Trombone players: Here’s middle C on treble cleff: “ok” Here’s middle C on bass cleff: “ok” Here’s middle C on tenor cleff:”ok” Here’s middle C in alto cleff:”I’m leaving”
Thanks. I’m reading about solmization as it was developed originally. I’m impressed with the way the alto clef can be shifted up and down to make any part more readable.
This was a really helpful video for me. I appreciate how concise and practical it was. Happy to have discovered your channel, looks like you have a lot of great content!
"We all hate reading ledger lines" -- YES, WE DO! And once I read _Orchesographie_ (um, 1590?), in which Arbeau uses all three clefs as _movable_ clefs as was the custom back then (C-clef shows up most often, IIRC), I realized just how much I hate reading ledger lines and wanted to bring back having all clefs movable to minimize them. But my bandmates get exasperated with me when I write something in French violin clef or baritone clef. *sigh* Though one, a violinist who also plays viola, does prefer mezzo-soprano clef for viola because it's less of a mental shift for him than alto clef. Though of course if we start moving clefs around in the middle of a piece (as was done way back when), our notation software should also support adding custodes at the ends of lines, too.
Because I play piano which only uses treble clef and bass clef, I' read alto and tenor clef just using intervals. As long as I know middle C, then I immediately know the notes above and below by thinking of their interval from C.
Thank you, wondered about that strange thing Just wondering why the guitar uses transposing instead of the alto cleft, although, the inevitable leger lines would appear
The lowest note of the guitar is the same as the lowest note of the tenor trombone, which uses the bass and tenor clefs, so I would think that if the guitar were to be read at concert pitch, then the bass and tenor clefs would be more appropriate. As it is written in treble clef, transposing an octave lower, the lowest note is an E with 3 ledger lines, which is not too difficult to read. If the tenor clef is used, you would still need up to 3 ledger lines below, while if the bass clef is used, there would be a large number of ledger lines above the staff. Thus, since the number of ledger lines would not decrease if either of these clefs were used, the treble clef, transposing down an octave, is the most advantageous choice, as this would allow the guitarist to read music of other treble clef instruments, which are far more common than tenor clef instruments.
I've wondered the same thing before. The viola uses the alto clef, as mentioned in the video, but no other common modern instrument does, instead often preferring to use a treble clef that plays an octave down (like a guitar, or vocal tenor parts). So both why do these instruments not use an alto clef, and why does the viola not use an octaved treble clef? I could imagine for the viola it's helpful for people who transition between the violin and viola not to get mixed up, since otherwise you'll likely end up playing an octave apart by accident; when the clefs are completely dissimilar you'll notice right away that something's off. But I guess treble is more familiar in general so if you don't have a reason like this, you would prefer treble...? Another question is why cellos (and other bass clef instruments) use the tenor clef instead of the alto clef when things get too high for the bass clef. It'd feel a lot more streamlined if there were just one common C clef rather than two, just like the one F clef and the one G clef that are used today. I imagine for all these questions a large part of it is just an accident of history that ended up happening to be canonized as normal for different instruments, not necessarily because of good reasons.
Thank you very much. It seems to me the Alto clef makes the most sense since the middle C sits in the middle. Question: why do they write music for guitar on the treble clef when it is actually played an octave lower? Wouldn`t it make more sense to write it in the alto clef??
It doesn't get easier 😭 I play flute and piano then learnt viola, but I couldn't learn the Clef. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't get the treble and bass clefs out of my mind. Three years I had viola lessons then had to give up.
On alto clef, all notes are simply written one line/space lower than on treble clef (and of course you need to remember that it's also one octave lower). So, on the G clef, a G can be found on the 2nd line. On the alto clef, a G can be found on the space below the 2nd line. It's just one octave lower. This is how I always read alto clef. I never need to play anything that's written on alto clef, but I sometimes need to look at scores that use the alto clef and figure out what notes the viola is playing. In that case, the octave doesn't really matter that much - I just need to know what note it is (and also, the octave is quite easy to remember). BTW, I think the alto/tenor clef is kind of outdated, because you could simply use treble clef transposed an octave down. In modern choir music, this is how the tenor part is usually notated. And this is also how guitar is notated. Obviously the viola still uses that clef, but it's pretty much the only instrument that still uses it. All other instruments have moved away from it. So why not do the same thing with the viola, and just start using the octave lower G-clef?
putting the altoclef into the middle helped me a lot. so the top line is a G and the bottom line is a F and from there I find any other notes with ease
I love the alto clef. But maybe I'm bias because I'm a violist :)
As a pianist I never understood alto cleff, because i never needed to understand it. Now I know more. Thank you
I love the way you merged all three staffs bass, alto, and treble. Great! And explained range of melody at middle C.
Trombone players:
Here’s middle C on treble cleff: “ok”
Here’s middle C on bass cleff: “ok”
Here’s middle C on tenor cleff:”ok”
Here’s middle C in alto cleff:”I’m leaving”
Thanks. I’m reading about solmization as it was developed originally. I’m impressed with the way the alto clef can be shifted up and down to make any part more readable.
read as a G clef, up one note (then down an octave), that’s all
Alto Clef is the best clef because Middle C is actually in the middle.
That is what I think. It makes sense.
This was a really helpful video for me. I appreciate how concise and practical it was. Happy to have discovered your channel, looks like you have a lot of great content!
