What does Bass clef mean in music?

Bass clef means "F clef — two dots flank the line for F3".

What type of musical term is Bass clef?

Bass clef is a theory concepts term — see the Theory Practice glossary for the rest of the theory concepts word list.

What grade is Bass clef tested in?

Bass clef first appears at Grade 1 in ABRSM, AMEB and Trinity music theory exams, and stays in the syllabus for every grade above that.

Music theory · Musical terms · Theory concepts

Bass clef — meaning in music

Bass clef is a musical term meaning F clef — two dots flank the line for F3. It is a theory concepts marking, first tested at Grade 1 in ABRSM, AMEB and Trinity music theory exams. From that grade on, every written paper expects you to know it on sight.

Definition

F clef — two dots flank the line for F3

Theory conceptsFirst tested: Grade 1

Translations

French	Clé de fa – deux points flanquent la ligne pour F3
German	F-Schlüssel – zwei Punkte flankieren die Linie für F3
Italian	Chiave di Fa: due punti fiancheggiano la linea di Fa3
Spanish	Clave de fa: dos puntos flanquean la línea de F3
Chinese	F 谱号 — F3 线两侧有两个点

Drill the whole word list with flashcards

Adaptive flashcard practice — misses go to your mistake book, with Cleffy AI walkthroughs.

▶ Practice flashcards Upgrade to Plus

All theory concepts terms

Allemande Alto range Anacrusis Answer phrase Arco Bar line Bass clef Bass range Binary form Bourrée Cello clef Cello range Chromatic semitone Compound interval Courante Crotchet (US name)Demisemiquaver Diatonic semitone Dominant Dominant (degree)Double bar line Double bass clef Double flat (𝄫)Double sharp (𝄪)Doubling rule Duplet Final bar line Flat Gavotte Gigue Harmonic minor scale Imperfect cadence Interrupted cadence Inversion of a 3rd Inversion of a 4th Inversion of a 5th Leading note Leger line Mediant Melodic minor scale (ascending)Melodic minor scale (descending)Minim (US name)Minuet Modulate to the dominant Modulate to the relative minor Modulation Natural Natural minor scale Parallel 5ths Parallel 8ves Perfect cadence Pivot chord Pizzicato Plagal cadence Quaver (US name)Question phrase Real sequence Relative minor of C major Relative minor of F major Relative minor of G major Repeat sign Sarabande Semibreve (US name)Semiquaver (US name)Semitone Sequence Sharp Slur Soprano range Stave (staff)Subdominant Subdominant (degree)Submediant Supertonic Tenor range Ternary form Tie Tonal sequence Tone Tonic Tonic (degree)Treble clef Triplet Viola clef Viola range Violin clef Violin range Voice crossing Voice overlap