Klarinet Archive - Posting 000318.txt from 2004/01

From: "Joseph Wakeling" <joseph.wakeling@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Stupid bass clef bass clarinet question!
Date: Sun, 11 Jan 2004 10:06:02 -0500

<< You were right later in your post in mentioning persistent leger lines as
a nuisance for extended low register passages. Of course an 8va sign can be
used to ease that as well. >>

Part of my "issue" with the bass clef notation is that in many respects the
alto or tenor clefs are just as good, if not better, for this problem of
getting rid of ledger lines. And they preserve the "spacing" from the
treble notation: the low C is in a "space" both in treble and alto/tenor
clef.

No, I'm not arguing we should rewrite all the old music and have yet another
clef to learn! ;-) But I think it does show that the bass clef notation is
there for historical, rather than technical, reasons---except for the reason
I already mentioned: aside from the transposition to Bb, the bass clef
notation reflects the actual pitch desired. (But this doesn't then explain
why the same notation is used for basset horn...)

Of course, the wide range of bass clarinet music written in the bass clef
(in Bb, A and C) makes my objections somewhat of a moot point. Suffice to
say that I think that the advice one should give to a student player is
significantly different from the advice one should give to a student
composer. ;-)

-- Joe

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