So, how will my 9 year old son manage with learning 2 different music clefs at the same time?

Question

He's just started learning the viola and the school are also going to teach him the recorder.

The viola is in the Alto clef and the Recorder is in the Treble clef. The middle note on the stave for Viola is a C and in the Treble it's a B! How on earth will he manage?

Anybody have any experience of this?

Yeah, I had to read two clefs when I was learning the piano.

I hope he doesn't get confused. He has some adhd :-/ I'm trying to help him as best I can.

Answer 1

It's no biggy really...it's very easy to read them seperately.
Just remember: Face in the Space for the trebble, and also, Every Good boy deserves football for the lines. These are foolproof ways for the trebble.
I mostly play the viola, and to remember the strings just go: Cats Get Dogs Angry...that's the easiest way to remember the string order.

Answer 2

There shouldn't be a problem. I started learning the viola around his age after learning to play piano and trumpet and it really was not a difficult to learn. Plus he will also be at an advantage later if he sticks with it because the viola does read in two clefs, both alto and treble and knowing both now will save time and grief later.

Answer 3

Pupils learn the piano readily and that's in two different clefs. Children pick up things remarkably quickly - even things that make little sense such as this; he learnt English after all and that's a minefield of stupid verbs, strange spellings and odd expressions.

With practice he should quickly be able to read and understand notes on both clefs, though his learning may be a little slower than if he were learning just the one. When I learnt the piano I don't remember having any trouble distinguishing between the two clefs - I just learnt that in this case that line was B and in the other it was F.

Answer 4

Well, if he was learning the piano then he would have to read two clefs at the same time (bass and treble).
If he was learning cello , he would have to learn three : bass, treble and alto.

It is no problem ; he will soon get the hang of it.

Answer 5

It is the same concept as learning a keyboard instrument. He just needs to be able to distinguish. To be honest being able to read alto clef will put him ahead of the game considering very few instruments read it.

Answer 6

Try making some words out of the letters. Like when my cousin's daughter was playing the Chello the strings were ADGC and she could never remember them because she also plays the piano. One day when I was helping her practice I came up with All Dogs Go Crazy...cheesy but it worked for her. I hope that helps :]

Answer 7

Don't Worry, he will soon associate the clefs with the instrements.
thats what i did.

Good luck to Him.

Answer 8

it's no problem! really!