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Topic: Transposing treble to alto (Read 5539 times) previous topic - next topic

Transposing treble to alto

When ever I convert midi files into NWC, it automatically turns any alto clef part into treble. Is there a way to stop this? And if not, how many semitones must I go down to get into alto clef? Thanks.

Re: Transposing treble to alto

Reply #1 –
G'day Eric,
the thing to remember is that the alto clef is also known as a "C" clef, and the "C" clef works like this, the line that is centred in the "wings" of the clef is middle "C".  THat's all there is to it.  So, for the alto clef, the middle line of the staff is middle "C". 

This is why it looks much the same as the tenor clef which is also a "C" clef, just pointing to a different line.

Now, we know that the first ledger line below the staff is middle "C" on the treble clef, so there are only 2 things you need to do to go from concert pitch treble to concert pitch alto:

  • Select the entire staff and <Ctrl-Shift-Up> 6 times to move the notes to the right location on the staff.
  • Change the clef symbol from treble to alto to get the playback and the key signatures correct.

I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: Transposing treble to alto

Reply #2 –
   Hi, Eric

 Or to say the same thing in slightly different words - which I'd already written before seeing what Laurie had said:-

 The normal treble clef defines G (above middle C) to be the line - the second line up - the clef has its curly end round.  The normal bass clef has its round end blob on - and the two dots straddling - the second line down, and thus defines F (below middle C).  The alto clef defines middle C by where it has its middle recessed bit - on the middle line (third line up or down).  The tenor clef - the fourth one provided by Noteworthy - also has its similar recessed middle bit defining middle C ... but this time as the second line down.

   So: if, with the alto clef, a note is on the middle line - it's C - then to sound the same with the treble clef it has to go down six places, to the line below the bottom line.  Or, if, with the treble clef, a note is on the line below the bottom line - it's C - then to sound the same with an alto clef it must go UP six places, to the middle line.

   Thus, if a Midi File with alto clef notes is fed into Noteworthy, which only converts things to treble or bass cleffs, any thus-formed treble-clef notes must be moved up six places if you wish to replace the treble clef with an alto clef.

   OK?

   Music John, 24/Apr/06

Re: Transposing treble to alto

Reply #3 –
And, if you don't want to bother counting (or worry that you might hit the "up" key too many times, just do as I do:  Insert an extranious (musically) middle-C at the start of the staff and whale away at the "up" key until it settles on the new middle-C line, based on the C-clef (which is the name for the alto/tenor clef).  Then delete the note.

Re: Transposing treble to alto

Reply #4 –
Let's not forget that the clefs actually are letters.  The treble clef is a fancy G, the bass clef a fancy F, and the alto clef a fancy C.  In each case, the letter/clef indicates which line on the staff is G, F, or C by closely surrounding the line.  (In the case of the bass clef, it's the line between the two dots, which are really the two short lines of the letter F.)