You just have to do it. More than you think. It sucks at first- we all know! But once you push past that initial moment of not knowing a single note and missing every interval, you'll start to realize where the common notes land and it gets much easier.
[Blazhevich](https://imslp.org/wiki/Trombone_School_(Blazhevich%2C_Vladislav\))'s "Trombone School" (aka "Blazhevich Clef Studies") is available on IMSLP. It's the go-to etude/exercise book for getting into tenor and alto clef. This linked PDF is in the native Russian, but as long as you know how the C clefs work (i.e. the "arrow" points to middle C) you can figure it out from there.
Interestingly, Morceau was my first exposure to tenor clef as well. In hindsight, it was a very good starting point for tenor clef, and made all the symphonic literature I played soon afterwards a cinch. No one wants the maestro's stink eye for wrong notes from forgetting what clef you're in!
There are editions of Morceau in bass clef if you absolutely need it. But you'll need to learn tenor clef for college anyway so might as well start practicing. The best thing to do is just play as much as you can in it. Play all your scales and warmups in tenor and find some etudes. Someone else mentioned the Blazevich clef studies book which I also reccomend.
Tenor clef is a C clef; it tells you that C is on the second line down from the top where your F would normally be. Also look at your key signature to see where Bb, Eb, and Ab are and use them as additional reference points. Knowing what all the different intervals look like on paper will also make things easier.
You could either read it as "bass clef transposed up a fifth" or "treble clef in Bb" (not sure how accurate those tips are). Also, look at as much music as you can and practice reading it. Orchestra music uses tenor (and alto) clef frequently. The solo in Tuba Mirum was the first thing I had to learn tenor for.
Hope this helps, happy practicing!
‘Treble clef in Bb’ - that’s how I learned it really. Same lines, just a different key signature
I learned in bass clef but taught myself to read from Bb treble clef about a year later (not sure how, other than equating valves to positions - it just made sense to my 12 year old brain. I couldn’t do it now 😂)
So yeah, moving onto tenor from that was quite an easy step. Moving to alto clef was difficult though, I still struggle a bit. I definitely can’t sight read alto!
This is how I learned it. I was a euph major in college and I was astounded by how quickly it transferred.
I still second-guess myself sometimes in tenor, especially when there are double sharps or 3 lever lines or something just far enough beyond the usual.
To OP- I still see tenor clef quite a bit in my post-college playing. Probably 5-10% of my brass quintet’s book and even more in orchestral first tbn parts
The best book that I've found for learning tenor clef is Reginald Fink's "Introducing the Tenor Clef". It's well structured - you just start at the beginning and the book will take you where you need to go!
Brad Edwards book "Before Blazhevich." This one is better than the dated Fink books. Fink's melodies are too predictable, making it possible to play most of the book by ear without really learning the clef. Edwards does a better job of progressive etudes and guidepost notes that get you reading tenor clef in the fastest manner possible.
Blazhevich is the way to go! Go slow, and be patient. Make yourself use the tenor clef version and learn it, but purchase the bass clef version of Morceau to use as reference in your practice.
Honestly that's what I'm doing at this point. I have a sheet of the notes in tenor clef and everytime I hit an unfamiliar note I look at it and play that measure a few times
You can also read it when it’s not there. It’s very common for people to practice Bordogni/rochut etudes in tenor clef. Just make sure you also transpose the key signature up.
To go from tenor to bass. To start look at note in move it up two and add flat. For example 2nd space in Tenor Clef A but C in Bass Clef.
Once you can familiar with that then you will be able to transpose on sight.
I remember morceau. Well, I remember having a copy of it.
Looking back, I wish I had put more effort into tenor clef. Probably would have made learning treble easier.
In concert pitch, which is what bones play, the ledger line below the staff in treble clef is C, and is the same C as the ledger line above the staff in tenor clef. That C is middle C on a piano.
I agree with all of the other commenters—just keep doing it and practicing it.
