BRITISH BRASS BANDS

[Lectron]

No one really starts out as a tuba player

Uh...I did
It's not really that uncommon

The big advantage of the bass part being in treble clef is on the BBb bass music, which if in concert pitch would mean many ledger lines a lot of the time. The only other option would be to write it like double bass music, an octave above pitch.

Same really with tenor trmbn. IMO.
Why don't write tenor in tenor, bass in bass and contra in contra..We need to invent contrabass clef..or as Brass bands do

KISS (keep it simple stupid!)

[millingworth]

I learned first tenor trombone and then Eb tuba at school in UK. I played both instruments first in the school orchestra and later also in the marching band. I learned bass clef first on both instruments, but also had to learn to play the trombone from music in tenor clef. When the marching band was established, I found that some of our music was in treble clef. I realised that the tuba music in Eb treble clef looked similar to bass clef; I just had to allow for a difference of 3 flats in key signature. The trombone music in Bb treble clef looked similar to tenor clef, but with a difference of 2 flats. I did not find the different clefs presented any particular problem to my teenage mind.

I stopped playing during my first year at university, but decided to take up the Eb tuba again in my late 60s. I expected to play mostly in the local church orchestra, so took lessons and practised in bass clef. I have now joined a local brass band which provides music in treble clef. I work out the corresponding key in sounding pitch and think of the notes by their true pitch names as if they were in the bass clef. I find that the approach works until I meet accidentals, which require some extra thought, as my immediate reaction is often wrong. I am a bit short of puff now and have no intention of playing BBb bass, but expect that the fingering in treble clef would come readily to me, but bass clef would require major effort.

[Dan Schultz]

Question... In The UK... is church and piano music written in concert pitch with the left hand being bass clef and the right hand being treble clef?

[Lectron]

Question... In The UK... is church and piano music written in concert pitch with the left hand being bass clef and the right hand being treble clef?

Yes
As also in Norway

Would be difficult to change clef on left hand as it was moving to the right if already in treble

[Jess Haney]

I think we have ventured away from the original point. The point that the OP made was the music is challenging and there are 4 parts and some amazing sounds. regardless of clef brass banding is awesome. I will take a brass band gig that is free over any orchestral gig. I have seen great players here in the U.S sell their CC to move to a BBb or Eb once they get the "BITE" of brass banding.

[Untersatz]

Well, that is my plan, I'm going to try to learn trumpet/tuba/transposed treble clef music,
so I can play my BBb in brass band

[eeflattuba]

I think we have ventured away from the original point. The point that the OP made was the music is challenging and there are 4 parts and some amazing sounds. regardless of clef brass banding is awesome. I will take a brass band gig that is free over any orchestral gig. I have seen great players here in the U.S sell their CC to move to a BBb or Eb once they get the "BITE" of brass banding.

thank-you. as the op of this thread, i could not agree with you more.

[GC]

I've played in a fair variety of ensembles over the years on tuba, trombone, euphonium/baritone, bass guitar, string bass, percussion, and bass clarinet. Nothing else has been as enjoyable as British brass band.

[TubaKen]

Just watched the YouTube vid, and I have a few questions:
What's with the projections behind the band?
And the players moving all over the place? (Do the soloists really need to get up in front of the band for their 8 bars?)
And finally (and I hope you forgive my ignorance - I haven't been exposed to that much brass band music), I really don't get this piece. Sure, there's a bazillion 16th notes, all played at a brisk tempo, but musically, there's just not much there. Is this representative of contemporary brass band music, or is it more of a "contest piece"?
The players (all amateur, I presume), are fantastic. This music, not so much.

[Untersatz]

I think we have ventured away from the original point. The point that the OP made was the music is challenging and there are 4 parts and some amazing sounds. regardless of clef brass banding is awesome. I will take a brass band gig that is free over any orchestral gig. I have seen great players here in the U.S sell their CC to move to a BBb or Eb once they get the "BITE" of brass banding.

thank-you. as the op of this thread, i could not agree with you more.

Well.........you DID open that can of worms yourself...........

On numerous occasions we have good tuba players join but read only bass clef. This is a problem and they usually give up. I know there are computer programs out there that can change treble clef into bass clef but
i am not sure this is the answer. Perhaps one of you out there has a better answer.