"We all hate reading ledger lines" -- YES, WE DO! And once I read _Orchesographie_ (um, 1590?), in which Arbeau uses all three clefs as _movable_ clefs as was the custom back then (C-clef shows up most often, IIRC), I realized just how much I hate reading ledger lines and wanted to bring back having all clefs movable to minimize them. But my bandmates get exasperated with me when I write something in French violin clef or baritone clef. *sigh* Though one, a violinist who also plays viola, does prefer mezzo-soprano clef for viola because it's less of a mental shift for him than alto clef.
Though of course if we start moving clefs around in the middle of a piece (as was done way back when), our notation software should also support adding custodes at the ends of lines, too.
Because I play piano which only uses treble clef and bass clef, I' read alto and tenor clef just using intervals. As long as I know middle C, then I immediately know the notes above and below by thinking of their interval from C.
2:40 You can also think that the lines form an Fmaj9 chord, and the spaces form a G7 chord.
My method for learning the alto clef was playing the viola.
Works every time.
Nobody:
SCP fans searching for their kin:
𓁹𓂏𓁹
real
Some JSBach manuscripts use Saprano c-clef and Bass f-clef. The Middle-C is the borrom line of the upper-stave.
I got a viola yesterday. I've been playing trumpet for fifty years and violin for three years. I'm excited to learn something new.
Thank you so much!! This is a really useful explanation and will be sharing to some of my fellow music classmates!! Thanks so much :)
Use of the 'animals' in your mnemonic works for a violist, in that our open A string is part of our daily existence. Thanks!
I taught myself how to read the alto clef when I joined an orchestra. (I'm a violinist so I still read treble clef)
Very intelligent explanation.Thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
0:17 You completely neglected Rhythm Clef.
ikr
Great explanation! Thank you. I have trouble remembering which C clef is alto & which is tenor....anybody else?
Thank you, wondered about that strange thing
Just wondering why the guitar uses transposing instead of the alto cleft, although, the inevitable leger lines would appear
The lowest note of the guitar is the same as the lowest note of the tenor trombone, which uses the bass and tenor clefs, so I would think that if the guitar were to be read at concert pitch, then the bass and tenor clefs would be more appropriate. As it is written in treble clef, transposing an octave lower, the lowest note is an E with 3 ledger lines, which is not too difficult to read. If the tenor clef is used, you would still need up to 3 ledger lines below, while if the bass clef is used, there would be a large number of ledger lines above the staff. Thus, since the number of ledger lines would not decrease if either of these clefs were used, the treble clef, transposing down an octave, is the most advantageous choice, as this would allow the guitarist to read music of other treble clef instruments, which are far more common than tenor clef instruments.
I've wondered the same thing before. The viola uses the alto clef, as mentioned in the video, but no other common modern instrument does, instead often preferring to use a treble clef that plays an octave down (like a guitar, or vocal tenor parts). So both why do these instruments not use an alto clef, and why does the viola not use an octaved treble clef?
I could imagine for the viola it's helpful for people who transition between the violin and viola not to get mixed up, since otherwise you'll likely end up playing an octave apart by accident; when the clefs are completely dissimilar you'll notice right away that something's off. But I guess treble is more familiar in general so if you don't have a reason like this, you would prefer treble...?
Another question is why cellos (and other bass clef instruments) use the tenor clef instead of the alto clef when things get too high for the bass clef. It'd feel a lot more streamlined if there were just one common C clef rather than two, just like the one F clef and the one G clef that are used today.
I imagine for all these questions a large part of it is just an accident of history that ended up happening to be canonized as normal for different instruments, not necessarily because of good reasons.
Why did they not set middle see in the 3rd space? It would basically have been the violin clef one octave lower
Very helpful! Thanks for posting!
It’s so annoying that the alto clef is a mystery to some, I’ve been trying to find one song on the alto clef but I can only find bass and treble
Thank you very much. It seems to me the Alto clef makes the most sense since the middle C sits in the middle. Question: why do they write music for guitar on the treble clef when it is actually played an octave lower? Wouldn`t it make more sense to write it in the alto clef??
It doesn't get easier 😭 I play flute and piano then learnt viola, but I couldn't learn the Clef. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't get the treble and bass clefs out of my mind. Three years I had viola lessons then had to give up.
Awesome video, Marshall Eriksen 😅
alto clef is only for viola?
On alto clef, all notes are simply written one line/space lower than on treble clef (and of course you need to remember that it's also one octave lower). So, on the G clef, a G can be found on the 2nd line. On the alto clef, a G can be found on the space below the 2nd line. It's just one octave lower. This is how I always read alto clef. I never need to play anything that's written on alto clef, but I sometimes need to look at scores that use the alto clef and figure out what notes the viola is playing. In that case, the octave doesn't really matter that much - I just need to know what note it is (and also, the octave is quite easy to remember).
BTW, I think the alto/tenor clef is kind of outdated, because you could simply use treble clef transposed an octave down. In modern choir music, this is how the tenor part is usually notated. And this is also how guitar is notated. Obviously the viola still uses that clef, but it's pretty much the only instrument that still uses it. All other instruments have moved away from it. So why not do the same thing with the viola, and just start using the octave lower G-clef?
putting the altoclef into the middle helped me a lot. so the top line is a G and the bottom line is a F and from there I find any other notes with ease
Thanks this really helped:)
I found it easier than the bass clef in some ways.
All 3rd trumpet parts should be written in alto clef
while this is a helpful video and all it gets some things wrong; i do not fear dying
The only clef that makes sense: middle C in the middle of the staff
Fat Alley Cats Eat Garbage and good brakes don't fail.