Mandola Notation

  1. dulcillini
    dulcillini
    Perhaps a good place to start is with notation. It seems that there is a movement to write the notation for mandola in the 8va cleff, where what is normally middle C on a piano, is the low open string "C" on the mandola. This is the same as tenor banjo tab and notation. Some classical groups write it in alto clef. I guess that the 8va clef makes more sense to me, but I guess I could learn to use alto clef. What does everyone else think ?
  2. bratsche
    bratsche
    The 8va clef would likely make it difficult for anyone transitioning from the viola to the mandola. We're accustomed to seeing alto-clef based notation with occasional forays into treble clef for higher passages, where the treble notation sounds in the same octave as it's written. I can't speak for all others, but for me, having notes written in treble clef an octave higher than they sound would really mess with my brain big-time.

    bratsche
  3. Tobin
    Tobin
    Not having any viola baggage weighing me down, and being familiar with treble clef, I'd actually prefer to see it in 8va. Especially for 'folk' type music that isn't meant to be notated with the same sort of attention to strict rules as you'd see for classical music.

    That said, it wouldn't be the end of the world to have to learn to read alto clef. I'd make it work either way.
  4. bratsche
    bratsche
    To clarify my previous post, violists are well accustomed to treble clef, as well as alto. It's the octave transposition that would bug me, not the clef. ('Viola baggage' - ha ha, that's a new one! I'm picturing designer luggage with an alto clef logo motif. Maybe I should start a line!)

    bratsche
  5. mandroid
    mandroid
    As middle C remains 4th fret on the G string .. why not just write it out on the grand clef? use all 10 lines ..

    Bass & Treble, + the 1 line between them for the C..
  6. icedoghans
    icedoghans
    ""As middle C remains 4th fret on the G string .. why not just write it out on the grand clef? use all 10 lines ..

    Bass & Treble, + the 1 line between them for the C.. ""

    I agree. Tree huggers we are not...
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