Posted by Doug Elliott on June 29, 2002 at 12:48:58:
In Reply to: I need help, please posted by Tim T. on June 29, 2002 at 09:47:03:
Do you read bass clef OK, or are you transposing it as if you were seeing treble clef in addition to the Bb issue and the resulting key change all at once?
The real problem is that you are going back and forth, reading mostly Bb treble but occasionally trying to read C bass clef. If you spend enough time with C bass clef exclusively, reading it for what it is, and thinking about every note and fingering, NO CHEATING BY THINKING A TRANSPOSITION, you will quickly learn C bass clef for what it is.
If you read bass clef alright but when you see a C you automatically play open (fingering), then a C instrument will be perfect for reading bass clef, but not Bb treble.
The posts about Eb instruments refer to the fact that a C in treble clef looks like an Eb in bass clef (adding 3 flats) so if you pretend you're reading Bb treble, you see a C, finger it open, and out comes an Eb. You would have to add 3 flats (subtract 3 sharps) from every key signature, and you'd be lost if you tried to read a Bb treble clef part.
Overall, you'd be better off spending the time to learn bass clef on your Bb instrument, then read your Bb treble clef part in tenor clef! Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned that...