Is it harmful to learn the treble clef as well?

[sheepshank]

Hi Basstalkers,

Im a musician thats been struggling to learn reading sheet music for most of my playing life. Started out on guitar and read mostly tabs and some sheet music. Lately I´ve only studied bass and bass clef.

The problem is, I have started practising some etudes i treble clef, and I mix it up so much. I dont notice Im off until things starting to sound awkward and then I realize Im in the wrong key or clef. Some of it actually sounds cool in both clefs tho.

Has anyone experienced the same? Should I stick to one clef or just continue with both, hoping that I get better at reading both clefs?

have a nice day,
Espen

 

[thabassmon]

I read both so I don't think it's harmful, but I do think it may be confusing if you are still getting your sight reading together. It'll probably make the whole process of making it fluent take longer.

 

[BrotherMister]

It's absolutely not detrimental to learn treble clef. If anything it opens up a lot more music to you. Interesting enough all the bass clef readers I know such as cellists, bassoonists etc are all great readers in treble (some of us in alto and tenor) as well, but the treble readers all struggle with bass clef.

 

[SteveCS]

Given that a 24-fret 4-string bass range goes from E on the first ledger line below bass clef to G in the first space above treble clef, I think it is useful to learn both.
YMMV, IME, etc...

 

[Jefenator]

A case could be made to concentrate limited study time on the clef you’ll actually be using with your chosen instrument.
That said, I’ve never found it to be detrimental to spend some time in treble clef land.
As a matter of fact, I do sometimes get asked to join in on a figure written in treble clef on a chart. So for me that’s more than sufficient practical justification.

 

[rufus.K]

Totally harmful.
Never do it.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

Learn both treble and bass clef.

/

 

[sonojono]

I have to cause I write out charts for guitar players in my band as well as bass. It’s good to learn both clefs including the Alto clef

 

[Real Soon]

Something that might help is looking at both clefs together, i.e. piano music. That puts them in context, so the reason they're placed as they are makes more sense. And if you learn a little piano while you're at it, no harm there either!

 

[dreamadream99]

It is not harmful. Most musicians I know read more than one clef.

While clefs are second nature to me now, and I can effortlessly slide between them, I do remember what it was like when I first started learning treble. Like you I got confused sometimes.

All I can say is, stick it out. The long term benefits outweigh the short term confusion.

 

[buldog5151bass]

It can never hurt to know both - ask any pianist...

 

[BluesWalker]

It is a good thing to kniw

 

[Killing Floor]

I first learned violin and school choir and we were taught treble clef in 2nd grade. But shortly afterward I studied piano at home and grew interested in cello so bass clef was important. I think the best way to learn to read is concurrently with both bass and treble clefs. That's how music is historically written so it makes sense to not skip half the process no matter what instrument you are learning. In my opinion.

But also in my opinion the symbolic scripture that we use could use a little tweeking. Like many things in our lives, what worked for European aristocrats a thousand years ago is not bad, just could be more user-friendly.

 

[SLO Surfer]

It’s a good thing to know how to read both treble and bass clef, but I might recommend sticking to one clef at first until you feel confident. Then start with the second clef. I became fluent in reading treble clef (clarinet in school band) before learning bass clef. And bass clef came easy very quickly since I already had a solid sight reading base.

Can you focus on both clefs in the beginning? - yes. Like all things, people learn the same thing in different ways. But if you’re getting hung up, I’d recommend focusing on just one clef for a while until you feel better at sight reading.

 

[Pdaddy1978]

Dont do it...
You'll morph into a keyboard player.
Then you have to get a cape...etc.
Bad juju.

 

[Papageno]

Harmful? Are you kidding?

How could it possibly be harmful to be a better educated and more competent musician?

Treble clef is the most used clef and will give you access to tons of music and enable you to communicate with zillions of musicians.

 

[WestyBassBob]

You really can't play bass if you don't know what the treble clef is playing. By all means read, listen and learn.

 

[Papageno]

Something that might help is looking at both clefs together, i.e. piano music. That puts them in context, so the reason they're placed as they are makes more sense. And if you learn a little piano while you're at it, no harm there either!

Best advice in this thread. You can learn both clefs simultaneously in this way, understanding how they connect to each other.

You can safely ignore C clefs.

 

[Manticore]

I would think it mandatory. Reading well makes life so much easier.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

Having more musical knowledge can't possibly be harmful in any possible way.