What's the meaning of the Bass clef »

Bass clef

This page is about the meaning, origin and characteristic of the symbol, emblem, seal, sign, logo or flag: Bass clef.

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When the F-clef is placed on the fourth line, it is called the bass clef. This is the only F-clef used today, so that the terms "F-clef" and "bass clef" are often regarded as synonymous.

This clef is used for the cello, euphonium, double bass, bass guitar, bassoon, contrabassoon, trombone, baritone horn, tuba, and timpani. It is also used for the lowest notes of the horn, and for the baritone and bass voices. Tenor voice is notated in bass clef when the tenor and bass are written on the same stave. Bass clef is the bottom clef in the grand stave for harp and keyboard instruments. The contra-bassoon, double bass, and electric bass sound an octave lower than the written pitch; no notation is usually made of this fact, but some composers/publishers will place an "8" beneath the clef for these instruments on the conductor's full score to differentiate from instruments that naturally sound within the clef.

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Graphical characteristics:
Asymmetric, Open shape, Monochrome, Contains both straight and curved lines, Has crossing lines.

Category: Musical Symbols.

Bass clef is part of the Clefs group.

More symbols in Clefs:

A clef (French: clef; “key”) is a musical symbol used to indicate the pitch of written notes. Placed on one of the lines at the beginning of the stave, it indicates the name and pitch of the notes o… read more »

More symbols in Musical Symbols:

Modern musical symbols are the marks and symbols that are widely used in western musical scores, styles, and instruments today. This is intended to be a comprehensive guide to the various symbols enc… read more »

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    "Bass clef." Symbols.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 14 Dec. 2024. <https://www.symbols.com/symbol/bass-clef>.

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