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I joined in with a group over the weekend, playing from a small-sized band book from about 1910-20, I guess.

The group had no tuba book, so I was given a treble clef trombone book. Turns out that it was for some kind of transposing trombone. The first piece we attempted was written in two flats, and the sound of notes I played was not a good thing. The conductor quickly found a bassoon bass clef book for my use, where the same piece was written in four flats (not two)--much better.

I assumed that all trombone pieces were notated in the concert key signature, the same as for tubas. However, perhaps piston-valved trombones used transposing notation to permit trumpet players to switch to other instruments as is the custom in brass bands.

I'm expecting that someone can shed light--or make wild or educated guesses--on transposing trombones.

Dean E wrote: I assumed that all trombone pieces were notated in the concert key signature, the same as for tubas.

Transposing treble clef for trombone, baritone, euphonium and tuba is the norm in some genres of brass music in Commonwealth countries, and has a long and distinguished history in the US due to its use by the Salvation Army.

In fact, the ONLY instrument notated at concert pitch, BC in British Brass Band, and until quite recently, in Salvation Army, music is Bass Trombone.

And, of course, the Fanfare and Harmonie traditions of France and BeNeLux that employ transposed BC for trombone, euph, baritone, tuba, tenor horn, and--I believe--flugel.

Tenor trombone players find the Bb treble clef transposition very easy - they read in tenor clef, add two flats to the key signature, and occasionally have to alter accidentals.

if you know the tenor clef, it becomes quite straightforward. In the tenor clef, Bb is on the 3rd space, which is called C in the treble clef transposition ans so on.
incidentally, the bass trombone is still written in bass clef in Salvation Army brass band scores.

Pretend you are back in 6th grade playing trumpet.

peter birch wrote:incidentally, the bass trombone is still written in bass clef in Salvation Army brass band scores.

Sorry, wasn't clear in what I wrote: bass trombone is still notated in BC, concert pitch in SA music, however, recently the SA (at least in the US) has started supplying concert pitch BC parts for tenor trombone, euph, baritone, and tubas in addition to the traditional transposed TC parts.

pgym wrote:

peter birch wrote:incidentally, the bass trombone is still written in bass clef in Salvation Army brass band scores.

Sorry, wasn't clear in what I wrote: bass trombone is still notated in BC, concert pitch in SA music, however, recently the SA (at least in the US) has started supplying concert pitch BC parts for tenor trombone, euph, baritone, and tubas in addition to the traditional transposed TC parts.

...and it really confuses the average Salvationist brass player over here..