At 5:40 AM +0100 2/22/10, SN jef chippewa wrote:
how many ledger lines are too much in tenor that warrant a change to tenor clef? D5 (written) seems feasible with only 3 ledger lines, then E5 above the 3rd ledger line should be fine... in all cello literature the change happens (at the latest) as soon as a single C5 is part of the passage, but i have a suspicion basses read higher in tenor for some reason...
Basses in tenor clef should still be notated an octave above absolute pitch, so it shouldn't be higher than cellos. (And I assume that you meant to write "how many ledger lines are too much in BASS ...")
But what you're asking is how many ledger lines players are used to seeing, and I suspect that for string players it's a lot more than you might think. And think about lead trombonists: They are used to seeing high Bb and C in BASS clef, and that's 4 ledger lines. Flutists even more. But as long as you stick with standard clefs (and treble clef, at pitch, is apparently now "standard" for cello thumb positions) it really isn't necessary to worry about how many ledger lines you have, even though some people may quote "rules" (more like rules of thumb, actually, and yes, pun intended!).
And of course there are some things that you just don't change clefs for, like the low range of a low-C bass clarinet, or tuba notes. The players can read them just fine.
I'm writing as a violinist, and we'd MUCH rather see lots of ledger lines than see 8va markings, even though they don't sightread quite as well if they're crowded together. Same for viola in treble clef.
Too many engravers jump between clefs too often when it isn't really necessary. (Personal opinion, of course.)
John -- John R. Howell, Assoc. Prof. of Music Virginia Tech Department of Music College of Liberal Arts & Human Sciences 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 "We never play anything the same way once." Shelly Manne's definition of jazz musicians. _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [email protected] http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
