Euphonium

[Stuarta1974]

I am going to start teaching my son the Euphonium and was wonder what the best clef to teach (bass or treble)

[Bob Kolada]

Bass opens up opportunities to use other instruments' music but I still like treble- fewer ledger lines.

[Jay Bertolet]

Honestly, he should learn and be fluent in both, if he intends to get at all serious about the instrument. There are plenty of band works that have both treble and bass parts. Sometimes, like in the works of Percy Grainger, those parts are even completely different and written for different instruments (baritone versus euphonium). I personally use music in both clefs with my students. Just having access to all the trombone and trumpet solos might be reason enough. As a beginner, I would start teaching him in bass clef. That seems to be the standard that most students branch out from in this country (the U.S.). Enjoy!

[Bombardonier]

Yes...and when appropriate...also practice treble clef concert pitch...and then some day alto and tenor clefs...

[Rick F]

Honestly, he should learn and be fluent in both, if he intends to get at all serious about the instrument. There are plenty of band works that have both treble and bass parts. Sometimes, like in the works of Percy Grainger, those parts are even completely different and written for different instruments (baritone versus euphonium). I personally use music in both clefs with my students. Just having access to all the trombone and trumpet solos might be reason enough. As a beginner, I would start teaching him in bass clef. That seems to be the standard that most students branch out from in this country (the U.S.). Enjoy!

Jay's suggestion is right on! I would start him on bass clef because there is almost always band parts in BC — but not always TC. I can only read treble clef and it's been a road block at times. Since I started on trumpet, I learned Bb fingerings. Bass clef is almost always concert pitch... unless they're the not often seen "world parts".

[Highpitch]

Have him learn both. Otherwise whatever part they have for you will be the one you can't read.

Dennis

[MSchott]

Also agree with Jay. It sounds like your son is starting from scratch and this is the best time to teach him bass clef. The only scenario where treble clef might be the better choice wold be if brass banding is in his future. All the BB euphonium parts are in treble clef and bass clef parts are virtually non-existent.

[imperialbari]

For the initial teaching treble clef is way easier for the student. The open notes being within a C triad. No needs to start out with keys/accidentals. Lots of teaching material available.

If the instrumental teaching is followed by teaching in theory and piano, learning the bass clef will be no problem later on.

Klaus

[alfredr]

As a rank amateur who learned on bass clef, and with a bit of effort jogging the brain cells, I have been able to make some sensible sounds reading out of books for other instruments, I don't understand why everyone doesn't play music written in concert pitch? You have to fool trumpet players to think they are playing some other note to get the correct one? French horns? Saxophones?

What's this about music theory, anyway? I think I was absent that day.

alfredr, rank and amateur both at the same time

[ken k]

are you located America or Europe? If in America start on bass clef if euorpe or england start with treble.


ken k

[oldbandnerd]

Teach him both. It wil make him a much more valuable asset all around.
I am a amatuer musician and I learned bass clef much later in live. The advantage to knowing both is you don't care which part they hand out. In my community band I take all the bass clef parts because the other 2 guys can only read treble. The band librarian doesn't have to spend time time copying parts for us. But, I am somtimes gioven treble clef parts because there are not bas clef parts. It also allows you to be able to play any part written for a Bb instrument which really opens up a world of sheet music for you to buy. I am also occasionally asked to cover parts for other instruments which may be written in one clef or the other. I can read tenor clef parts very easily as well.
Being able to both profeciently is great skill to have.