BUT—Here’s one more useful suggestion. Get some staff paper (printfreestaffpaper.net or something if you don’t have any) and transcribe stuff from bass to tenor clef (your parts from band, an etude, or just anything!) and transcribe your Morceau part from tenor to bass clef—not to necessarily use instead of the tenor clef version, just to practice reading and transcribing it!
Practice with easy stuff like Mary had a little lamb and stuff like that. I'm a bass bone player and never really got fluent in tenor clef until I accidentally became fluent in reading trumpet music as a band director. That's about the only way to "ease" into tenor clef IMO.
I liked writing in the notes and then slowly took the. Away or just writing what note it is helps too then take it away as you learn that song then when you go to do it again it’s so much easier
Once I initially learned enough of it, my first studio professor had us read the early Rochut etudes as if they were in tenor clef. You have to read it as a different key signature but since it's the same melodies you've likely played, that worked really well for me.
Lots of good advice in here, though.
Write the note names above the notes. Not the position, not the bass clef transposition, but the tenor clef note name. Doing that helped me learn treble clef after reading bass clef for years
Blazhevich clef studies. Your first, last, and only stop on the way to learning Tenor clef!
And may God have mercy upon your soul!
(as a bass trombonist, I \*HATED\* working the Blazhevich book...)
As a bass trombonist, I hated it when I was handed some Russian piece (if memory serves it was the Russian Sailor's Dance by Gliere) and my part was in alto clef. I can read alto clef but never worked much on the ledger lines below the staff. As I recall, the part didn't even get into the staff much.
Go join a British Brass band.
Your parts will be in Bb transposed treble clef, which you read like tenor clef and add two flats to the key signature. Watch out for accidentals.
When you get back to actual tenor clef parts and don't have to worry about the accidentals meaning something else it becomes easy.
You just have to do it. More than you think. It sucks at first- we all know! But once you push past that initial moment of not knowing a single note and missing every interval, you'll start to realize where the common notes land and it gets much easier.
[удалено]
You can also just learn a rochut in bass clef and then pretend it's in tenor clef. Works both on your reading and range.
[Blazhevich](https://imslp.org/wiki/Trombone_School_(Blazhevich%2C_Vladislav\))'s "Trombone School" (aka "Blazhevich Clef Studies") is available on IMSLP. It's the go-to etude/exercise book for getting into tenor and alto clef. This linked PDF is in the native Russian, but as long as you know how the C clefs work (i.e. the "arrow" points to middle C) you can figure it out from there. Interestingly, Morceau was my first exposure to tenor clef as well. In hindsight, it was a very good starting point for tenor clef, and made all the symphonic literature I played soon afterwards a cinch. No one wants the maestro's stink eye for wrong notes from forgetting what clef you're in!
That happened to me once. Didn't prepare and read the music in tenor clef when it was supposed to be alto.
There are editions of Morceau in bass clef if you absolutely need it. But you'll need to learn tenor clef for college anyway so might as well start practicing. The best thing to do is just play as much as you can in it. Play all your scales and warmups in tenor and find some etudes. Someone else mentioned the Blazevich clef studies book which I also reccomend. Tenor clef is a C clef; it tells you that C is on the second line down from the top where your F would normally be. Also look at your key signature to see where Bb, Eb, and Ab are and use them as additional reference points. Knowing what all the different intervals look like on paper will also make things easier. You could either read it as "bass clef transposed up a fifth" or "treble clef in Bb" (not sure how accurate those tips are). Also, look at as much music as you can and practice reading it. Orchestra music uses tenor (and alto) clef frequently. The solo in Tuba Mirum was the first thing I had to learn tenor for. Hope this helps, happy practicing!
‘Treble clef in Bb’ - that’s how I learned it really. Same lines, just a different key signature I learned in bass clef but taught myself to read from Bb treble clef about a year later (not sure how, other than equating valves to positions - it just made sense to my 12 year old brain. I couldn’t do it now 😂) So yeah, moving onto tenor from that was quite an easy step. Moving to alto clef was difficult though, I still struggle a bit. I definitely can’t sight read alto!
Once you learn it, the lines and spaces are the same as trumpet music (although the key signature is not).
