Myths about teaching can hold you back
- Year 9
Understanding bass clef
I can identify pitches in the bass clef and perform and find the notes C - C on the keyboard.
- Year 9
Understanding bass clef
I can identify pitches in the bass clef and perform and find the notes C - C on the keyboard.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.
These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- The bass clef shows lower pitched notes on the stave that are usually played by the left hand.
- Each of the bass clef notes have their own symbol on the stave.
- Playing pieces using the notes F - C, with the left hand.
- The left hand is in the F position when the little finger (5) is on F.
Keywords
Bass clef - a symbol used to notate pitches below ‘middle C’; the partner of the treble clef
Stave - five horizontal lines and four spaces that represent different musical pitches
F position - a hand position when playing the keyboard; the most important feature is having your little finger on F if playing with the left hand
Common misconception
C position is thumb on C in the left hand.
The C position is when the hand is placed in a position to play C up to G. With the right hand, this would be the thumb on C, finger 2 on D etc. With the left hand, the C position is when the little finger is on C, finger 4 is on D etc.
To help you plan your year 9 music lesson on: Understanding bass clef, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 9 music lesson on: Understanding bass clef, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 music lessons from the Harmonic progressions and bass lines unit, dive into the full secondary music curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
Keyboard instrument.
Licence
Lesson video
Loading...
Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is the C position on the keyboard?
Q2.What is a stave?
Q3.Where is middle C written in treble clef notation?
Q4.Which note value lasts for one beat in 4/4 time?
Q5.Match each clef to its usual role on the keyboard:
right hand, higher-pitched notes
left hand, lower-pitched notes
used for piano music, showing both hands together