I find my private students are usually sponges who will soak up any information I give them and that when the issue of transposition arises or alternate clefs, they learn them fairly easily.
I think that by holding off and making the traditional treble/bass clef structure truly ingrained that many people have a much harder time mastering additional clefs. I find many adults who have been playing bass clef all their lives are totally intimidated by the C clef. But if they would only spend a little time each day playing simple exercises in the different clefs they would have no problem whatsoever.
Just an aside to the trombone clef question.
David H. Bailey
John Howell wrote:
At 2:19 PM -0400 5/14/04, Andrew Stiller wrote:
What's the normal clef used for the trombone in 17th century music? Original is in C4.
Thanks,
Dennis
Trombonists at that time were expected to read the C clef on every line, plus bass clef and the sub-bass clef (F clef on top line). Remember that a whole S A T B consort of trombones was in use at that time, and that different instruments would be used according to the range of the piece.
The soprano trb. was a rarity in the 17th c (mostly doubled choral sopranos). The alto trombone would typically be used for parts written in alto or tenor clef, the tenor for those in tenor or bass, and the bass for those in bass or subbass.
The upshot: use alto, tenor, or bass clef depending on which best fits the range of the part. No point in inflicting the subbass clef on a modern trombonist...
-- Andrew Stiller Kallisti Music Press
Andrew is exactly right, and the use of alto, tenor and bass clefs for alto, tenor and bass trombones lasted through the end of the 19th century in orchestral music. A more pertinent question, however, might be what clefs to use for modern players. Granted, well-prepared symphony trombonists will be able to read anything you put in front of them, just as horn and trumpet players will, but Concert Band, Military Band, Wind Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble players do NOT, generally speaking, read the C clefs. And students will typically not read tenor clef, either, unless they are studying with a teacher who makes sure they do. So it's important to identify the level of skill the players you are writing for will have.
John
-- David H. Bailey [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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