Locate the clef on a piece of sheet music and identify the bass-clef symbol. It will be the first symbol on the sheet music and looks like a large comma followed by a colon. On piano sheet music, the bass clef is beneath the treble clef.
Learn to recognize the note names on the bass clef. Bass clef uses the same music staff as treble clef. The basic staff is five lines and four spaces, with each line and space representing a note name. The lines and spaces represent different notes on bass clef than on treble. For bass clef, the lines are G-B-D-F-A. The spaces are A-C-E-G. Notes above the staff are written on ledger lines and follow the musical alphabet going forward. Notes below the staff are written on ledger lines and go in reverse. The musical alphabet is A-B-C-D-E-F-G.
Memorize the lines and spaces of the bass clef by using a phrase to help. A good phrase for the lines might be Grizzly Bears Don't Fly Airplanes. A phrase to help you remember the spaces might be All Cars Eat Gas.
Read note values on the bass clef as you would notes on treble clef. A whole note equals an entire measure of music, a half note is two beats, a quarter note is one beat and an eighth note is half a beat. In common time (4/4 time signature), you can fit one whole note into a measure of music, two half notes, four quarter notes, or eight eighth notes. Rest values for bass notation are the same as rest values for treble-clef music.