Posted by John Szkutko on May 13, 1999 at 20:35:50:
In Reply to: Eb tuba in a British Brass Band posted by Greg on May 05, 1999 at 00:47:30:
Just do it!!! Sure, there's the secret formulas to getting it right but they're not all fool proof. Once you have got the general idea of which "buttons" to press for which notes in your new clef, just keep doing it. In time it will become second nature. Trust me, going between school concert band and brass band treble clef on EEb tuba gives you no choice but to become fluent in both clefs. In the end you don't worry about the accidentals and their "clef conversion", you instinctively know what fingering to use.
Add to this when you change tubas (ie, going to BBb as I did) and you have to play in both worlds again (treble and bass clef) the fact of just doing it will get you there.
After 15 years in many different situations, I can now read treble and bass clef on both EEb and BBb tubas and even "Treble Clef Eb transposition" on my BBb.
After a while everything will become second nature........Except for marching!!!!
;-) John Szkutko