The Spaces of the Bass Clef

All Cows Eat Grass

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

How to read a note in a space

1. Check the clef. The bass clef curls around the fourth line and its two dots sit on either side of that line. That line is F, which is why it is also called the F clef.
2. Look at the note. If lines run above and below it but not through it, the note is in a space.
3. Count the spaces from the bottom up: first, second, third or fourth.
4. Match the count to the saying. 1st is All, 2nd is Cows, 3rd is Eat, 4th is Grass.

The four spaces at a glance

• The spaces skip every other letter: A (b) C (d) E (f) G. The skipped letters live on the lines.
• Do not mix it up with the treble clef, where the spaces spell F A C E.
• Once these feel easy, move on to Lesson 2: the lines, G B D F A, "Great Big Dogs Fight Animals".

Practice