Fingering in C or Bb?

[ghmerrill]

I've always felt that just learning the "right" fingering was a lot less trouble, and more reliable, than learning to play via transposition. It's like learning a new language (it IS learning a new language). If you have to speak it through some intermediate "translation" step, you're sunk. Don't learn some goofy trick that will just get in your way. I absolutely can't play trombone by trying to associate slide positions with valve combinations. I tried that, and it was miserable. Same for Eb vs. BBb tuba or Bb euphonium. At least that's my experience.

[iiipopes]

Here is why it is important to learn both concert pitch bass clef fingerings and transposed treble clef fingerings: when I was a junior in high school, I volunteered to play baritone horn (yes, a good old standard King bell front three valves) in summer band camp. The volunteer passing out music asked me which folder - treble or bass? I said either. That was too much. They insisted on one or the other. Well, I said instead, send back both. It is a good thing I did, because some parts were different from treble to bass clef, and being the only player in section, I had to go back and forth depending on which concert piece was being played and what the conductor wanted. OK, I only volunteered to play baritone horn to save my trumpet chops for co-first chair in the jazz band section. But playing both folders, helping the other campers, putting a small group together for the midweek "talent show" (read: burn off excess energy), all got me camper of the year award.

Yes. Just learn both and be done with it. Now, forty years later, I am still reading both clefs, and even some other transposing parts, as on Bb trumpet when playing out of church hymnals and otherwise. So to reiterate: get a good standard Bb horn and just learn the fingerings in both clefs and how to set the slides to keep everything in tune. One day you will be playing standard bass clef concert band literature; the next day you may be playing British style brass band or "baritone treble clef" (for those converted from trumpet) transposed treble clef parts. And so it goes.

[Radar]

I've played both CC and BBb Tuba as well as Bass and Tenor Trombone, and Euphonium. The CC or BBb issue can be a little confusing since I play a CC Tuba in Concert Band, but play a BBb Sousaphone for Marching. It takes me a few scales to get set in my mind which fingerings I need to use. I actually find it easier to go between Treble clef and Bass clef Euphonium since the change in clef seems to automatically switch my fingerings from one key to the other. Personally as a Trombone player as Dave Werden suggested if you want to play Bass clef Euphonium just equate the slide positions to valve combination to get you started. Keep in mind that the sound concept on Euphonium isn't the same as Trombone. On Euphonium you generally want to shoot for a broad resonant darker sound (listen to some good euphonium players like Dave who has a lot available on youtube), on Tenor Trombone you want a more focused piercing or directional sound. When I play trombone I have the mental picture of hitting a spot on the back of the auditorium with my sound, when I play Euphonium or Tuba I think of my sound filling the entire room. It's hard to explain in words but by listening to good trombone and Euphonium players you'll hear the difference. Many doublers either sound like a trombone player trying to play Euphonium or their trombone playing sounds like a slide Euphonium. The best way to learn Euphonium fingerings from Trombone is to get yourself a good beginners band Method and just start working your way through it from the beginning. You'll find you breeze through the first book or two, and pick it up relatively quickly, just keep in mind that you need to practice both instruments with sound concept in mind. Many professional orchestral trombone players also double on the Euphonium for those occasional orchestral pieces that require one, if you practice both you can play both.

[iiipopes]

The best way to learn Euphonium fingerings from Trombone is to get yourself a good beginners band Method and just start working your way through it from the beginning. You'll find you breeze through the first book or two, and pick it up relatively quickly, just keep in mind that you need to practice both instruments with sound concept in mind. Many professional orchestral trombone players also double on the Euphonium for those occasional orchestral pieces that require one; if you practice both you can play both.

This.