[Rick F]

Just watched the YouTube vid, and I have a few questions:
What's with the projections behind the band? [snip]

I can answer that question...
That YouTube recording is part of 2009 Brass Festival Gala concert hosted by Black Dyke (under direction of Dr. Nick Childs). On the screen behind them they were showing some of the history behind the Brass Band movement. Link to full video (part 1) can be found below:

Black Dyke Brass Festival Gala Concert: (part 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lNaYGaeRFQ

[Untersatz]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lNaYGaeRFQ" target="_blank" target="_blank

Did I detect the soprano cornet jumping the gun a bit on the last note? (2:41)
Now I won't feel so bad when I screw up like that!

[Dan Schultz]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lNaYGaeRFQ" target="_blank" target="_blank

Did I detect the soprano cornet jumping the gun a bit on the last note? (2:41)
Now I won't feel so bad when I screw up like that!

Yeah... that was pretty 'stinky'. Interesting seating arrangement. I think I would have to pass on sitting in front of the cornets! Gotta draw the line somewhere.

[TubaKen]

"That YouTube recording is part of 2009 Brass Festival Gala concert hosted by Black Dyke (under direction of Dr. Nick Childs). On the screen behind them they were showing some of the history behind the Brass Band movement."

OK, that makes sense. I was thinking they'd gone all "Hollywood."

[Arnie]

Open your mind people - music is music, and if you turn your nose up at the vibrato, the treble clef, the 'too many semiquavers' etc you are denying yourself an amazing experience.

Listen to this with an open mind: http://youtu.be/6nQZFYsTX54

It is a live performance by Yorkshire Building Society Band (amateurs) of Kenneth Downie's St Magnus at the 2004 European Brass band championships. The piece is a set of variations on the hymn tune of the same name. The textures achieved by a 26 piece brass ensemble with percussion is staggering - the live playing by all players is first class in any field of brass playing.

Listen to it with a good pair of speakers/headphones and don't turn it down when it gets loud - the power of the dynamic range of the ensemble is one of its most exciting elements. Hearing it live is something else.

I was once a university tubist who only played excerpts and solos, and mocked this - I would now regard my brass band experiences as some of my proudest achievements.

[Lectron]

I'm goanna do it nationals as well haha

"Huh, what...?"

Lol....so much for auto correct

[GC]

A monitor on my monitor. Nice picture.

[Teubonium]

So, you're saying you're monitoring a monitor on your monitor?

Careful! The NSA is monitoring the monitoring of the monitor on your monitor!

[ppalan]

Interesting seating arrangement. I think I would have to pass on sitting in front of the cornets!

That isn't a typical setup. It was for that particular tune called "Akademische Festfanfare" by Peter Graham. Ordinarily the cornets are to the left of the conductor in the place violins would be in the orchestra. The tubas are generally located in the back center in front of percussion (which may not be much of an improvement) My band did this piece in a similar fashion for a concert we did in a church recently.

TubaMusikMann wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lNaYGaeRFQ" target="_blank" target="_blank

Did I detect the soprano cornet jumping the gun a bit on the last note? (2:41)
Now I won't feel so bad when I screw up like that!

You are indeed correct sir. The soprano cornet did have a premature...um...blast!

I've only recently begun to play with a British-style Brass Band and I'll second the others that have said it is a challenging and rewarding enterprise on many levels...at least for me it is .
Pete

[iiipopes]

We DON'T need a trumpet player playing a tuba anyway!

It wasn't for switching cornet players to tuba. It was because British Brass Bands grew up in the industrial era as a means of entertainment and diversion for the factory workers, and to build comraderie. Then the contesting system grew up as a means of developing esprit de corps. Everyone was taught together as a group, so all of the parts (save the bass trombone part that was played either by a regular trombone or the now-archaic Besson G bass trombone, so it was written in standard bass clef concert pitch notation) were written in the same transposed treble clef notation so all players could learn fingerings or positions the same way. Oversimplified explanation, yes, but sufficient for this thread.

In the UK, you can keep track of everything by subscribing to http://www.britishbandsman.com/" target="_blank" target="_blank and http://www.4barsrest.com" target="_blank" target="_blank , and in the USA by http://www.nabba.org" target="_blank" target="_blank .