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Re: Brass in school etc. Now the ole bass/treble debate

Mark Smith wrote:
> 
..........> 
> It is only brass bands that advocate the treble clef for lower pitched
> instruments. Although this may make some sense for players to make the
> transition from one valved instrument to another, it is different for the
> trombone. Trombone players usually start on trombone, and when valve players
> do convert to slides they have to learn position/note association from
> scratch anyway. A trombone player who has to swap from tenor to bass or vice
> versa for the first time has to learn the new position/note association. For
> this reason, it would make more sense to standardise on a common clef for
> trombonists.


I know where you are coming from, but my own experience and that of my
son differs.  I started on Trumpet <SIOB!> and after grade three my
tutor Jack Gibson (Norfolk, circa late 60's - anyone knew him?)
thankfully decided I was a trombonist - which I became for quite some
years before an 18 year gap.  (Im now a Euph player - another boring
story).  Whereupon I learnt slides in treble clef, then bass (and
tenor and alto) in order to get to grade VIII where I stopped.

My son, because of my experiences, learnt Trombone bass clef until
grade 3, then we decided there was more to life than bass Trom in
Brass Bands (only kidding guys esp. Monkey) and he learnt treble clef
Euphonium in six months and got a Grade IV (all associated board)
distinction.  That exercise taught him treble clef for Trom by
accident (Or Did The Old Man Plan It?).  He still does all his grades
work in bass clef as did I (VIII is next for him, 4 years earlier than
me - spit!) but most of his banding time is treble.

The bottom line is that in both our humble opinions it is not
terminally difficult, no matter where you start from and depends
entirely on the motivation of the individual.  Curiously however, my
"home clef" is Treble (ie what I learnt first) and my son's is Bass. 
We both can play both but both prefer treble because of the previously
mentioned downside of writing for orchestral brass in Bass clef
concert pitch - everything ends "up telegraph poles".  But its only a
notation and either will do - again in both of our humble opinions.  

Maybe its to make the poor ole conductor's life easier - everything on
a score in a pitch that matches the players. And I also concur with
the view that a Bb trombone (or whatever) must be a transposing
instrument because its not in C innit.  <another g>

Incidentally, he (lad Mike) has just joined this list so when he
eventually "comes out", give him a hard time in the "time honoured
tradition of Nigel's list" eh? <vbg> (sins of father etc etc).

Steve Larwood, Euphonium
Melbourne Town Band
http://www.mtb-brassband.com


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