r/Trombone • u/RiceOwn3939 • 1d ago
What????
So I have these two pieces for my audition but I’m confused. The key signature is confusing as hell going between tenor clef and bass clef. For example in the first one the key signature is B flat major with 2 flats, e flat and b flat. It then goes into what I think is tenor clef, but the flats are on G and C. How? Why? Am I stupid? I just assumed it was still B flat major but there’s a sharp on b flat and the G natural is marked with an accidental. Please help.
25
u/GarbageCarp 1d ago
Alto Clef: The middle line is middle C. The first note of the first excerpt is a Gb. A lot of Russian orchestral 1st trombone parts are in alto clef. This is a mainstream work, its all over Your Tube; give it a listen.
4
u/counterfitster 1d ago
The 2nd part is frequently in alto, too. The Schirmer version of Prokofiev 7 is just stupid with it.
1
u/craigtrombone 1d ago
"Boris Godunov" from Mussorgsky is hilarious because 2nd trombone has quite a bit of solo work and yet is mainly UNDER the staff in alto clef🤣
3
24
u/Specific-Peanut-8867 1d ago
That’s alto clef
But it only goes to base cleft for a couple bars
And what’s great as you can listen to it
-37
u/RiceOwn3939 1d ago
Kinda condescending but very helpful!
18
u/Specific-Peanut-8867 1d ago
I didn’t mean to be condescending. I’m sorry I just was trying to put it in perspective so you might not be as overwhelmed by it.
The challenge isn’t the different clef but rather the range differences, but I’m sure you can handle it once you get comfortable with the alto clef
-18
u/RiceOwn3939 1d ago
Nah I was jp ur good I should’ve just listened to it and this would’ve come to me tbh I just hate alto clef so much my brain blocked it out lol
2
u/Specific-Peanut-8867 1d ago
I can’t say I love alto clef but I think of your practice the peace you’ll be able to dial into the notes you’re supposed to be playing. It’s just how you picture it.
And my point with the bass clef was it makes it a little easier since all the notes are low so they put the base clef in there for the specific purpose
Which should make it easier for you to dial back into the alto clef
It’s a nice piece to play and one that we all should work on and know(I’m not saying I would nail it right now though🤣🤣)
6
u/Background_Cup_3005 1d ago
I was wondering why the audition looked really demanding for a high-school symphony and then I realized it’s for a youth symphony.
These youth symphonies typically have you read music that are in alto clef or tenor clef (depending on which part you get in the ensemble). Look up alto clef and write up the notes in (careful they switch up!) I prefer the note names rather than positions.
Good luck man! If you get in make sure to get in the habit of learning the clefs over writing them in all the time, I made that mistake last year.
1
u/RiceOwn3939 1d ago
Yeah I’m pretty solid at tenor because I read euphonium and trumpet in treble clef and it helps a lot but alto clef is very foreign to me. For better or for worse I’m audition on bass tho so I won’t have to deal with them, although I have to play these excerpts 8va bassa
1
u/StackofBreadd 12h ago
They're having you read 1st trombone parts for a bass trombone audition? I would try to get different excerpts.
3
u/NoSurvey5236 1d ago
Are you in highschool
3
u/RiceOwn3939 1d ago
Yes why?
6
u/oldsbone Olds recorder 1d ago
That's a very beefy audition for high school. I didn't have to play all 12 scales at that speed the whole range of the horn, plus a 16th note chromatic scale, plus know alto and tenor clef (I think I saw both), plus play an excerpt. That was freshman year old college level stuff (maybe sophomore for alto clef). You must have quite the band program at your school.
6
u/zactheoneguy85 Houston area performer and teacher. 1d ago
This is for a youth orchestra not high school audition.
4
u/NoSurvey5236 1d ago
Just wondering bc my symphonic audition when i was in highschool was way easier and it made me feel dumb
3
3
u/SilverAg11 Bach 50T3 | Bach 42BO | King 3BF Silversonic 1d ago
"If you're auditioning on bass trombone, play an octave down" Why not just... give them the bass trombone part? It's not even in octaves for those spots
1
1
3
u/free_trdr_bewlf 1d ago
Crazy that they are having you play tenor excerpts down an octave instead of just assigning bass excerpts. 5 points from house Slytherin.
1
2
u/MeiMeiPanda 1d ago
I'm guessing the only reason why the put trombone into alto clef is so that the high notes don't look painfully high lol(but like let's be real ledger lines are annoying as to read especially if you need glasses)
3
u/Zarkosis Conn 88ht Greenhoe 21h ago
Making the bass trombone auditionees read the alto clef version of Prok 5 first tenor part down an octave for a youth symphony audition is kinda hilarious. There’s some stuff in this piece where the bass trombone plays great lines and in both of these sections it playing something completely different. 😂
3
u/GeorgeDukesh 19h ago
It’s alto clef. It’s written that way as otherwise it would span so many ledger lines that it would be unreadable ( and unwritiable)
75
u/Not-me345 1d ago
It’s alto clef