# How do you Transcibe old clefs?



## JeanBaptisteLully (Jan 26, 2008)

I am having so much trouble in transcribing the clefs in Lully's Opera: Armide. I know they are French Violin Clef, Soprano, Mezzo Soprano, Alto, ect. But when I try whats seems logical on finale it dosent work out right. if n e one has n e ideas please, I welcome you to tell me.

Thanks Jean Baptiste Lully


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## BuddhaBandit (Dec 31, 2007)

Clefs are simple if you know the trick:

The *G clef* (used for the treble clef- the long, curved clef with the curl at the end) always has its curl centered around the *G above Middle C* (the French violin Clef is a variation on this, with the G notated as the bottom line of the staff.

The *C Clef* (used for the alto clef- the one with two curves, a bar on the right side, and a point in the vertical middle) always "points" at *Middle C*

The *F Clef* (used for the bass clef- the curve with the two dots) always has its dots "sandwiching" the *F Below Middle C*

Use these benchmarks to transcribe the lines... the clefs may be in different positions on the staff, but they always point to the same notes (with a few rare exceptions).

Hope this helps.

BB


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## Novelette (Dec 12, 2012)

"Old clefs?" 

Notes on these clefs have an existence of their own, they're not just "transpositions" from the two "legitimate" clefs. The various clefs were written with the compass of the applicable voice/instrument in mind, and I have found it so much easier simply to learn the note arrangement on those clefs than to resort to the makeshift of transposition. But then, I've studied the scores of the 15th and 16th century choral masters for some years, so I know those clefs well.


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

Soooo....not with a quill, then.


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## hreichgott (Dec 31, 2012)

Could you give an example? maybe image of original + a little bit of what you're trying to do on finale, for a couple of measures


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