Well, the problem with octave clefs is that those instruments DON'T read in those clefs, they read in regular treble and bass clef, and use of an octave clef for say, double bass, (or even worse, guitar or glock, for which parts are routinely notated in wrong octaves) would result in a host of questions about what octave was actually intended.
Actually the reverse is true. Using the 8 or 15 symbols on the clefs gives a very exact reading of what is intended, while the use of unadorned clefs is what raises questions: viz. horn or bass clainet parts in bass clef and the automatic questions of octave placement and transposition (or not) that have to be answered and that might vary from one composer to the next.
The problem is clear in the vocal world, especially in tenor parts. In previous days the tenor C-clef was used and indicated exact pitch. When treble clefs started to be used for tenor parts (stupid Americans; can't even read the 9 clefs!!), they were octave-transposing clefs but didn't say so. Various kludges were tried by various publishers, including a G-clef with a little bracket thingy on 3rd-space C and (by Novello, I think) a double G-clef that was apparently twice as heavy as a single G-clef and so pulled it down an octave. The tenor-G-clef with the 8 under it removes any question (except the question of why those stupid Americans can't read the 9 clefs!).
John
-- John & Susie Howell Virginia Tech Department of Music Blacksburg, Virginia, U.S.A. 24061-0240 Vox (540) 231-8411 Fax (540) 231-5034 Mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.music.vt.edu/faculty/howell/howell.html _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
