Why is it important to know the transpositions for each instrument? During rehearsal, your band director will say, "Let's play a concert C major scale". This will lessen the amount of accidentals in the music, as well as put the music in an easier key to read. To make the music less stressful to read, orchestral clarinetists play on an A clarinet. If a Bb clarinet were to play certain music written for orchestra, the clarinetist would have to read a tremendous amount of accidentals. Many orchestras require the clarinetists to play an A clarinet. Having transposing instruments also makes reading music in concert key much easier. Transposing instruments make it easier to switch between instruments in the same key since the musician won't have to learn new fingerings. The fingerings are all the same, even though the fingerings will produce different sounds on each instrument. There are multiple kinds of saxophones in the saxophone family: soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, and baritone saxophone. Why do we need transpositions? Let's think about this example. For example, if a clarinet was asked to play a C that sounded the same as the C on the piano, they would have to play a D. On the other hand, if you ask a transposing instrument to play a C, a different note will sound instead of a C.
If you ask a non-transposing instrument to play a C, they will sound a C. There are concert pitch instruments, also known as non-transposing instruments and transposing instruments. So, why is a C on the piano different from a C on the trumpet or the alto saxophone? The reason is "transpositions". The video above provides a seven minute summary of all of the transposing instruments, the reason why instruments are in different keys, and a handy formula to help you transpose from different instruments. When the piano plays a Bb, these instruments must play a minor third lower to produce the same pitch. The alto clarinet and the alto saxophone are in the key of Eb.
When the piano plays a Bb, the french horn must play perfect fourth lower which is an F to produce the same pitch. When the piano plays a Bb, these instruments must play a major second higher than the piano pitch which is a C to produce the same pitch. When these instruments play a C, it will sound the same as the C on the piano.Īn instrument in a transposing key means that their notes don't sound the same as the same notes on the piano.īb instruments include the clarinet, bass clarinet, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn, and euphonium. Concert key instruments include the piano, flute, oboe, bassoon, trombone, bass trombone, tuba, and keyboard percussion instruments. Transposing instrumentsĪ concert key instrument means that their notes are the same on the piano. This means that if you play a Bb on the piano, you will need to play C on the clarinet to produce the same sound as the piano.Ĭlarinet transposition can be a tricky concept to understand, but hopefully this article will help transposition seem not so scary! Non-Transposing vs. The clarinet is a Bb transposing instrument. Clarinet transposition is a concept that every clarinet needs to learn and