## Four anchors on the staff

Bass is written in bass clef an octave above where it sounds. Rhythm room: [Dividing the beat](/sangeet-yatra/rhythm/dividing.md) names the note lengths you read.

| Open string | Written | Sounds |
|---|---|---|
| E (4th) | first ledger line below the staff | E1 |
| A (3rd) | bottom space | A1 |
| D (2nd) | middle line | D2 |
| G (1st) | top space | G2 |

Lines G B D F A (*Good Boys Do Fine Always*); spaces A C E G (*All Cows Eat Grass*). The clef's dots mark F — fret 3 on the D string.

## First position, named

| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | G | A♭ | A | B♭ | B |
| D | D | E♭ | E | F | F♯ |
| A | A | B♭ | B | C | C♯ |
| E | E | F | F♯/G♭ | G | G♯/A♭ |

Naturals first: E F G · A B C · D E F · G A B.

## Two lines to read

- **Line 1** (quarters): C C G G F F G G — A 3, E 3, E 1, E 3.
- **Line 2** (eighths and rests): C C C (rest) E F | G G G (rest) F E — A 3, then D 2 3 5.

## Ready when

- You can place each open string on the staff without looking.
- Every first-position note named in under a minute.
- Lines 1 and 2 named and counted before you press Play, and right.
- Two bars of your own playing written in TAB, names and rhythm.

**Sources (two-check):** Hal Leonard Bass Method Book 1 (octave transposition, first position, rests) · Berklee bass reading practice.