The Lines of the Bass Clef

Great Big Dogs Fight Animals

Say it from the bottom line to the top line. The first letter of each word is the note name.

How to read a note on a line

1. Look at the note. If a line goes through the middle of it, the note is on a line.
2. Count the lines from the bottom up: first, second, third, fourth or fifth.
3. Match the count to the saying. 1st is Great, 2nd is Big, 3rd is Dogs, 4th is Fight, 5th is Animals.
4. Check yourself with the clef. Its two dots sit either side of the 4th line, and that line is always F.

The five lines at a glance

• The lines skip every other letter too: G (a) B (c) D (e) F (g) A. The skipped letters are the spaces from Lesson 1.
• The middle line is D. It is a handy landmark when you are reading fast.
• Do not mix it up with the treble clef, where the lines spell E G B D F.

Practice