Clefs show what the exact pitches of the notes are on the stave:
- When bass clef is used, the pitches are low, so
- When treble clef is used, the pitches are high.
The picture below shows which notes the bass clef and the treble clefs relate to on a piano:
As the notes go higher up the stave, they get higher in pitch. So, as they go down the stave, they get lower in pitch. The middle C ledger line links the bass and treble clefs together.
The above video shows what the notes sound like on the piano what they look like on the stave. You can see as the notes get higher in pitch, they go further up the stave. The notes played into the bass clef sound lower than those inputted into the treble clef too.
Treble clef
The treble clef is also known as the G clef, as its symbol revolves around the second stave line: G.
Several order mnemonics can be used to remember the exact order of the notes on the stave. For example, “Every Good Boy Deserves Fun” for the lines on the treble clef stave.
The video below shows what a C major scale sounds like played at the pitch of the treble clef. You will hear and see that as the notes go higher up the stave they get higher in pitch. The notes notated in the video are the precise notes associated with the sounds you hear in the C major scale.
Bass clef
The pitches of the bass clef stave are lower than those of the treble stave. It’s sometimes referred to as the F clef as its bass symbol revolves around the F line.
An order mnemonic that is used for the bass clef spaces is: All Cows Eat Grass.
Here’s an aeolian scale played in the Bass clef, it shows what the lines and spaces sound like as notes:
This post has explained the treble and bass clefs. In doing so we covered which lines and spaces represent which pitches, and how the treble clef represents higher pitches than the bass clef.
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References:
https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-36fee18101e748409fd20c9e5bdc2383
https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-mnemonics.html
ABRSM Grade 1 Theory Practise Workbook
https://www.instructables.com/Learn-How-to-Read-Music-Using-Mnemonics!-Bass-Cle/
Why are the notes on the bass clef staff different spacing and notes to treble clef? – Quora
Helpful links:
Flat Io, a music notation website allows you to select an instrument and create a score and see how the higher pitched notes on the piano are notated higher up on the stave.
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