since im new to playing piano i have not really been playing bass notes yet. But once i was comfortable with playing the high notes i decided to look more at this songs bass notes and i came into bass notes that on the music sheet are like 2 more lines above the last bass line, so what would i play? Because visually that would go past the middle C and into treble clef. But that wouldnt be right would it? Incase im not explaining myself very well i included a little example below thanks all.

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Yes the first ledger (or is it leger?) line above the bass clef and the first ledger/leger line below the treble clef are both middle C on the keyboard, so the note on your diagram assuming that's just one ledger/leger (someone help me out here!) line above the bass clef would be D.

Edit: Just saw that you said it's two lines above, so then it would be the F above middle C

Here are some notes on the lower staff with the Bass Clef:



Look at the first note above the leger (I believe it is leger, but it may be ledger) line. It has the number 1 just above it (this indicates that it is played with the left thumb) it is a D (actually a D flat).

The next note is below the leger line and is a B flat, the next is above 2 leger lines and is an F.

Amacfantasy

Think of middle C as the midpoint between the two staffs, as well as the middle of the piano keyboard. Once a note moves up from middle C, it is usually represented on the treble staff. If the note moves downward from middle C, it is usually represented on the Bass staff. If the music requires the player to use his/her left hand to play above middle C, the music can be still be expressed on the bass staff, but more lines would need to be added above. Ditto for the right hand playing below middle C.

What is confusing is that the space in between the two staffs has been stretched or elongated. The "map" there is not to scale....it appears from Copper's image that the note D (with the 1 above it) is located below where middle C is. Actually it is above middle C. It is exactly the same note that just touches the bottom of the treble staff...D. But to examine the music it looks like there is a lot of distance between that note and the bottom of the treble staff. That is what I mean about the area between the staffs not being to scale. Once notes are on the lines and spaces of the staff, distances are represented accurately.....but not in between.

The need to spread out the distance between the staffs arises because there is information that needs to be written there like words, dynamics, and room for ledger notes.

It is a weird system to be sure, but once you get used to it, it makes sense.

I hope you understood all of that because it is really difficult to explain to people who just started reading the grand staff.

Yes, it's confusing to have notes above middle C on the bass clef... but usually when they're there, it's because it would be even MORE confusing to put them on the treble clef.

This is not an absolute rule, but often the clef placement is a hint as to which hand you're supposed to play the note with, i.e., left hand plays it if it's on the bass clef and right hand plays it if it's on the treble clef. In copper's example, those high notes on the bass clef are clearly intended to be played by the left hand.

Just a minor qualification: This is true if the upper staff has a treble clef and the lower staff has a bass clef.

It is usually better not to confuse staffs with clefs since other combinations are possible.

I was just reading along with a piece of sheet music(or trying to read) on the puter and half way in to it both staffs suddenly had treble clefs, I don't know what your supposed to do in this case so i went into shock. Do you still use your left hand with the lower staff?

Yes, the left hand usually still plays the lower staff, but the actual notes indicated by the staff lines (and any ledger lines above or below that staff) change to the values indicated by the treble clef. In other words, you still use your LH, but the lowest line of the lower staff is now E above middle C.

This notation is often used if the whole piece (both hands) is going to be played in the higher registers of the keyboard for a while. It's also possible to have two bass clefs for the opposite situation.

And to make it even more interesting, you may also occasionally see notes for the left hand notated in the upper staff.

And then there is that terrible day when you turn the page and find three staffs (with a variety of clefs) and you still only have two hands.

Maybe I should stick with Mary and her little lamb.

Even worse, how about 4 ?

Check out this YouTube video at about the 2:40 mark. (Note I got this from the Rachmaninoff Prelude in C# minor Study Group thread. Too many notes so each hand gets 2 staffs