Treble Clef Tuba

[roughrider]

Is it possible to play a CC tuba when reading treble clef in a brass band? I have already played CC tuba in a concert band when reading bass clef, could I not just do the same in brass band as long as I am reading the notes correctly? This coming from someone whose brain hurts.

[ColeGAnderson]

I imagine it would be fine as long as the piece has not been transposed for another intrument, in which case you'd need to transpose it back. For some some reason we tubists don't transpose, we just learn different fingerings. It might be quite high but you'd just have to chose an octave. I've done this before in musical orchestras, it's a good skill to be able to read other clefs and one that can be fun when playing excerps from other instruments, just be careful of the key if it's been transposed.
Hope this helps, happy playing!
Cole

[roughrider]

Thank you!

[Lars Trawen]

In British brassbands, all instruments are written in treble clef, except the bass trombone, which is in bass clef, of any reason.
Also the tubas are transposed and always to BBb and Eb in treble clef.
Of course you can use a CC tuba but you have to transpose it from BBb to CC in the fly.
Could be difficult in the beginning but is soon managable.
I know people using F tubas instead of Eb without problems. It's the same problem.
Good luck,
Lars

[Michael Bush]

Here it is being done at a very high level of quality. (PT6-P and HB-2P). So definitely more than possible.

[Z-Tuba Dude]

Also the tubas are transposed and always to BBb and Eb in treble clef.
....I know people using F tubas instead of Eb without problems. It's the same problem.
Good luck,
Lars

I would think anyone reading off the Eb part can just do the "change the clef & add 3 flats" trick, but not so for the Bb part!

[hup_d_dup]

roughrider, one of the brass bands I am currently in had a member who played one of the Bb parts on a C tuba. It is exactly the same as a trumpet player reading a Bb part on a C trumpet.

It sounds like you are not familiar with treble clef, so it really doesn't matter if you are playing on a Bb or C tuba . . . either way you need to learn new treble clef fingerings.

Get a beginning trumpet method book and start by playing that. But don't use the fingering chart in the book; you need to make a new fingering chart since all the C fingerings will be a step below a Bb trumpet.

Hup

[Heliconer]

With my PT-6P, I just hold down the fifth valve (Tuned to a flat 1) and adjust my slides. I don't do it often. But it works on the fly.

[TheGoyWonder]

You have an actual brass band instrument, or close enough, in your signature (YBB-321). Consider playing that one.

Of course CC tuba can be used, to the extent that an instrument can play music. If you're gonna modernize/Americanize the brass band with trumpets/long cornets with shallow mp's/french horns, that would be one thing. But usually you'll find everybody else is using a very conventional instrument.

[BramJ]

For some some reason we tubists don't transpose, we just learn different fingerings.

In The Netherlands we do (well, the composer/arranger does it for us ) , in the amateur world at least
Also, usualy written in bass cleff

[DonShirer]

People playing a Bb instrument who know trumpet fingerings,can read the melody from a piano score and transpose up a whole tone. Although it has been a while since I've done this, it was not particularly difficult. I should imagine that a CC tubist who has played the trumpet could read a treble clef Bb tuba score and transpose down a whole tone just as easily.

[michael_glenn]

Is it possible to play a CC tuba when reading treble clef in a brass band?

I've been doing it for more than 20 years. There are a few options for you to manage the transpositions.
(in no order)

1) Read tenor clef, add two flats to the key. (Accidentals are tricky but this is how I started)

2) Read concert pitch bass clef, play using F tuba fingerings. (I've never done this)

3) Re-notate the part into bass clef.

4) Learn Bb treble clef at sight. (Eventually, that just happens.)

My vote would be for #1 because then you can ALSO read tenor clef.

I do number 2. But side note, you still need to add two flats to the signature. Good luck!

[Sam Gnagey]

We do have a fingering method for reading Bb treble clef on a CC tuba. It works using F tuba fingering with manipulation of the key signature and accidentals.