Bass notes on the piano keyboard

Having become somewhat familiar with the notes written in the Treble or G clef, we will now turn our attention to the notes written in the F or Bass clef. It is called F clef because the note which is written on the fourth line, that which lies between the two dots, is called F. The names of the Bass notes upon the five lines are :

The names of the Bass notes on the four spaces are:

The names of the Bass notes on the leger lines are;

The names of the Bass notes upon the spaces between the leger lines are :

Learning the bass notes (Clef)

These notes the pupil must commit to memory, and the teacher should not proceed with the following lessons until the Bass notes are thoroughly learned. The teacher may facilitate the lessons by drawing the pupil’s attention to the fact, that Bass notes are read two tones higher than the Treble notes, but attention should be drawn to the fact, that they are played two octaves lower.
Having employed the Bass clef, we are now able to represent upon the staff all the notes used in music. The following table shows the notes for every key upon the instrument.
The student will observe that the last Bass and the first

Treble notes represent one and the same key upon the piano

This C is called the middle C.

Note to the Teacher: ask questions about concerning the values of the notes in the following exercises. If pupils find it difficult to commit to memory two sets of notes, the teacher may proceed in the following manner: suppose a pupil had to play the following exercise.

Let him ask the pupil what the name of the first note would be if it were in the treble clef. The answer will be A. Then let the pupil transpose the note two tones higher and name it C. The name of the next note, if it were placed in the treble clef, would be C, but as it stands in the Bass clef, it is read two tones higher, namely as E. The process of transposition may be somewhat slow at first, but soon the pupil will have acquired a good degree of facility in reading Bass notes.

Piano exercises to learn bass notes

Whole tone and half notes

Quarter notes and dotted notes

Triple time and eight notes

Hereafter you will always play with the notes for the left hand written in the Bass clef. This may at first sight seem difficult, but soon it will become easy.
Whole notes with both hands

Half notes and whole notes

Slow, quarter notes and rest

Observe the two notes on the Bass in the last measure

Play the melody louder than the Bass

Playing the bass notes on the piano

Observe that the piece is written in 3/8 time which is the same as ¾ time, with this difference, that the pupil now counts by eight notes while before be counted by quarter notes. Sixteenth notes appear for the first time in this amusement, so also the tone A in the left hand, (see the ninth measure). Let the teacher play this little strain so that the pupil may catch the expression with which it ought to be rendered. Try to play this piece with that gentleness which ought to characterize A Slumber Song. Play the melody stronger than the accompaniment, and watch all the expression marks.