bass clef
The F clef, placing the note F on the fourth line of the staff, used for lower-pitched instruments and voices.
In Depth
The bass clef fixes F3 (the F below middle C) on the fourth line of the staff. It is used by cello, double bass, bassoon, trombone, tuba, left hand piano, and bass voices. The symbol is a stylised letter F — the two dots sit on either side of the fourth line.
Together with the treble clef, the bass clef forms the grand staff used for piano notation. The space between the two staves contains middle C, which sits on one ledger line above the bass staff or one below the treble staff. Reading the bass clef is a fundamental skill for all musicians who play lower-register instruments.
The bass clef symbol is an ornate letter F — the two dots pinch the fourth line, which is the note F. The treble clef is a G, and the alto clef is a C — each clef is literally a letter.