My sight reading of bass clef is pretty rubbish really, I can read treble clef, but I was schooled on melody instruments - one note at a time. Real Book is OK.
It would be good to learn bass clef more thoroughly, I am really at square one.

Hoping to find a software program that can present either a single or double clef, select note types and tempo, then playback, maybe with midi feedback of some kind when you emulate..

Anybody know?


Z

Z, why not take any MIDI BiaB song and either in BiaB or the DAW of your choice and lower the notes an octave or two? You can have BiaB generate a melody for you as well that you can drop an octave. Then either read or print it using only the bass clef.

A plus to this is that you already have the backing tracks made for you. For instance generate a song with a melody, drop the melody an octave or two, and print it. Then mute the melody, have the other tracks play at their original octave, and play the leads. Or drop the piano track to the bass clef and play it. There are lots of options like this when you use MIDI.

Hi Z,
I don't know of any software for this, though there's almost certainly something out there. Of course, you could always use BIAB...

Open the Practice dialogue, select the transposition you want (choose Trombone and maybe do an octave shift) start playback and open the lead sheet window.

Voila, Bass clef playback with audio guide.

On the other hand, as a trombone player taught in British brass band tradition, I only knew treble clef (albeit transposed for Bb) and when it came time for me to broaden my horizons I got a copy of an Arban Tutor for trombone in bass clef and just immersed myself in it for a week or so - it didn't take long at all. First week had me fluent from low G to F above the staff, couple more weeks extended that to F# below the staff to B (4 ledger lines) above the staff.

These days I sight read concert treble, Bb transposed treble, concert tenor and concert bass - biggest problem is forgetting what clef I'm in part way through... I usually only see concert bass parts these days, except every Wednesday with the Dixie band I play in at Macmasters Beach, NSW and when I play gigs with Tuggerah Lakes Concert Band - both of which are usually Bb transposed treble... mostly...

This is exactly what BiaB is best at. In both the Melodist or the Soloist window, find the EDIT command. In the next window you will find the setting for the note range to be generated. In notation, set up the view setting so that everything shows in bass clef. Once you get it set up, you can stay busy for years.

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Another great source is any hymnal. They have lots of selections in a lot of styles, keys, time sigs, etc. Just read the bottom line of the four part songs.

If the notation is what you want to become familiar with, you might begin with reading, away from the instrument. First look at the notes and say "D, Eb, F, A, C..." or whatever is printed. Then call out the solfege: "Do, Re, Fa, Mi,.." Then sing the notes.

Remember most of the older hymn setting were meant to be sung at sight.

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Also look in your BiaB folder and see if you have "Duets for Sight Reading." It was included in one of the upgrades a few years ago.

Tons of practice material in there.

Lawrie trombone - my first instrument! Then quickly to cornet for Hendon Brass Band UK.

I will investigate BIAB further, but I was hoping for something that I could 'limit' to an area of the stave, how many notes simultaneously, clef type, this sort of thing. Biab does some of that.
My problem with sight reading is that I memorise everything on piano so after I have got to the point where I can play it, usually a day or so for a new piece, its memorised. This means that I cant see the notes 'new' and my sight reading does not improve.
I sight read for other, melody, instruments, so I know what skill I am looking for. I need to recognise chords on the fly, plus their rhythms.

Ah yes, the king of the orchestra

Actually, more seriously, see if you can find a community concert band or big band, get your 'bone back out and sit in. I guarantee you'll come along much faster than trying to practice alone, AND it's unlikely you'll see one piece for long enough to memorise it before the MD moves to the next one. Sight reading at its best.

The best rhythm patten recognition will come from a big band playing jazz and swing.

Hi Lawrie,
I should explain that I played sax most of my life, presently piano. Of course piano is a different lady. I still have a cornet, its a work of art those shapes...I remember the seven slide positions, and constantly dinking the bell of the trombone.. klutz I was back then..

Sweet memories

I look like a bit of a dork in this and it certainly isn't my best solo, but one of our "fans" took this a while ago on an iWhatever. Not quite our usual lineup, different drummer, bass player normally plays tenor but is helping out while our usual bass player is away. We get together every Wednesday morning for a couple of hours of jammin'.

This is one of the transposed (sometimes concert) treble venues - I usually look over the trumpet players shoulder so to speak.

Get your 'bone back out - or get another one - at one stage I hadn't played for 17 years and I think having gotten it back out just may have saved my life in later years.

The venue is Macmasters Beach on the Central coast of NSW

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUGwKpCmrg8

Enjoyed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JMbaZ6j1J4 Someone is older than me, I saw the original at the time it was played

Good find!

Thanx for sharing.

That was fun

Just Google Music sight reading. Millions of sites. Ray

Have been looking, most programs are home made and often don't do more than one stave. Tried four or five programs..