why is the treble cleff different to the bass cleff

[Dimebag666]

just started learning keyboard/piano

 

why

[Dubb]

It helps to visualize them in the context of the "grand staff," below:

As you can see, there's a sort of "imaginary line" where middle C rests, and this is like the bridge between the two clefs. Bass clef is just a continuation of treble clef going downwards, and vice versa: treble clef is a continuation of bass clef going upwards. Think of them as connected. With that in mind, it wouldn't make sense for the same notes to be on the same lines in each clef.

[CBLjazz]

Doesn't get any more clear than that. Dubb is the man with the scanner plan!

[Terje]

To confuse things you'll see it pretty often in writing that they separate the clefs at other points than middle C...

[Dimebag666]

I figuired that would be it. but i still don't really understanfd why they did this. its still the same notes so why not just use the same clef for both andf just indicate whether it is bass or treble. Wouldn't that have made things easier/simpler.

[VengefulTikiGod]

I figuired that would be it. but i still don't really understanfd why they did this. its still the same notes so why not just use the same clef for both andf just indicate whether it is bass or treble. Wouldn't that have made things easier/simpler.

Come on. We're talking sheet music writers here. These are the same bastards that gave us horns and woodwinds in half a dozen different keys, all demanding separately transposed scores... And you think bass clef messes with your head, wait till you get a load of Alto Clef for viola...

[Poparad]

I figuired that would be it. but i still don't really understanfd why they did this. its still the same notes so why not just use the same clef for both andf just indicate whether it is bass or treble. Wouldn't that have made things easier/simpler.

 

It wouldn't line up then between the clefs. As shown in the picture above, treble clef takes over right when bass clef ends. If they were both the same, there'd be more notes between the staves, which in the long run would be a lot more confusing and more of a mess to work with.

 

The treble and bass clefs were originally one clef called the 'grand clef' that had 11 lines, but it was so huge that it was difficult to read, so it was split into two, with the middle note, middle C, being that single ledger line between the two.

[Dimebag666]

Okay thanks guys, especially dubb and pop. I think i've got a better idea now. Sorry if i seemed very ignorant. I'm usually just a tab monkey

[captain average]

the script shapes at the left side are an old caligraphy g (treble) and f (bass). where they kind of come to a spiral marks a g and an f.

[petejt]

there's also baritone clef, tenor clef, alto clef, and soprano clef.

 

But they are just ranges of the grand clef.

[nuke_diver]

I haven't spent much time trying to relearn my std notation (I learned ~40 yrs ago while playing the piano and dropped it all for football).

For the guitar do we just use the Treble clef in notation (bass for bass parts)? I've never seen any sheet music that has a bass clef although admitly I have very little sheet music and reley on tabs mostly. I could read the sheet music but it would be exceedingly slow.

[Poparad]

I haven't spent much time trying to relearn my std notation.

Be sure to practice safe sax when you do.

For the guitar do we just use the Treble clef in notation (bass for bass parts)?

Yes. The guitar actually sounds in both the treble and bass clefs, but it's bumped up an octave on the page so that it can all fit into just the treble clef. Originally a lot of classical guitar music was transcriptions of violin music, which is also written in treble clef, and thus guitar was written in treble clef.

Bass is like that too, except that it sounds an octave below bass clef, and is bumped up an octave into the bass clef.

[Terje]

The guitar actually sounds in both the treble and bass clefs, but it's bumped up an octave on the page so that it can all fit into just the treble clef.

As is the male voice most of the time. Bass is usually written an octave too high as well, which still leaves it in bass clef but makes it easier to read.

[LeonRegier]

I have a hunch that the two staffs treble and bass originate on the piano. The use of both hands and the application of opposing thumbs on the common middle C note. From there it is quite natural without a lot of thot to play chords using thirds and fifths as a foundation. It seems evident to me that the high and low C fall on an outstretched hand width. However the high C is on the third space up and if you think about it in reverse the low C is three spaces down on the bass clef.