groups like this:

  • The bottom of the staff is the note/letter - F
  • The top of the staff is the note/letter - B

 

  • The first line of the staff is the note/letter - G
  • The second line of the staff is the note/letter - B
  • The third line of the staff is the note/letter - D
  • The fourth line of the staff is the note/letter - F
  • The fifth line of the staff is the note/letter - A


 

You could make up your own mnemonic for that.

 

Now for the spaces:

  • The first space of the staff is the note/letter - A
  • The second space of the staff is the note/letter - C
  • The third space of the staff is the note/letter - E
  • The fourth space of the staff is the note/letter - G

 

The easy way to remember how to read the bass notes is that I just think of the treble clef fell down an entire rung. Since on treble the 2nd line is G and the 2nd space is A on Bass the 1st line is G and the 1st space is A. It all drops down one space/line.

Here is an infographic to also show this:

 

 

Now for your task!

 

I am going to post a picture of a bass clef with some notes on it (the circles that you see in the first example) and I want you to write in the task discussion part what letters the circles refer/coincide to.

So if there is a circle drawn on the first line you will just write down G. And make sure you put the notes in order. Another example is if I put a circle on the 4th space, 3rd line, 1st space, and bottom you would answer it like this:  G, D, A, F

Here is your problem!

Task Discussion