Need Help Transposing

[Fireren]

So a new school year started and I decided to stay in the school band(Playing the bass of course).During the last class the class was given new 2 songs.The Masterpice by J.J.Mauret and Paul Parns, and Processional March by
James D. Ployhar.I got the tuba part and most of it is pretty easy but....there are notes that are to low to hit with the bass.My teacher told me to transpose it buy I have no idea how to.Would anyone like to teach me how to transpose these notes?

~Thanks in advance

[ericw]

Originally Posted by Fireren

...there are notes that are to low to hit with the bass.

I think we can play all the musical notes on our bass guitars (A through G#). He probably just meant play that particular section in a higher octave? Unless the whole band is playing in a different key than the piece is written, then do the above.

[Michael Henson]

+1

[Febs]

Tuba music is written in the octave in which it sounds. Bass sounds an octave below where it is written. Thus, to play tuba music on bass, you need to transpose up one octave.

[Jim Campbell]

now might be a good time to write out some simple passages and practice transposing on the fly........built into the woodshed regimen it will soon be second nature,and it's a valuable skill

[Fireren]

So say if the low note I cant play is a D I just bring it up to the D I know and love so much?

[Febs]

Originally Posted by Fireren

So say if the low note I cant play is a D I just bring it up to the D I know and love so much?

Yes--with a caveat. Sometimes it may be acceptable to play the individual notes that are below the range of the bass up on octave. But it is often a better choice to play entire phrases (or even the whole song) up an octave. It really depends on context.

[Jim Campbell]

Originally Posted by Fireren

So say if the low note I cant play is a D I just bring it up to the D I know and love so much?

sometimes that works but it probably would be better to raise it in phrases......

[Fireren]

Originally Posted by Febs

Yes--with a caveat. Sometimes it may be acceptable to play the individual notes that are below the range of the bass up on octave. But it is often a better choice to play entire phrases (or even the whole song) up an octave. It really depends on context.

I See...I guess I should get working on that.Im hoping in about a week or 2 I can transpose on the fly because my teacher said we are going to be getting alot more songs and most likely I will have to play the tuba part on those too.Anyways thank you for the help.

[Jim Campbell]

Originally Posted by Febs

Yes--with a caveat. Sometimes it may be acceptable to play the individual notes that are below the range of the bass up on octave. But it is often a better choice to play entire phrases (or even the whole song) up an octave. It really depends on context.

jinx..ya owe me a coke

[EADG mx]

Typically in this situation I would raise the entire piece (or passage). FWIW

[PJSShearer]

Speaking as an ex-Tuba Player (Eb and BBb):

To be pendatic - you should play the whole piece "up the octave" so as to be true to the part as it was written - especially if there is also a Tuba (or Tubas) in the band - you'll need to work on phrasing along with them as well. However, doubling the Bassline an octave below the Tubas would really fatten up the sound and during rehearsals the conductor may tell you to play it "down The octave to the fatten sound out" to do this :-).

Anyway, as stated serveral times above, any medodic type phrases should be kept in the same octave - either play them "all up" or "all down".

BTW - Did you know the reason the Double Bass is called the Double Bass is because it was originally used to "Double the Bass" (as played by the 'cello) an octave below?.