Re: Euphonium: Bb or C???


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Posted by Rick F. on July 07, 2001 at 19:04:11:

In Reply to: Euphonium: Bb or C??? posted by Ben Garrison on July 07, 2001 at 15:44:10:

Ben -- you say that the pitch on your new horn sounds different than your older so-called "C euphonium" with the same fingerings. If that's true, your older horn may have been pitched in the key of "C". Baritones and euphoniums are normally pitched in Bb. As stated earlier, their fundamental low pitch when the instrument is played "open", is Bb. When euphoniumists and BBb tubist, learn to play the notes of bass clef, they are taught the correct fingering to yield the corect note. A bass clef Bb is fingered open. When the same player is reading treble clef, the music is transposed for the Bb instrument and that same note... Bb concert pitch, will be seen as "C" on the treble clef staff and still be fingered open.

If in fact your old euphonium WAS pitched in "C", you will have to learn a whole new set of fingerings. A good way to check is to to play along with a piano the notes on a bass clef staff to see if you're playing the same pitch as the piano with your old fingerings on the new horn. If you are -- no problem. If you're playing a whole step lower than the piano, then your old horn was indeed a "C" istrument, and you'll have to learn some new fingerings.

Hope this helps.

Rick F.


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