 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: clarionman
Date: 2008-06-24 19:55
When I saw the music for The Royal Flemish Philharmonic 2nd clarinet/bass clarinet audition I notice that there was quite a bit of music written in bass clef. I started thinking how important was to be able to read bass clef so I did a search here on the forum hoping that somebody had already ask that question. I learn some new things I did not know about bass clef for bass clarinet. But something more interesting came up while reading through the archive; clef swapping and transposition tricks.
I compile some of the tricks that some other people have posted here and I would like to know if anybody else has any more tricks that they can share.
EEb contra-alto is a very handy instrument to have as one can use it to play concert-pitch bass clef parts by pretending they're in treble clef and adding three sharps (or reduce the flats by three, as the case may be) -- makes it easy to play tuba, string bass, bassoon and contra-bassoon parts.
If you want to play a viola part on B-flat clarinet. The viola part is written in alto clef. add 2 sharps to the key signature (or subtract two flats) and read everything as if it was bass clef. For instance, the middle line on the stave in alto clef is middle C. To play concert C on B-flat clarinet, you have to play a D. The middle line of the bass clef is a D. So if you read the part as if it was written in bass clef, you won't have to do any transposing.
With tenor clef, you can just add two sharps and pretend you're reading treble clef music (down an octave).
To read Eb music, you can add one flat and pretend you're reading bass clef.
To read music in F, you can add three sharps and pretend you're reading alto clef.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: NorbertTheParrot
Date: 2008-06-24 20:42
"To read Eb music, you can add one flat and pretend you're reading bass clef."
Caution!
Suppose you have a part written in treble clef for an Eb-transposing instrument. You need to play the note on the middle line of the stave. This is called B, but sounds D.
If you pretend you are reading bass clef, you will call this note D, which is the correct note. But only if you are playing a concert-pitch instrument. If you are playing a Bb clarinet, the note that will come out will be concert C, not what is required.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2008-06-25 00:35
All I know is that there is a lot of confusing when reading a piece for bass clarinet that goes from bass clef to treble clef. Even some composers get it confused. Rachmaninoff always got it wrong, Even Stravinsky often got it wrong, as did several others. On the bright side, Strauss, Wagner, Ravel and Franck always got it correct. ESP www.peabody.jhu.edu/457
(Listen to a little Mozart, Live recording but not on bass)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: allencole
Date: 2008-06-25 20:11
What I've never understood about transposed bass clarinet parts, is why to use bass clef at all? Just transpose it for best reading. (or make it as hard as you can for orchestra auditions, maybe?)
If you're gonna throw me a bass clef part, just leave it in concert key. Here's a shortcut for that which has only limited usefulness:
Step 1 - Read everything in your first register up an octave, but don't press the register key. (i.e. a bass-clef concert-key F below the staff would be read as "D") Finger the fourth-line D instead, but don't press the register key. This gives you a written low G, which is concert-key F just below the bass staff. (and don't forget to add 2 #'s to the key sig.)
Step 2 - After you spend some time tripping over this method, and having to do without it in the upper part of the staff, make sure to squeal with glee when the part turns to tenor clef, and you can read it loco with 2 extra sharps or 2 less flats.
I've actually gotten fairly comfortable with this. Baritone horns do the TC/BC thing without a problem. I'd love to see us standardize in this way for bass clarinet as well.
Allen Cole
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2008-06-26 17:15
Clarionman,
A simple answer to your question is learn to read the other clefs. It's not that difficult. The design of the treble clef sign shows G (a 5th above middle C), bass clef shows F (a 5th below middle C), and tenor & alto clef show middle C.
One thing that helped me was being a composition major and transposing parts....hours and hours and hours spent transposing parts. ha ha ha
That aside, it's mostly a matter of getting the visual concept down of the different clefs and then it becomes like second nature reading music in any clef. Then, as an extension, if you're transposing for a Bb clarinet or bass clarinet to go up a major second.
There are some visual/mind tricks that I use. For example, I often sight-transpose concert flute parts for the alto flute (in G). I find it easier to visually go down a 5th and make an octave adjustment than visualizing an upward 4th. In a similar way, I find it easier to visualize a minor 3rd down and make an octave adjustment in transposing concert-to-Eb than visualizing an upward 6th.
Roger
Post Edited (2008-06-26 17:19)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
