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Lesson 5: C Major scale in bass clef and reading in bass clef

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  • piceratops seedling style avatar for user johnhan131
    wait, so a g flat is the same thing as a f sharp!
    (6 votes)
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  • duskpin ultimate style avatar for user Abby Williams
    Do other instruments play both treble and bass clef at the same time like in piano? Or do they mostly just play one or the other? Also, I know that the treble clef has "F.A.C.E" and "E.G.B.D.F." to help with memorizing where the notes are at on the ledger. Does the bass have anything like that to help you remember where it's notes go?
    (6 votes)
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    • orange juice squid orange style avatar for user Oliver
      Some instruments play in more than one clef. The ones that I know of are the baritone/euphonium (treble or bass clef), trombone (bass clef or tenor clef, which is for really high notes, and cello (bass clef or tenor clef, which is for really high notes). If you count voice as an instrument, the tenor voice is written for both treble and bass clef. As for a mnemonic device for bass clef, the spaces are ACEG (All Cows Eat Grass) and the lines are GBDFA (Good Boys Do Fine Always).
      (7 votes)
  • blobby green style avatar for user torrejanogretchenm060491
    Can you explain the Time Signature, Bar Lines, Double Bar Lines and Measure pls thank you
    (6 votes)
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    • duskpin seedling style avatar for user Jason Conyers
      Time signature is the 2 numbers at the beginning of a piece of music. Although it looks like a fraction, and it very tempting to, DO NOT SIMPLIFY IT. This is my 4th year of playing the double bass, and I still look at music and go, "Oh, 4/4, that's the same as 1." That's WRONG. The "numerator" (top number" says how many beats there are in a measure. It's essentially telling you how much you can fit in one measure. And that brings me to measures. Measures are "containers" that hold a certain number of beats. When we count music, we go "1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4" for example. The barlines, tell us where one measure ends and the next begins so that we don't go: "1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12" and so on. Double bar lines tell the end of a piece in general. Double bar lines say "NO!! I END THE MUSIC HERE!" I think that's it . If you have any more questions, feel free to reply here. I don't know if someone can directly message me in Khan Academy, but I will be checking in on the discussion now that I know it exists lol
      Bye, and have a great day (or night. Depends.) : D
      (5 votes)
  • stelly yellow style avatar for user Sarah
    Why are there treble and bass clefs? Can't they just use one?
    (4 votes)
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  • blobby green style avatar for user 😊
    how would im know it was a f sharp and not just an f
    (4 votes)
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    • aqualine sapling style avatar for user Lizzy
      In this case, the author wanted that f to be sharp, so by that f, look closely... there is a sharp drawn! (But sometimes it is in the key.)
      I hope this helps you out! I am always glad to help learners!
      Take care! :)
      (5 votes)
  • scuttlebug blue style avatar for user Raymond Wang
    What is the difference between G major and G minor ?
    (4 votes)
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  • starky ultimate style avatar for user JJ
    Why are some pieces called {....} in C major, but it could also be called {....} in A minor?? What are the differences in those 2 when they have the same sharps or flats? (or lack of...)
    (4 votes)
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    • primosaur seed style avatar for user Ian Pulizzotto
      Many popular songs use the "1", "4", and "5" chords frequently. So if the chords C major, F major, and G major occur frequently in the song, it is more appropriate to call the key C major. If the chords A minor, D minor, and E minor occur frequently in the song, it is more appropriate to call the key A minor.

      Have a blessed, wonderful day!
      (4 votes)
  • duskpin ultimate style avatar for user jadacalysta
    What are Sharps and Flats
    (4 votes)
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  • blobby green style avatar for user 😊
    at what's G doing on
    4th space according to bass clef rule GBDFA shouldn't g be on a line rather than space ?
    (4 votes)
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    • leaf grey style avatar for user dancedancebuddy
      There's always four spaces and five lines. So GBDFA would be on the lines but the first G would be on the bottom line. Because F and A are on lines and G is in between those two notes, the only place it would be able to go is in a space. This placement also allows for the notes to align with the treble clef to make the grand clef.
      (4 votes)
  • piceratops sapling style avatar for user Semberdawn 1/28/14
    What's the fingering for the highest C?
    (4 votes)
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Video transcript

- [Man] Let's look at a C major scale in the bass clef. Again, C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. Or an octave lower, C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. (piano music playing) Here is a cello and bassoon part at the beginning of the second movement of Robert Schumann's Symphony No. 3. The passage begins on the lowest line at G, and then the passage continues, C, E, G, A, G, C, G, E, C, E, D, G. C, E, G, A, G, E, C, A, E, F sharp, G. Now let's listen to this and follow it in the score with the letters above the actual music. (classical music) In another moment, in the same movement for the cellos and the bassoons. Again, the passage begins on the first line, G, and then goes up to the second space, C, and subsequently, B, D, C, E, D, F, E, G, G, octave, and C. Let's once again listen to this and follow it in the score. (classical music) The more one reads and practices reading, the more proficient we become.