Instrument Transposition

A brief reference and explanation

Basic Info

 When writing music for orchestral or band instruments, we must learn to transpose music for various instruments.

 Terms you MUST know: Written pitch – what you see on the page Concert pitch – what you hear (also called sounding pitch) Concert key – sounding key

Why do instruments transpose?

 Throughout history, instruments were not manufactured in a uniform manner as they are in today’s music instrument factories. Sometime a Sackbut, the original trombone might be built upon the foundational note of “C” when made in Germany, but in “Eb” when made in France. So, that the instrumentalist did not have to learn a new fingering system for each different pitch for all of the possible foundational notes, they developed a system where the written pitch was modified for the foundational note and thus there was not a separate fingering system for each variation.

The C Instruments

  C Instrument are non-transposing instruments. That means that they do NOT transpose. For these instruments you will hear the music exactly as you write it.

These instruments are mentioned on the following slide with there instrumental range:

Flute

Sounding Written

Same http://www.flickr.com/creativecommons/by-2.0/

Oboe

Sounding Written

Same http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=oboe&m=text#page= 10

Bassoon

Sounding Written

Same http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=bassoon&m=text

Trombone

Sounding Written

Same http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=oboe&m=text#page=10

Tuba

Sounding Written

Same http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=oboe&m=text#page=10

Violin/Viola/Cello

Sounding

Violin Viola Cello http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=violin+viola+cello&m=text

Written

Same Same Same: Tenor clef also used when convenient .

Transposing C Instruments

  There are a couple of C instruments that do transpose. These transpositions occur at one or two octaves.

Examples of these are:  Piccolo (sounds 1 octave higher than written)  Contrabassoon (sounds 1 octave lower than written)    Double Bass (sounds 1 octave lower than written) Xylophone (sounds 1 octave higher than written) Glockenspiel or Orchestra bells (sound 2 octaves higher than written

The Bb instruments

   To do basic transposition you must remember that the key of the instrument tells you the sounding note when a C is the written note. Instruments in the Key of Bb (Bb Clarinet) will sound a Bb when C is written.

So, for the Bb Clarinet, Bb Bass Clarinet, Bb Trumpet, Bb Soprano Sax and Bb Tenor Sax, if we write a C, we will hear a Bb. Now, not all of the above instruments work exactly the same. The Bb Clarinet, Bb Trumpet and Bb Soprano Sax transpose by a Major 2 nd .

The M2 Transposition

Melodies compared for Bb instruments

 Take a look at this melody in C Major: Now see what happens when we transpose for the Bb Clarinet, Trumpet or Sop. Sax:

  Notice that the notes are moved up by a M2. Also pay attention to the KEY SIGNATURE. This also moves up by a M2. It is important that you transpose ALL elements, notes and key signatures by the appropriate interval.

Sounding Melody:  Written Melody for Bb Trumpet:

Bass Clarinet and Tenor Sax

 These instruments transpose at the interval of a M9.

 You’ll still have to change keys as with the Bb Clarinet or Trumpet but you must remember that all notes will be a M2 PLUS an octave lower.

Clarinet

Sounding Written

http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=clarinet&m=text

Bass Clarinet

Sounding Written

http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=bass+clarinet&m=text

Soprano Sax

Written Sounding

http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=soprano+sax&m=t ext

Trumpet

Sounding Written

http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=trumpet&m=text

Tenor Sax

Written Sounding

http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=tenor+sax&m=text

The F Instruments

 There are several instruments that transpose by a P5. These are the English Horn and the Horn.

English Horn

Sounding Written

http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=english+horn&m=text#page=4

Horn in F

Sounding Written

http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=french+horn&m=text

 An easy way to remember instruments that transpose by Perfect 5 th is that these two instruments have “Horn” in their name. Horn in F (French Horn) and English Horn.

 Note that the sounding note is a P5 LOWER than the written pitch. This means that when we write for the English Horn or the Horn, we must move everything UP by a P5, including the key signature. Look at our C major melody again:

 Now here is the melody written for English Horn and Horn:  Notice that we are now in G major and that every note has been moved up a P5.

Eb Transpositions

  There are several instruments that use a transposition to Eb. The Alto Saxophone and the Baritone Saxophone are the most common.

In writing for the Alto Sax, the transposition is a M6:

 The Baritone Sax will transpose by a M6 plus an octave:

Sounded Melody: Written Melody for Eb Instruments:

Alto Sax

Sounding Written

http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=alto+sax&m=text

Bari Sax

Written Sounding

http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=bari+sax&m=text

Final Thoughts:

   Remember to use the appendix in Tonal Harmony for the correct range for all instruments. Remember to transpose all notes and the key signature by the appropriate interval.

There are many web resources, such as http://www.secretcomposer.com/Secret_Composer_Blog_ Demo/Concert_Pitch_ _Instrument_Transposition_chart.htm

that can be of assistance.