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I voted to learn the clef (should've done it in the practice room beforehand), but in a crunch (say, getting surprised with a new clef and only two or three days to prepare), I wouldn't have a problem with transposing it, even if it has to be copied by hand.

The end result -- that it sounds good -- is what's most important, and the audience doesn't care what the page looks like, or even if you sneaked a copy of Maxim on the stand.

I think the answer varies, depending on the situation, and how badly you want to play that piece in a foriegn clef!

When I first played Eb sousaphone, I used the "play it in treble clef like a trumpet/change the key signature/pray for each accidental" approach. When I actually bought an Eb tuba, I just learned to read the music.

I would like to learn the Dvorak Cello Concerto, just for fun, but it has an awful lot of tenor clef in it. Maybe this summer.... (Now, mind you, I can play tubas in all 4 keys, but I'm just not sure how much one mind can handle!)

Once you acquire the skills to transpose or read other clefs you will have instant access to whole new libraries of music.

...

It's about options -- the more music you can play, the more music you will have to play -- and the more opportunities will present themselves.

Plus, having treble clef chops is a way to be lazy for me
Sometimes, when I get bored of playing this or that, I just grab any old piece of music that is laying around -- I dont have to worry about rewriting or transposing

Seriously, perhaps the biggest help (for me) is the option to play out of any old trumpet method books -- like the original Arban, Schlossberg, Top Tones, etc... It's great stuff and is applicable to all valved brass.

Learn the clef, or learn how to cheat.

Two of us tuba players who post occasionally on this area will be playing The Sound Of Music in an area summer musical this week. John will cover the bass part, and I will be covering 2 clarinet and a bassoon book with one clarinet and one bass clarinet.

I will have to read treble, tenor and bass clef on instruments that will at some point have to transpose up a step as well as cover odd clefs.

If a musician is willing to work on a constant basis, then you have to be able to cover many areas. Learning multiple clefs and the cheating ways can help you get jobs.

Tom Mason

We have it too easy--an orchestra horn player has to learn to transpose on the fly as much of the old literature is written for "horn in D", "horn in C", "horn in H basso", etc.

Even if you're playing in a wind band, you stand a good chance of being handed a part written for the low countries in Bb bass clef (i.e. written a whole step up from concert pitch). Or Eb bass clef.

Best to learn the skill than to get caught flat-footed.

is that I end up going from treble clef Bb to bass clef, then to tenor clef in the same song with two instrument switches. This is what you get when you try to cover 6 reed books with two players.

My flute buddy transposed an english horn part by taking time and writing note names above the printed part. Oddly enough, she discovered a couple of dozen errors last night.

I ended up taceting 8 small transitions out of 47 selections. No rest for the weary.



Tom Mason