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a ? about alto and bass music

Author: Shelly
Date: 2001-04-29 21:31

An alto clarinet is one octave lower than an Eb soprano and a bass is one octave lower than a Bb soprano (I hope I am right on this one) I know that the fingerings for these two instruments is practically identical to the Bb. So does that mean that if you are playing a alto you just read off of an Eb's clarinet part and you sound one octave lower? Does the Bass read the Bb part and finger what's on the page but sound one octave lower?

What I am not sure of is this. Let's say a middle C is printed on the paper (one leger line below the treble staff). Is it also written this way for the bass and alto and they finger it the same way as the Bb and Eb would finger it and then it just sounds an octave lower OR when a bass and an alto use the fingering that we would use for middle C they see it on their paper as a low C? (I am totally not considering the transpostion factor, that's not my point)

The reason I am asking is I am interested in maybe trying the alto (if I could ever find a resonably priced used one) because I am kind of partial to the lower notes. But would I need to relearn what note goes with what fingering?

If they play the notes as written on the paper not 8va they would still be on the treble staff or do they write their music on the bass staff?

I hope y'all understand what I am asking