Transposing help

Topic: Transposing help (Read 4067 times) previous topic - next topic

Transposing help

2013-05-03 01:47 am

This question has probably been asked a million times but I'm going to be the millionth and one person to ask. I'm wanting to transpose an Eflat part to a Bflat part, can anyone tell me the exact + or - that I need to add (eg. +1 or -1). Thanks

Re: Transposing help

Reply #1 – 2013-05-03 03:18 am

Select the staff, then:
Tools
Transpose
+5 or -7
Make sure "Update Staff Playback Transposition" is checked if playback pitch has to be correct with respect to concert pitch.

To explain:
if a Bb instrument plays a written "C" then a concert instrument must play a "Bb" to be the same pitch, allsame an Eb instrument playing a written "C" is an Eb on a concert instrument.

So, Eb is 3 semitones up from C, Bb is 2 semitones down from C making an overall difference of 5 semitones (or 7 in the other direction - Bb down to Eb)

An Alto sax must play the written A above middle C to sound a concert pitch middle C, a Bb trumpet must play the written D above middle C to sound a concert pitch middle C. So:

a) an alto sax part transposed for trumpet must come DOWN 7 semitones to sound the same concert pitch note.
b) an alto sax part transposed for tenor sax must go UP 5 semitones to sound the same concert pitch note. This is because the tenor sax is pitched an octave below a trumpet.

Re: Transposing help

Reply #2 – 2013-05-03 09:39 am

Lawrie is right, except for the last trick on going from alto sax to tenor sax. For the tenor part to look and sound right it needs to end up have a transposition of -14, and those directions put it at -2. In other words it looks right on the screen but would sound an octave higher than it is supposed to.

But that's not what the original thread was about...

Re: Transposing help

Reply #3 – 2013-05-03 10:23 am

Quote from: pianomandan – 2013-05-03 09:39 am

Lawrie is right, except for the last trick on going from alto sax to tenor sax. For the tenor part to look and sound right it needs to end up have a transposition of -14, and those directions put it at -2. In other words it looks right on the screen but would sound an octave higher than it is supposed to.

With respect Dan, the Alto playback transposition is already -9, by taking the staff transposition up 5 for a Tenor it makes the playback transposition -14 as required.

The relative transpositions can get quite slippery

Re: Transposing help

Reply #4 – 2013-05-05 05:20 am

Thanks guys and it's all good about the Tenor stuff, was only wanting to go from Eflat (Alto Sax) to Bflat (Clari) anyway

Re: Transposing help

Reply #5 – 2013-05-05 05:49 am

Quote from: JazzGirl86 – 2013-05-05 05:20 am

Thanks guys and it's all good about the Tenor stuff, was only wanting to go from Eflat (Alto Sax) to Bflat (Clari) anyway

Eb to Bb transpositions have a neat little trick to them if you can read concert bass clef on the Bb instrument:
Read the Eb chart as if it were Bass Clef (~~add~~ remove 3 sharps to from the key sig and be aware of accidentals)
OR if you have a Bass clef part (say Trombone) you can play it on an Eb instrument by reading it as treble clef (and ~~take OFF~~ ADD 3 sharps ~~from~~ to the key sig, again, watch for accidentals)

Be aware that sometimes you might be an octave out, but that doesn't always matter... This can make you look like a sight transposing superhero to those who don't know the trick

<edit> corrections - errors = ~~srtike through~~, changes in italics

Re: Transposing help

Reply #6 – 2013-05-05 08:46 am

Quote

Read the Eb chart as if it were Bass Clef (add 3 sharps to the key sig and be aware of accidentals)
OR if you have a Bass clef part (say Trombone) you can play it on an Eb instrument by reading it as treble clef (and take OFF 3 sharps from the key sig, again, watch for accidentals)

Care to check that Lawrie!

Re: Transposing help

Reply #7 – 2013-05-05 09:42 am

Quote from: Barry Graham – 2013-05-05 08:46 am

Care to check that Lawrie!

Whups! Good catch Barry.

Eb treble part read as Bass clef - take OFF 3 sharps
Bass clef read as Eb treble - ADD 3 sharps...