I have a Bb Tuba part written on bass clef that needs transposed to an Eb Tuba on bass clef. Can someone please explain the method in doing this musically please so I can understand, I am not familiar with tubas at all. Thank you.
You just need to find an Eb instrument (or create one in the Instrument editor).
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Youâd need to create a new Tuba instrument in the Edit Instruments dialog (just duplicate the current Tuba) and then change its transposition (and name).
After this you can right-click the current instrument in Setup mode and change it to the new one.
Iâm not asking how to do this in Dorico, but the music theory behind doing it, if you get my point.
Hereâs a C major scale in Transposed Pitch:
Another way of thinking about it is that a written C major scale will sound as one of B flat. (Or E flat.)
(I used an E flat Bass Trumpet, which uses the G clef, just to illustrate the point. I couldnât actually find an E flat, F clef instrument in Dorico.)
As long as you choose the right instruments, you donât need to think about it too much. You donât need to change the âmusicâ to display the notes in a different transposing instrument.
Dorico can display the notes in âConcert Pitchâ (e.g. the actual, ânormalâ pitch), or Transposed Pitch (which is what the players and most conductors want to see). I t might be easier to work in Concert Pitch, but make sure you change the layout to Transposed Pitch when you print your parts and score.
I largely regard it as witchcraft.
A Tuba part written in Bass clef should be in concert pitch, so no transposition required.
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Not if itâs âan E flat Tubaâ. But yes, Iâd agree that Tubas are normally at pitch.
I mean, I play an Eb Tuba in a brass band (in treble clef) and a concert band (in bass clef), but what would I know? 
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Some (many?) European publishers of wind band music include tuba parts transposed in bass clef. My guess at the reasoning behind this practice is that it keeps the note names the same for the players irrespective of which clef they are reading from.
So, itâs an E flat instrument, but you just play it from the ârightâ notes anyway? I stand corrected. (Why doesnât everyone do that! 
)
I guess the OP needs to find out exactly what has been requested of him.
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Typically, as @Nick_CB has stated, BASS CLEF Brass is at Concert Pitch regardless of Instrument pitch F, Eb, CC, BBb.
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In fact, Trombones are Bb instruments as well but play from concert pitch. In this case, the Transposition doesnât refer to the part layout but whatâs the fundamental pitch of the unmodified tube length. (Brass instruments do nothing else than lengthening their tube to reach different fundamental pitches, of which they then chose a harmonic via lip vibration. So they always have a fully enclosed tube, unlike woodwinds.)
With a transposing instrument you have 2 choices:
- read concert pitch and learn which fingers/positions to use for them.
- read transposed pitch. Your fundamental note of the unmodified tube as described above becomes the pitch âCâ
itâs not 100% consistent which instrument uses which system, as well as in which musical context things are happening.
In some brass bands, trumpets use option 1. in orchestral music, they use option two. Even clefs are not standard.
Itâs a big cute musical mess 
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Hi Tony,
Any tuba reading a bass clef part will produce the same output (assuming the notes are in range for the particular instrument). This is whatâs called a âCâ part (i.e. what you see is what the instrument will produce), and covers orchestral and wind band music. Brass band music would provide different treble clef parts for Eb and Bb tubas (âbassesâ) even when playing in unison (here the Bb part would be written a 4th higher than the Eb part as it is tuned a 4th lower than the Eb) to allow for their different registers and also to allow a player to switch more easily from one instrument to another - the piston or lever combinations the player has learnt wonât change, though the output will. Clarinet and sax players do it this way, but recorders do it the other - you have to transpose your fingering in your head when you swap from descant or tenor to treble or bass.
Just make your tuba music range accessible to both instruments and remember that some tubas only have three pistons.
So, call your part âTuba in Câ using Bass Clef concert pitch and hand it out to all your tubists, or write duly transposed parts in treble clef for Eb, Bb, F, ⌠and C tubas!
Not necessarily. Tuba (and Euphonium) players in concert bands in northern Netherlands and Belgium are used to read transposed parts in Eâand Bâ written in bass clef.
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I stand corrected. I must get out more and see the world.
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Samuel Adler agrees:
Blockquote
Todayâs performer can choose from five or six tubas, which range from the Bb
tenor tuba through the F, Es, and C bass tubas to the CC and BBb contrabass tubas.*
In contrast t o the Wagner tubas, all modern tubas are non-transposing; the pitch
designations in each of their names refer only to their range, fundamentals, and
pedal tones. The C and BBb tubas are favored by symphonic tuba players because the
fingering is more comfortable on them and all pitches found in the repertoire can be
produced on them.
I do not, hoever agree with @klafkid - tenor and most modern bass trombones have Bb fundamental tone. Alto trombone has Eb and I have also seen the modern F bass trombone @National Symphonic orch. here. So Bb is quite a bold generalisationâŚ
Not just in the north either 
. Euphonium parts transposed in treble clef (like in British brass bands) are also pretty common here. As a euphonium player I actually prefer that because in the more advanced compositions a euph part in bass clef basically means youâre reading from a 10-line staff with all those ledger lines.
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I knew about Belgium, my northern source was Gould âBehind Barsâ
Here in Switzerland treble clef is common, but the amount of tuba and trombone players is growing who read bass clef (Euphonium is always treble clef in Bâ)
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