Double Bass Reading C Clef

[Dave Roberts]

i just purchased Bach's Cello Suites for Double Bass Arranged by Bernat, not realizing that most of them are in C Clef, which I'm not that familiar with. Is there a good, easy way to learn to sight read this clef with easier material than the cello suites?

 

[Carl Hillman]

Edwards, Brad Introductory Studies in Tenor & Alto Clef for Euphonium Studies & Etudes

https://www.amazon.com/Learning-Tenor-Clef-Cello-Progressive/dp/0571519172

Simandl II has a bit of tenor clef in the mix.

Blazhevich Clef Studies are a bit more advanced.

 

[PaulCannon]

I don't think you need to buy anything, except maybe some staff paper. Write some simple scales and exercises down in tenor clef, and then play them. You can make two versions of everything: one with the note names written out over the pitches, and one without. That's how I did it.

 

[damonsmith]

It is a great skill to have. That Bernat book was a bit wonky - I worked out of it for years until British Airways lost a bag with it in it. I use the Fournier 'cello edition now. It is better, for me at least.

A good piece to get tenor clef under your fingers is this Fauré transcription - it is only one page, it sings really nice on the bass, has some nice challenges and is mostly in tenor after the opening in bass clef. That helps you get the main theme down before you take it up an octave.
(Just don't play it for a strict French teacher unless you really have it- I played it in a lesson with Joëlle Léandre. She was not happy.)
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[dreamadream99]

Here's how I learned in high school on trombone. Starts easy; gets harder:
https://www.amazon.com/Studies-Trombone-Intermediate-Method-compiled/dp/0530054612

 

[Les Fret]

I can read it but I never liked the C clef. As a composer I don't see any reason to use it for bass. You can just as well use bass clef 8va or treble clef. Most modern editions do that. C clef is more in older editions I think. Sometimes even having to read three clefs in the same piece which makes the contour of the lines visually blurred. But we have to deal with it. It's a necessary evil.

 

[basscleff94010]

As a composer I don't see any reason to use it for bass.

Thank you! I have never understood why this clef is needed for the bass. The worst is when they stick a C clef in the middle of measure. Always confuses me.

 

[damonsmith]

It is easier to take an afternoon or two to learn the clef than to fight the battle against it. There are enough nice solos around in it that are fun to play.

 

[Les Fret]

That's over simplified. It takes more than an afternoon or two to be able to play just as fluent in the C clef as in the bass clef. You have read all your life in the bass clef.

 

[damonsmith]

That's over simplified. It takes more than an afternoon or two to be able to play just as fluent in the C clef as in the bass clef. You have read all your life in the bass clef.

It literally took a couple of days to get over the reading aspect of the Faure piece I posted above (I am still working on making it float and sing well!). If you use a piece like that that give you the theme in bass clef first it is not hard. I recently started working on it again after not doing it for a while and in one practice session it was easy to read.

 

[robobass]

That's over simplified. It takes more than an afternoon or two to be able to play just as fluent in the C clef as in the bass clef. You have read all your life in the bass clef.

First of all, C-clef means more than just tenor clef. There is also alto clef and others. Bass players with bows should read tenor, at least. If you can't, then that is a good project for you. Improve your sight reading / ear training skills! Learn to interpret the notation by interval, not just pure position! It also helps when you need to transpose on sight, which can be helpful even for a jazz player who doesn't own a bow. In my day you were shown pages in all different clefs in sight singing classes in music school, and expected to read them. This is probably gone now. Still, I can pick up a viola part of some Bach piece. Play it in original key, or decide to transpose up or down a step or two. No biggie. I feel sad for those who lack that ability.

 

[CaseyVancouver]

It is a great skill to have.

Yep.

 

[CaseyVancouver]

It is a great skill to have. That Bernat book was a bit wonky - I worked out of it for years until British Airways lost a bag with it in it. I use the Fournier 'cello edition now. It is better, for me at least.

A good piece to get tenor clef under your fingers is this Fauré transcription - it is only one page, it sings really nice on the bass, has some nice challenges and is mostly in tenor after the opening in bass clef. That helps you get the main theme down before you take it up an octave.
(Just don't play it for a strict French teacher unless you really have it- I played it in a lesson with Joëlle Léandre. She was not happy.)
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Hey damonsmith! I am rather surprised.

Apres Un Reve is such a conventional piece. Yes it is melodic, but I figure you to go for more 'out there' music. Interesting.

Maybe you are using it as an exercise.

C.

 

[damonsmith]

Yeah, I don't perform it. My practice and study is very traditional, I always have some solos going for study and teaching. A lot of my work is based on the classical solo bass tradition. It helps in music where you need to be an equal partner.

Hey damonsmith! I am rather surprised.

Apres Un Reve is such a conventional piece. Yes it is melodic, but I figure you to go for more 'out there' music. Interesting.

Maybe you are using it as an exercise.

C.

 

[koricancowboy]

If you can get your hands on the Gajdos version of Hoffmeister 3, it's entirely in tenor clef. Did this for my jr recital and it for sure got my tenor clef in shape. Sight reading studies as mentioned above are good. I have my students make their own flash cards. In regard to most modern editions treble clef is much more common than tenor clef so get in on that too. If you do read treble fluently than you can look at the note and think a step down. For example, the fourth line is a d in treble clef but a c in tenor. Mind the octave. This is helpful for exactly the amount of time it takes to make your own flash cards so don't rely on it.

 

[damonsmith]

I can read it but I never liked the C clef. As a composer I don't see any reason to use it for bass. You can just as well use bass clef 8va or treble clef. Most modern editions do that. C clef is more in older editions I think. Sometimes even having to read three clefs in the same piece which makes the contour of the lines visually blurred. But we have to deal with it. It's a necessary evil.

I don't write a lot, but, I wrote a concerto for two basses for a free jazz orchestra several years a go, it is pretty good, it has graphic notation as well as normal notation - there is a few bars of thematic material for the basses and one line sits right in tenor, so I used it.
Another reason to get it down is just research. I love seeing scores just for the history of the instrument. I might get a passage here and there of historical works under my fingers, even though I don't have time to work up performance versions.