I have been in concert band and wind ensemble for a while. It seems now that composers are now starting to write Concert band music for the trombone in tenor clef. I recently got some music written in tenor clef. Does anybody know how to read tenor clef? I always thought they kept the tenor clef out of concert band and wind ensemble music, but not anymore I guess. Has anyone ever seen the tenor clef in concert band music? I haven`t until now.

Yeah, you see it there every once in a while. It`s seen more often in orchestral music, but since a lot of the time that is the same music arranged for concert band or wind ensemble, there ya go. You do see it everywhere, but not so much with lower level music. So you`re going to see it more and more often.

Tenor clef is actually pretty easy to figure out, it just takes some time to get used to. In bass clef, the 4th line of the staff is F. In tenor clef, that same 4th line is middle C, 1 whole step above tuning Bb. You should be able to figure it out from there, if not buy a book that deals specifically with teaching tenor clef. My suggestion is Blazhevich`s "Clef Studies". Tough book, but effective.

Tenor clef!? in concert band music!? That`s a first for me. What`s next reading alto clef in jazz band.

You actually see it a lot, especially in college level and above music. Jazz band is different, in 16 years of playing in big bands, I think I`ve only seen tenor clef once, and it was a weird peice. But in my college Wind Ensemble, I read tenor regularly, and alto every once in a while. And then there`s orchestra, where you read tenor and alto more than bass.

I see a lot of tenor clef in orchestra. The trombone uses the tenor clef more than the cello or the bassoon, or any other instrument. I played works by Tchaikovsky and wagner and the tenor trombone parts are all written entirely in tenor clef. Alto clef is sometimes even used. Only the bass trombones parts were written in bass clef.

In contrast for the cello the tenor clef is only used for the upper reigser, when you go high in that instrument. For the Bassoon, it is used slightly more often about half and half, more than the cello, but less than the tenor trombone.

Tenor clef is also used in trombone chamber music and solos. THere is a tenor trombone concerto written entirely in tenor clef. In a trombone quartet for example, the first two parts are written in alto and tenor clef. at least the one`s i have played. Biger trombone choirs music also have a lot of alto aend tenor clef in it.

As for concert bands and jazz bands it seems like alto and Tenor clef is starting tocreep up in wind ensemble music and even jazz band. I Know beginner trombonists that are now learning the tenor clef stimotaneously with the bass clef. Will the tenor clef overtake the bass clef as the predominant clef in trombone music, at least for the tenor trombone?

No, and here is why. (in my humble opinion, at least) The origin of tenor and alto clef in trombone music was from back in the day when it was instrument specific. Bas clef for bass trombone, tenor clef for tenor trombone, and alto clef for alto trombone. Some people still write that way, and some people write into the tenor or alto clefs for range reasons so we don`t have to count 68 ledger lines. You also see it a lot in scores, since ledger lines would bleed into the part above. It will never take over completely, because that would defeat the purpose of having them separate.

As for jazz, you rarely if ever see tenor or alto, simply because the orchestral instrumentation (bass tenor alto trombones) doesn’t exist there. Just regular bone and bass. So 99.9% (or more) of the time in jazz music you will be reading bass clef. In my 16 years of playing jazz music, and having played probably thousands of jazz charts, I think I have only seen tenor clef once or twice, and I can’t even remember what charts they were.

is it just me or does anyone else wish big band lead charts were in tenor clef.



MAN that would make reading up high MUCh easier when you dont have to count the fricken ledger lines on stage.

my opinion though, i love tenor clef and i basically write all my quartet and duet stuff in tenor clef just because ledger lines are lame

but what about ledger lines at the bottom of the tenor clef. What if you go into the lower register of the trombone? that will infedere in the score with the part below it in the score.

That`s why it would change back and forth from tenor to bass.

Erik,

Alto clef does not always mean the music is for alto trombone. A considerable amount of composers, paritcurally Russian and other Slavic composers in the 19th century and the twentieth centuy wrote the the first and second trombones part in alto clef, both to be played on a tenor trombone. Stravinksy did this. So alto clef was used for tenor trombone.

Same anology for the alto trombone. Not all alto tromobone music is in alto clef. nearly all of it is, but not EVERYTHING Once exception i know is the one edition of Mozart`s Requiem where the alto trombone part is written in tenor clef.

I know this can make thigns confusing, but the clefs were not always instrument specific to the composers. They could have used a variety of clefs for the same particular instrument.

It`s not just orchestra music or even concert band music that is tenor clef. What about solo music? I have a tenor trombone concerto that is written entirely in tenor clef in all the movements of that concerto. No bass clef at all. (yes the music goes very high at times)

Thanks Tromboneman, but I don`t remember saying "always" or "everything". I was talking about the origin of these different clefs, which of course did change greatly in the Romantic period. Most composers in this period followed the lead of Beethoven and began more often breaking the pre-existing "rules" to writing and arranging orchestral music. But much of the music even after this period, and some even to this day, still use the old psuedo-rule of alto clef for alto bone, tenor clef for tenor bone, and bass clef for bass bone.

The other thing that changed was equipment. No longer did trombone players have to depend on alto trombone for the range or sound they were after. Talent of players continued to rise, so many players began to ignore the alto trombone and play the alto part on tenor trombone.

Sometimes I wonder how musicians actually worked back in the day. What equipment did a player use for Beethoven`s 5th, which goes up to the high F? Today, it would not be outrageous for anyone to play it on their regular workhorse big bore tenor horn. Back then, though, I would put money on everyone playing it using an alto, simply because that is what it is designed for. Not only the range, but the slightly lighter feel and sound of the instrument.

As for solo music, that is a relatively new monster. "Relatively new" being during and post Romantic Period. There really weren`t trombone solos, concertos, suites, or features before then, and even at that time not many. Not till the last century did the trombone really become the "solo" instrument it is today. So, the alto/tenor/bass clef issue is more just for ease of reading, as opposed to which horn to play.