Maria,
Learning treble clef shouldn`t be that big of a change, because the notes are basically just shifted one staff line up from alto clef. For example, a C on an alto clef would be a B on a treble clef. The hard part, obviously, is training yourself to read the clef like that. Here are some techniques that I think will make it easier for you.
When I was first taking piano lessons about ten years ago, my teacher taught me a very effective technique to remember the lines and spaces on a treble clef. For the lines, going from bottom to top, she had me memorize the acronym "
Every
Good
Boy
Deserves
Fudge". For the lines, it was simply
FACE, from bottom to top. I used that for many years, and now it is just second nature for me. I also used a similar technique to memorize bass clef later in my lessons.
There is also a technique I learned at camp a few years ago to remember the placement of sharps and flats in a key signature. The phrase "
Battle
Ends
And
Down
Goes
Charles`
Father" tells you what staff lines the flats go on in a flat key signature, from left to right. There is also "
BEAD Good
Clean
Fun, for flat key signatures, one which I also use. For a sharp key signature, the order of the words is simply reversed, giving you
Father
Charles
Goes
Down
And
Ends
Battle", which tells you the staff lines that the sharps go on, from left to right.
I recommend you start small in learning treble clef. I believe the best way to learn is to write out easy melodies yourself, and play them over and over again, writing the note names over the notes if you need to. Then, gradually increase the difficulty of the melodies you write, and buy a relatively easy solo book in treble clef (the instrument doesn`t matter). Learning a new clef will take time, but if you are committed to it, then it will come naturally.
Good luck, and happy playing.
Thomas
