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Bass Clef Spaces

The four spaces of the bass clef, from bottom to top, are A, C, E and G. The classic way to remember them is "All Cows Eat Grass."

The four spaces: A, C, E, G

A note is in a space when it sits in the gap between two lines and touches both of them, with no line running through it. The bass staff has four spaces:

  1. A: between the bottom line and the second line
  2. C: between the second and third lines
  3. E: between the third and fourth lines
  4. G: between the fourth line and the top line
ACEG
The bass clef spaces from bottom to top: A, C, E, G.

Like the lines, the spaces are counted from the bottom up. The letters between the spaces (G, B, D, F and A) belong to the lines.

All Cows Eat Grass

The first letters of “All Cows Eat Grass” give you the four spaces in order, from the bottom space to the top. Some people prefer “All Cars Eat Gas.” Either works, as long as you start at the bottom.

Two things are worth noticing once you know the spaces:

  • The C in the second space is not middle C. It’s an octave lower, often written C3. Middle C, C4, sits on a ledger line above the bass staff.
  • Some letters show up on both a line and a space. A is the bottom space and also the top line. G is the top space and also the bottom line. Check whether the note is on a line or in a space before you name it.
AAGG
A in the bottom space and on the top line. G in the top space and on the bottom line.

If you know the treble clef, here’s a shortcut: each bass space is two letters later than the treble space in the same place. F, A, C, E (FACE) becomes A, C, E, G.

Spaces above and below the staff

There are spaces outside the staff too. A note can sit just below the bottom line or just above the top line without needing a ledger line:

  • F hangs in the space just below the bottom line. It’s the same letter as the F line between the clef’s dots, an octave lower.
  • B sits in the space just above the top line, one step below middle C.
FACEGB
F below the staff and B above it, with A, C, E, G in between.

Beyond those, notes use ledger lines, and the spaces between ledger lines follow the same pattern. For example, D sits in the space just above middle C’s ledger line. See bass clef notes for the full range.

Practice the space notes

Practice them on the bass clef practice page. Start on Level 1, the seven notes from C up to B, then move to Level 2 for the notes down to F and up to middle C. Trebly brings back the notes you miss or answer slowly more often, so your practice goes where you need it most.

Next, learn the bass clef lines, or go back to the bass clef overview.