Skip to main content
Topic: Transposing (Read 2905 times) previous topic - next topic

Transposing

I've been playing the trombone all my life and I only know how to read bass clef.  I'm starting to play in my church right now but all the music is in treble clef and I don't know how to read it.  How do I tranpose it to bass clef with no knowledge of treble clef?  Thanks.


Re: Transposing

Reply #2
Well you can transpose everything you see and then read it in bass clef, but treble clef is the de facto default. Every (nearly) song for any voice is written in/on it. Hymn tunes are always written in/on it. Forgive me for asking, and I don't mean this unkindly, but have you never, as a self-confessed musician, ever come across the treble clef before?

Somehow I doubt it. It strikes me that it would be easier to adapt to the situation than to try to change it. After all, not all music comes in NoteWorthy form ready to be transposed.

 

Re: Transposing

Reply #3
I can identify somewhat with not knowing other clefs.  As a violinist and a tenor I am used to the treble clef and the top part of the bass clef.  Outside of the C below the bass staff I have to think about which lower notes are which since I rarely refer to them, let alone play or sing them.

It is customary when men sing from the treble staff to automatically transpose down an octave.  If you want to do that on your trombone kick all notes up just five notches instead of twelve.

FWIW, the lines on the treble clef are Every Good Boy Does Fine and the spaces spell out FACE.
Since 1998