 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: oian
Date: 2007-01-19 03:51
Attachment: img027.jpg (158k)
Please forgive my ignorance. I am very new to the clarinet (or any other instrument!) I Have a Bundy alto clarinet that I am learning to play (self taught). My Question. The attachment shows notes from a piano score. The "Essential Elements alto clarinet " book I have only shows notes in the treble clef. Would these notes be playable on an alto clarinet? If so what would there designation (as transposed)be as shown on the treble clef(as shown in the book I have including sharp or flat designation)?
Thanks, John
Post Edited (2007-01-19 03:56)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: mk
Date: 2007-01-19 04:37
Trade your alto clarinet for a soprano clarinet and your world will change....you need a teacher my friend to give you direction...you are all over the place...
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Steve Epstein
Date: 2007-01-19 07:33
mk wrote:
> Trade your alto clarinet for a soprano clarinet and your world
> will change....you need a teacher my friend to give you
> direction...you are all over the place...
And why should he do that? (I mean, trade the alto in, not necessarily not have a teacher -- although as far as that goes, if / when he gets frustrated enough, he can find a teacher). If he's going to read from scores, he's going to have to transpose anyway, if he wants to sound in "correct" pitch, or play along with the piano, unless he gets a C clarinet.
John, the alto clarinet is an Eb pitched instrument. The written note when played on the alto clar will sound a minor third above the true (piano) pitch. Therefore, to play the alto clarinet at true pitch, you need to play down two steps and subtract three flats / add three sharps as appropriate; i.e., your five flat key signature becomes a two flat key sig. Since notes on the bass clef are already written down two steps from where they are on the treble clef, you can play the bass clef line at true pitch just by changing the key sig. Of course, if you are playing by yourself, you can read the treble just as it is, and it will sound fine but will be pitched higher than it's really written, though I must inform you, five flats is usually a bit hard for a beginner .
Steve Epstein
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-01-19 08:01
The notes would be Bb F Eb C when reading them as treble clef (by changing the clef and taking off three flats, leaving only Bb and Eb).
But if you want the notes to sound at that pitch (and all these notes are within range), play them all an octave lower - so it's Bb (xxx|xoo), F (xxx LH F|xxx), low Eb (xxx|xxx Eb) and C (xxx|ooo).
You will need to take the low F with the left pinkie as Eb follows it which is a RH pinkie key only.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: mk
Date: 2007-01-20 00:38
cut me a break......we go from alto clarinet beginner to harmony 101....want to throw in some counterpoint for this poor guy? By the way, the bundy alto clarinet will be so out of tune it won't matter what key he transposes to.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Steve Epstein
Date: 2007-01-20 06:28
mk wrote:
> cut me a break......we go from alto clarinet beginner to
> harmony 101....want to throw in some counterpoint for this poor
> guy? By the way, the bundy alto clarinet will be so out of
> tune it won't matter what key he transposes to.
I'm not making any assumptions about what he does and doesn't know, except he obviously knows something about music, since he knows about clefs. He may not know anything about clarinet or other instruments, as he says, but if he knows about clefs, he knows something about music, perhaps vocal?
I also believe an alto clarinet is impractical as a first instrument but why advise a beginner to make a monetary decision by immediately trading in a horn you haven't seen or played or heard played, simply because it's not "normal" to start on that instrument?
Steve Epstein
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: ABerry
Date: 2007-01-20 19:16
Greetings,
Chris is quite correct, when playing the alto clarinet (or the alto sax, baritone sax or any Eb instrument for that matter) and reading bass clef, you simply read the music as treble clef and add 3 sharps to the key signature. I used to do this all the time in high school. I played the baritone sax in the band and the alto clarinet in the orchestra. Our band did not have any baritiones, so instead of the thrilling bartitone sax parts, I played the baritone bass clef part. And in the orchestra, I played the 2nd bassoon part on the alto clarinet, our high school was fortunate, while we may not have had any baritones, we did have an oboe and a bassoon.
Allan
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2007-01-20 19:21
> When playing the alto clarinet (or the alto sax, baritone sax or any
> Eb instrument for that matter) and reading bass clef, you simply
> read the music as treble clef and add 3 sharps to the key signature.
That is a neat trick, I must write that down somewhere in my cheat sheets.
I wonder how a thusly transposed part is working with an eefer...
--
Ben
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Detru Cofidin
Date: 2007-01-20 20:09
Haha mk, I love that!
I have played alto clarinet, I've played bass clarinet, most of us have. Most of us have probably tried an alto at one point or another. It's fun to play but not to play music with.
Nicholas Arend
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Don Berger
Date: 2007-01-20 20:33
Me too, D C, Allen described the [Handy-Dandy] BASS clef C trans. to treble clef Eb insts. very well. BUT the trans. of TREBLE C to treble Eb is a double trans [for me] , being C to Bb [up 1 add 2#s], then Bb to Eb [up 5 or down 4, add 1#]. Otherwise, I think of tuning note relations, Bb for C insts = C for Bb's = G for Eb's, and go from there. Any other"tricks" will be appreciated. I often need to cover bari sax parts on bass cl [as in musicals], and if its all in the chalameau, just pretend you are playing bari, as the fingerings are the same !! Try it, works for me. Luck, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-01-20 20:49
Some big band charts have bass clarinet in them, so I do the 'think chalumeau' trick with these - one piece is 'Have You Heard' by Pat Metheny which changes between the two (as well as changing between 3/4 and 4/4!)
Also, playing Bb basso (tenor sax/bass clarinet) parts on bari sax (or contra-alto clarinet) have te same transposition as playing oboe parts (concert pitch treble clef) on cor anglais (in F - same as horn and basset horn) - bung everything up a 5th.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
