Integrated Music Theory 2023-24

12a Discussion - Instrumental Transpositions and Ranges

Transposition Terror

Written pitch: what is written on the page. If you’re playing a transposed instrument, the note you are playing will be transposed too.

Sounding pitch: the actual frequency that comes out, which we ascribe a certain note name to.

Concert pitch: refered to as, “In the key of C”. Ends up meaning the same as the sounding pitch.

Remember that the process of transposition relies on compensation. If an instrument sounds lower than concert pithch, it will be written higher.

Transposition hints You can organize various instruments according to how their music is written:

  • C instruments: written/sounding pitches match! These are the easy ones.
  • Octave displacing instruments: instruments play up or down an octave from what is written. Generally high sounding instruments get written an octave lower, and low sounding instruments get written an octave higher.
  • Bb instruments: transpose(sounds) down a M2 from written pitch. Some instruments (like tenor sax) have an additional octave displacement. You have to write a step higher, so it sounds a step lower.
  • Eb instruments: transposition is based around M6. Some instruments have octave displacements, and Eb clarinet is transposed up a m3 from written. This one is the only exception of transposing up. Baritone sax has a pretty easy trick for transposing it!
    • Quick way to remember what keys the saxophones are in: organize them ascending to descending and they will alternate Bb and Eb (soprano, alto, tenor, bari). Or think of soprano/tenor and alto/bari as pairs.
  • F instruments: transpose down a P5 from written pitch.
  • Others
    • Clarinet in A: down a m3 from written pitch
    • Alto flute: written in G, transpose down a P4 from written pitch. (will not have to deal this semester with this)

“Why is transposition so hard?”

  • The reason we struggle so much with transposition is because we have a bunch of letters and numbers tossed at us all at once, and it is very easy to get things mixed up. It takes time for transposition to settle into our brains and solidify, especially if we haven’t been playing on a transposing instrument.