The bass clef explained: Unlock the power of the deep notes!

The bass clef (F clef) - Facts

The bass clef (F clef) is one of the two most frequently used clefs in sheet music notation, with the other being the more popular treble clef.

• The bass clef is also named F clef - after the note it marks on the second line from above: F
• The bass clef is primarily used to write down music for low-pitched notes. It enables players of low-pitched instruments to read sheet music without too many confusing ledger lines.
• A combination of the bass clef and the treble clef for a wide-range notation is called the "grand staff" or "great staff". It is used to notate piano music.

How to Read Notes in the Bass Clef

The F clef is also called the bass clef. It marks the second line from above as the place where the F sits by definition. Originally, the actual letter "F" was used to mark the line. Over time, it developed into today's loopy turned-around-C-shaped thing. It is usually accompanied by two dots above and below the line for further accentuation.

The notes leading up to the F-line are G-A-B-C-D-E. Since you know the order of notes is always A-B-C-D-E-F-G you can name all notes if you know where the F is!

6 Hacks: How to Memorize the Notes in the Bass Clef:

The bass clef has a bad rep. People say it is difficult to learn - but the truth is it is not harder to learn than any other clef. You just have to really own it - here's how:

1. Practice reading bass clef notes daily. Take any piece of music that uses the bass clef, and read the notes out loud - never mind the rhythm, just read the note names. Doing that for at least 10 minutes every day will work wonders on your bass clef sight-reading ability.
2. Combine sight-reading with practicing the corresponding notes on your instrument for another 10 minutes per day. Once your muscle memory kicks in, you will automatically know which note to play whenever you see it coming up in your sheet music.
3. Play games with bass clef notes. Think up a sentence that combines all the notes that rest on the staff lines, or memorize "Good Boys Do Fine Always" - a sentence that is awkward enough to haunt you forever. Slightly less awkward is "All Cows Eat Grass" for all the notes that rest between the staff lines. Try to create words with notes, like "C-A-G-E". How many words can you come up with?
4. Get writing! Grab some 5-lined paper, write down the bass clef symbol, randomly "compose" notes, and then name and play them. The more random they are the better! Of course, you can also write down the "note words" you have created in 3.
5. Listen and read. If you have the sheet music to a piece, listening and reading simultaneously trains your musical ear. The next step is, of course, to play along as well.
6. Keep at it. Repetition is the key to familiarizing yourself with the bass clef notes. A little repetition each day helps more than sitting down for hours, and never returning to it. With some practice, you can soon read sheet music as fluently as a short story.

Instruments that use the bass clef

Sheet music for many lower-pitched instruments is notated in the bass clef:

• the double bass
• the electric bass (guitar)
• the cello
• the harp (the left hand, from the middle C down)
• the piano (the left hand, from the middle C down)
• bassoon and contra-bassoon
• the tuba
• the trombone
• the organ (left hand, foot pedals)
• bass and baritone voices
• and many more

A Short History of the Bass Clef

The origins of the bass clef can be traced back to the 11th century when it was first used in Gregorian chant notation. Until the 16th century, it became a standard part of music notation, thanks to the rise of polyphonic and instrumental music. The bass clef was created as a way to notate lower-pitched instruments without having to use many, many ledger lines.

In former times, two similar clefs were in use. One marked the middle staff line. It was called the "baritone" clef. There was also a "sub-bass" clef which marked the topmost line in the staff system. Both baritone and sub-bass clef are hardly ever seen nowadays.

The groundbreaking invention: music clefs

The secret to unlocking written music was literally inventing a key (= French: "clef") for it. This clef defined an exact point in pitch/tone - in the case of the treble clef, it was the G. This is why the treble clef is also called "G-clef". The invention made it possible for musicians to deduce all other notes as soon as they knew the clef - music notation was invented and led to polyphony (many-voiced music) and the development of writing sheet music as we know it.

A plethora of music keys used to be in use throughout the ages, each serving a specific instrumental or vocal range. Nowadays, very few music clefs are still in use. Of these, the bass clef is the second most important clef after the treble clef.