Klarinet Archive - Posting 000563.txt from 1999/10
From: Anne C Benassi <acb@-----.is> Subj: [kl] C transposition Date: Tue, 19 Oct 1999 06:09:28 -0400
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I am unaware of quick and dirty ways of learning transposition, but
there are a few pointers that should help.
* Sharps remain sharps, with the exception of E# and B#(H#), which
become F and C double-sharp respectively.
* Flats remain flats with the same exceptions: Eb becomes F-natural
and Bb becomes C-natural.
* Double-flats you can just ignore: a double-flat just lowers the
tone a major second, which your transposition is simply undoing
anyway.
* Double-sharps are harder, I think. Everything is bumped up a step
(C-double-sharp becomes D-double-sharp, etc) with the exception
that double-sharped E and B(H) become, God help us all, F- and
C-Triple-sharp. It may help some to think of mentally erasing the
accidental and raising the tone a major third. (You can read those
few notes in bass clef if you like, but it can be cumbersome to
change clefs all the time). Double-sharps are blessedly rare, it
seems to me, and in traditional music are most often used in
predictable ways: i.e., as leading tones, preceded or followed by
the tone a half-step higher.
As for general C-transposition, the thing that has helped me the most is
learning to read alto clef. Sounds like the long way around, I guess,
but I found it easier than thinking up a step. I worked outward from
the symmetrical picture made by three B-naturals (H). The b' on the
third line of the staff in G clef is in the middle of the staff, and the
b and b" an octave to either side are below and above one leger line,
respectively. These become Cs in alto clef. From there one can work on
reading stepwise patterns (c-d-c; c-b(h)-c; etc). Adding the two Gs is
the next step; then adding the stepwise patterns (g-a-g; g-f-g) either
side of G. From there one can fill in triads and then scales. (Is this
clear as mud?)
There are some excellent French books that teach clef reading in an
extremely organized way: Manuel Pratique by Dandelot (pub Eschig) and
Solfège des Solfèges, published by Henri Lemoine. The latter books
contain lovely tunes in varying levels of difficulty and are a lot of
fun to play. The Dandelot is more of an exercise book in reading note
names and recognizing note patterns. Dandelot contains exercises in all
seven clefs in one book, but the Solfège des Solfèges books have a pair
of volumes (available separately) for each clef (a melody book plus a
piano accompaniment book).
I have also used trombone exercise books and found them helpful. The
few that I have laid my hands on contain etudes that shift from bass to
tenor to alto and even treble clef! Lots of fun if you're into that
sort of thing.
Someone mentioned also the importance of learning scales, arpeggios,
scales variations, etc, very well, as well as learning in all keys the
music you are likely to need to know. This is of course a fundamental.
All the reading in the world won't be of much use if your fingers won't
do what the notes ask of them!
It would be good to hear some feedback from those who transpose by the
think-up-a-step method. Hoping the above is of help to you,
Anne
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