Incorrect notation for low modern flutes

• Nov 5, 2017 - 22:37

Many of MuseScore's low flutes are notated incorrectly. I'll go in order from highest pitch to lowest.

Piccolo through alto flute are fine. :)

Bass flute is currently notated in treble clef 8vb. Correct notation would be with a normal treble clef but transposing an octave lower.

Contra-alto flute is correct.

Contrabass flute is currently notated in bass clef. Correct notation would be with a treble clef but transposing two octaves lower.

Sub Contra-alto flute is currently notated in bass clef. Correct notation would be treble clef but transposing two octaves lower (still in the key of G).

Double contrabass flute is currently notated in bass clef. Correct notation would be treble clef but transposing three octaves lower than written.

Hyperbass flute is currently notated in bass clef 15mb. Correct notation would be treble clef but transposing four octaves lower than written.

In conclusion, all modern members of the orchestral flute family read in treble clef, but transpose down to sounding pitch (similar to the trumpet family).


Comments

In reply to by Christian Raduns

Several questions:

Are the current setting plain wrong and need to get changed, or are they just from a different era or style, so there should be additional flutes with treble clef and octave transposing?

Any support for this claim?

Should they show different clefs depending on whether 'concert pitch' is on or off?

In reply to by Jojo-Schmitz

The current settings are completely wrong; modern flute notation should always be in treble clef. It seems flutes from all time periods (even the 1700s) are written in transposing treble clef; no new flutes need to be added. It seems that in "nomal pitch," treble clef is correct while in "concert pitch," bass clef notation would be preferred (similar to bass saxophone.)

Textual support:
http://www.lowflutes.com/ranges_articulations_characteristics/
http://www.bassflute.co.uk/02-pitch/range.html
https://bandestration.com/tag/contrabass-flute/

https://books.google.com/books?id=U3nfBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA173&lpg=PA173&dq=or…
Also note page 32 of this same resource.

Musical support:
http://www.lowflutes.com/publicfiles/Spirit_Dance_(Bass_Flute).pdf
http://imslp.org/wiki/Bass_Flute_Concerto%2C_Op.889_(Beatty%2C_Stephen_…
http://imslp.org/wiki/Christmas_Songs_(Kamioka%2C_Hideo)
http://imslp.org/wiki/Irish_Variations_for_Flute_Orchestra_(D%C3%A9jard…
http://imslp.org/wiki/Music_for_Flute_Choir_(Bakalian%2C_Craig)

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