TubeNet

Hello everyone,
I found many solos in treble clef and, rather than transpose to bass clef, I was wondering if I can just read the treble clef notes and play my Eb tuba; for example, playing the treble clef Eb on the 1st line one or two octaves down and so on with all treble clef notes. Would there be some distortion in the harmony or melody? I would just play these solos by myself, at home, not in a group. Thanks for any reply or advice. Bill.

By the way, I have read some previous postings on TubeNet about this topic, in which the advice was given to add 3 flats to read the treble-clef music as if in bass clef, or transpose as an Eb trumpet would have to do. If this is necessary, does it mean that a treble-clef solo in C major, after adding 3 flats, could be played as if the music were in Eb major in the bass clef?

Of course you can. As long as you are maintaining the correct intervals between notes the melody will be fine. You could even just use trumpet fingers, though the music will be in a different key than written

Thanks so much. I appreciate your answer. Bill

.

The traditional approach is to change the treble clef sign to the bass clef sign, add three flats to the key signature, adjust accidentals accordingly, and play the piece as if it were bass clef concert pitch. For example, the note one ledger line below the staff is written as a middle C for treble clef transposed notation, such as the notation for British-style Eb tuba parts. The note is played with open fingering, which sounds Eb. That same note on a concert pitch notation bass clef with the key signature adjusted is Eb, which is the same: open fingering sounding the concert pitch notation Eb.

Yes, If you already know trumpet fingerings its relatively easy. read it as treble clef with trumpet fingerings and add C# and F# to key signature, if I remember correctly. Or cheat and copy the key signature(s) from alto or bari sax!