Clarke Studies

[euphlight]

Speaking of playing in different clefs, the following question might be better posted as a separate thread, or maybe posting it in this thread is good enough.

Is anyone reading treble clef concert pitch? I would like to develop this skill because it will open up a much wider universe of music to be easily accessible. I have played around a little with this but haven't pursued it very far yet.

I do it a fair bit. I just pretend that I am singing and it takes care of itself playing wise. For reading an alto line (or if the lead sheet is a song which is clearly an alto), one can get away with playing 'as written' for anything below written 3 space C.

[John Morgan]

....For reading an alto line (or if the lead sheet is a song which is clearly an alto), one can get away with playing 'as written' for anything below written 3 space C.

"...one can get away with playing 'as written' for anything below written 3 space C". Can you explain this a little further?

[dsurkin]

[snip]Is anyone reading treble clef concert pitch? I would like to develop this skill because it will open up a much wider universe of music to be easily accessible. I have played around a little with this but haven't pursued it very far yet.

I have played with a dixieland band that uses a dixieland fake book - my copy is for C instruments. Since piano was my main instrument for decades, I did a lot of reading from piano parts.

If you're referring to day-to-day reading with the orchestra or bands I play with, the vast majority of my parts are bass clef, some in tenor clef, a few in treble clef (Bb) and finally a part in alto clef every now and then.

[euphlight]

"...one can get away with playing 'as written' for anything below written 3 space C". Can you explain this a little further?

I will try to reword this though I do this automatically without thinking about it.

Reading a piano part or a vocal part, written middle C first ledger line below the treble clef is the same note as first ledger line C above in bass clef (1st valve). Some alto vocal parts lines do not go over 3rd space C which is roughly same as the practical range for amateur euphonium players. So one can play the part as written or one can play the part down an octave for the first verse and play it as written 2nd time. I done this a couple of times with a couple of Lauren Daigle's songs. It is a nice effect.

[iMav]

Simply put…playing “as written” is limited by his usable range on the euphonium.

[John Morgan]

I will try to reword this though I do this automatically without thinking about it.

Reading a piano part or a vocal part, written middle C first ledger line below the treble clef is the same note as first ledger line C above in bass clef (1st valve). Some alto vocal parts lines do not go over 3rd space C which is roughly same as the practical range for amateur euphonium players. So one can play the part as written or one can play the part down an octave for the first verse and play it as written 2nd time. I done this a couple of times with a couple of Lauren Daigle's songs. It is a nice effect.

Yes, I get where middle C is and understand the treble and bass clef representation of it in piano music. I, and I presume a lot of other bass clef reading euphonium players, pretty much read the treble clef (melody) line in hymnal music (or piano music) down an octave as the usual way to play it. I find this method to work better for having the euphonium both play the written piano part fully and within the boundaries of the useful and attainable range of the euphonium for most. I do get what you do with playing as written then down an octave.

To fully state what I actually do when reading piano music, I treat the euphonium like a trumpet (making the trumpet 3rd space C be equivalent to the euphonium bass clef Bb on top of the staff) when reading piano music and only read up a whole step (and add 2 sharps). I don't think about an octave. This works for me, a trumpet player to begin with, now a euphonium player.

[Roger]

I appreciate everyone's comments. Maybe as an exercise, I'll work through some bass clef scales and see how it goes. Right now, my focus is on my concert band folders as I prep for each rehearsal and upcoming concert. But I am developing my bass clef note reading in my piano studies. So at least I'm ahead on reading, but not euphonium fingerings. So maybe I'm already half way there without realizing it.

[anadmai]

I feel dirty playing Bass Clef. I usually transpose in my head as a I go along. It's such a nuisance.