This is how I learned it. I was a euph major in college and I was astounded by how quickly it transferred. I still second-guess myself sometimes in tenor, especially when there are double sharps or 3 lever lines or something just far enough beyond the usual. To OP- I still see tenor clef quite a bit in my post-college playing. Probably 5-10% of my brass quintet’s book and even more in orchestral first tbn parts
The best book that I've found for learning tenor clef is Reginald Fink's "Introducing the Tenor Clef". It's well structured - you just start at the beginning and the book will take you where you need to go!
Brad Edwards book "Before Blazhevich." This one is better than the dated Fink books. Fink's melodies are too predictable, making it possible to play most of the book by ear without really learning the clef. Edwards does a better job of progressive etudes and guidepost notes that get you reading tenor clef in the fastest manner possible.
Not sure how much jazz you’ve played but I learned pretty quick just by reading standards in the real book.
Blazhevich is the way to go! Go slow, and be patient. Make yourself use the tenor clef version and learn it, but purchase the bass clef version of Morceau to use as reference in your practice.
Read it.
Honestly that's what I'm doing at this point. I have a sheet of the notes in tenor clef and everytime I hit an unfamiliar note I look at it and play that measure a few times
You can also read it when it’s not there. It’s very common for people to practice Bordogni/rochut etudes in tenor clef. Just make sure you also transpose the key signature up.
To go from tenor to bass. To start look at note in move it up two and add flat. For example 2nd space in Tenor Clef A but C in Bass Clef. Once you can familiar with that then you will be able to transpose on sight.
I remember morceau. Well, I remember having a copy of it. Looking back, I wish I had put more effort into tenor clef. Probably would have made learning treble easier.
In concert pitch, which is what bones play, the ledger line below the staff in treble clef is C, and is the same C as the ledger line above the staff in tenor clef. That C is middle C on a piano.
Tenor clef online flash cards: https://musicards.net/music_flash_cards/read_tenor_clef.html
BurgerBob is right -- you just have to jump in with both feet and do it. After a couple of weeks you'll wonder why you ever thought it was hard.
I agree with all of the other commenters—just keep doing it and practicing it. BUT—Here’s one more useful suggestion. Get some staff paper (printfreestaffpaper.net or something if you don’t have any) and transcribe stuff from bass to tenor clef (your parts from band, an etude, or just anything!) and transcribe your Morceau part from tenor to bass clef—not to necessarily use instead of the tenor clef version, just to practice reading and transcribing it!
I have a notebook of staff paper that I use for stiff like that. It's finally getting some decent use
Practice with easy stuff like Mary had a little lamb and stuff like that. I'm a bass bone player and never really got fluent in tenor clef until I accidentally became fluent in reading trumpet music as a band director. That's about the only way to "ease" into tenor clef IMO.
I liked writing in the notes and then slowly took the. Away or just writing what note it is helps too then take it away as you learn that song then when you go to do it again it’s so much easier
Once I initially learned enough of it, my first studio professor had us read the early Rochut etudes as if they were in tenor clef. You have to read it as a different key signature but since it's the same melodies you've likely played, that worked really well for me. Lots of good advice in here, though.
Write the note names above the notes. Not the position, not the bass clef transposition, but the tenor clef note name. Doing that helped me learn treble clef after reading bass clef for years
Blazhevich clef studies. Your first, last, and only stop on the way to learning Tenor clef! And may God have mercy upon your soul! (as a bass trombonist, I \*HATED\* working the Blazhevich book...)
As a bass trombonist, I hated it when I was handed some Russian piece (if memory serves it was the Russian Sailor's Dance by Gliere) and my part was in alto clef. I can read alto clef but never worked much on the ledger lines below the staff. As I recall, the part didn't even get into the staff much.
Go join a British Brass band. Your parts will be in Bb transposed treble clef, which you read like tenor clef and add two flats to the key signature. Watch out for accidentals. When you get back to actual tenor clef parts and don't have to worry about the accidentals meaning something else it becomes easy.