Re: [Finale] Clef refuses to display

[David H. Bailey]

Traditionally bass clarinetists read music in treble clef, sounding a major 9th lower, so that soprano clarinetists can simply pick up a bass clarinet and start playing. It gets back to the whole transposing instrument thing, where the music has to be transposed so the player can simply switch to the appropriately pitched instrument and keep on playing as always. A tradition I wish had never happened, but there you have it.

Most bass clarinet music that I have ever seen (after 40 years playing in concert bands) has been in treble clef. Actually, I think it safe to say that ALL the bass clarinet music I have ever seen (I have been a conductor of a community band for the past 18 years) has been in treble clef.

So it would depend greatly on the person playing the bass clarinet part as to whether they could even play the bass clef part.



Michael Edwards wrote:

[John Blane:]

(although I am unclear as
to why you would show a bass clef for this instrument).

     "The Technique of Orchestration" by Kent Wheeler Kennan, if I remember
correctly (it's not handy to check now) states that either the treble clef or
bass clef can be used for notating music for the bass clarinet.  If the music is
in treble clef, it is played a major 9th lower than the notated pitch, and, if
it is in bass clef, it is played a major 2nd lower.  Considering the pitch range
of the instrument, I would have thought the bass clef to be the better choice,
and the one I would prefer.
     Is there a particular reason why the use of bass clef should be surprising?

                         Regards,
                          Michael Edwards.



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David H. Bailey
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