F3 and C3

The bass clef (or F clef) is the second everyday clef: the piano uses it for the left hand, and the cello, double bass, bassoon and trombone read it all the time. Its two dots surround the fourth line, counting from the bottom, and that line is F3: an F lower than the F4 of the treble clef.

The second landmark is C3, in the second space. As in the treble clef, the landmarks are the notes you will learn to see at a glance; everything else is read by counting steps from them.

An important warning: the same position on the staff is a different note in each clef. The fourth line is D5 in the treble clef and F3 in the bass clef. Always look at the clef before you read.