Bass clef
The F clef on the fourth staff line.
What it means
The bass clef is today’s usual form of the F clef. It fixes that the fourth line of the staff — the second from the top — denotes the F below middle C, that is, the note a fifth below middle C. From there the whole low range follows. Together with the treble clef it covers the range in which the greater part of Western music is notated.
In the notation
The sign arose from the letter F and has the form of an arc opening to the left with two dots. The starting point of the arc and the two dots enclose the fourth line; it is the fixed note. Middle C, the seam with the treble clef, lies one ledger line above the staff. If the sign is set on the third line, the older baritone clef arises. A small lowered figure eight below the clef indicates that one is to read an octave lower — thus the double bass notates, sounding, an octave below what is written.
Musical use
In the bass clef the cello, double bass, bassoon, trombone and tuba notate, as do the bass voice in the choir and the left hand at the piano. In a sustained high position the cello and bassoon change into the tenor or treble clef, to avoid ledger lines. In the score the low instruments accordingly stand in the lower area; the thoroughbass of the Baroque is written throughout in the bass clef, with the figuring beneath it.
Other names
F clef is the umbrella term: the sign fixes the position of the F below middle C. On the fourth line it yields the bass clef, on the third the now-rare baritone clef, on the fifth the sub-bass clef. In today’s usage F clef almost always means the bass clef.
Performance practice
If you come from the treble clef, resist the temptation to convert the notes — the shift by a third seems comfortable at first but becomes a permanent brake. Anchor instead fixed reference notes: the F on the fourth line, the C in the second space from below, the G on the bottom line. Practise both clefs alternately and in short units, so that the reading does not overlap itself. In piano playing it helps to play the left hand alone from the page for a while; as soon as both hands are running, the right otherwise takes over the leading of the eye.