Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Fingering Confusion...


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Posted by Mark Heter on November 16, 2003 at 23:41:56:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Fingering Confusion... posted by thanx on November 16, 2003 at 22:52:36:

I feel for you. Let's see if this helps you.

In this country, all brass instrument parts written in the bass clef are non-transposing. They read the actual notes as sounded on a piano, for instance. The common exception to this is the euphonium (baritone horn), which to this day is published in both treble (transposed) clef and bass clef (NOT transposed). Accomplished euphonium players are fluent readers in both treble and bass, and the better players read tenor and alto clefs as well, but that doesn't concern you right now.

Tuba players playing on tubas in different keys (E-flat, BB-flat, F, CC, etc.) simply learn different fingerings. As a rule, I know of no tuba players who do this through solfeggio (moveable "do") - they learn the "new" fingerings which each differently keyed tuba they play. That's in the United States.

The valves perform the same function in regard to whole steps, half-steps, etc. in every horn; the difference is in the basic "open notes" of the instrument - its "key", which makes the instrument easier to play in higher (Eb and F) or lower (CC and Bb) registers.

In the United Kingdom, specifically in the brass world band world (ALL brass - no reeds), fingering is learned as a "one time" excercise. The parts all published (with the exception of the tenor trombone parts, which are in tenor clef) for the valved instruments in treble clef, transposed for the key in which the instrument is built. Hence, the BB-flat tuba part in British Brass Band editions is written up a step, with two sharps added to the key signature - just like B-flat cornet. The E-flat tuba parts are transposed as well, just like a baritone saxophone part. They do this for several reasons. One, the band is homogenous - all brass - two, they move the players, once trained as musicians, around the band on different instruments as they need them, since the instrumentation of those bands is standardized - unlike American "concert bands". The makeup of the band is set in stone because of "contesting" for trophies. The thinking is that a musician who plays third cornet well, can probably sound fine on 2nd alto after a couple weeks' getting used to the new mouthpiece. You will probably NEVER see parts like this in your high school band. This practice may be the basis of your director's confusion. BTW, MILITARY bras/reed/percusssion bands in the UK read parts just like ours.

Adding to this confusion, you may be handed old quickstep sized parts for marches marked "Eb tuba" or "Eb Bass" - which are not transposed at all - they are just tubas parts published in concert key, in bass clef, to be played loco - right where they sound.

You need a private teacher - if not a tuba player, maybe a trombonist, or failing that, a cornetist/trumpet player that knows something other than his own clef. I shudder to think what this guy teaches as fingerings for double french horns.

Good luck, I hope this makes some sense of things for you.

Mark Heter


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