Bass clef notes: read the low notes without counting
The bass clef sits on the fourth line of the staff: its two dots surround that line and name it F. It's the clef of the piano left hand, the bass guitar, the cello, the double bass, the trombone and low male voices. In this guide, you'll learn its lines and spaces, see how it connects to the treble clef, and then read the low notes yourself, with sound.
Where the F is
Let's find that F. The symbol starts on the fourth line, and its two dots sit on either side of it. The note on line 4 is F3, the F just below middle C, which is why the bass clef is also called the F clef. Every other note is read from there.
Bass clef lines: G, B, D, F, A
Bass clef spaces: A, C, E, G
The link with treble clef
Here's the good news: the two clefs fit together. Middle C, written C4, sits on the first ledger line above the bass staff, and also on the first ledger line below the treble staff. It's the same note and the same piano key. So the piano's grand staff, with treble on top and bass below, is really one continuous ladder, split at middle C.
Same sound, same name, different place: the clef decides where the note is written. Clefs run from low (bass) to high (treble).
Which instruments read bass clef
- Piano: the left hand reads bass clef.
- Cello, bassoon, trombone and tuba all read bass clef.
- Bass guitar and double bass are written in bass clef, and they sound an octave lower than written.
- Voices: basses and baritones read bass clef.
If you play bass or cello, choose your instrument at the top of the page. Every example will then play with its sound, and the note quiz will show you where each note sits on your neck.
Each sheet has a number: write it down to get exactly the same sheet again (handy to give a whole class the same homework).