The Bass Clef
The bass clef is a stylized ‘F’ which sits on the second line from the top of the staff. It is also called the F-clef. The note it surrounds is an F. The notes written in the bass clef are usually played with the left hand.
On the piano, the bass clef usually depicts the notes played by the left hand. The octave below middle C looks like this if written in the bass clef.
You can see that the notes have changed their position within the staff. What looks like an A in the treble clef, is now a C. Middle C now sits on the first ledger line above the staff.
All note names move down one line or space in the bass clef!
In the bass clef the notes on the lines are different from those in the treble clef. Starting on the bottom you have G – B – D – F and A. You can remember them with the mnemonic Great Big Dogs Fight Animals or simply count up two steps from the same note in the treble clef (the octave is different, but the note name stays the same).
The notes in the spaces are also different, this time you have A – C – E and G starting from the bottom. Remember them with the sentence All Cows Eat Grass or count up two steps from the same note in the treble clef.
The five black keys on the piano C♯, D♯, F♯, G♯ and A♯ or D♭, E♭, G♭, A♭ and B♭ (remember they are the same notes, just written differently) are notated in the same manner.
