Transposing Music...!?!
Question: I have to transpose this music piece for band class, if you can, can you put the B flat scale down for the alto sax, the trumpet, clarinet, tuba, baritone, trombone, guitars, keyboard, and flute? I play the flute, so I have the scale for that and I know that some instruments both use the C scale and the same scales, so can you just write them down for the instruments that are for the B flat scale, like the flute: B flat, C, D, E flat, F, G, A, B flat. Thank you so much! This is due Monday, so I really appreciate it!
Answers: I have to transpose this music piece for band class, if you can, can you put the B flat scale down for the alto sax, the trumpet, clarinet, tuba, baritone, trombone, guitars, keyboard, and flute? I play the flute, so I have the scale for that and I know that some instruments both use the C scale and the same scales, so can you just write them down for the instruments that are for the B flat scale, like the flute: B flat, C, D, E flat, F, G, A, B flat. Thank you so much! This is due Monday, so I really appreciate it!
The Bb scale for all the instruments is the same. The CONCERT Bb scale will be different. The Keyboards, trombone, guitars, flute, tuba, and baritone (as long as it is written in bass clef) will all play the exact Bb scale you wrote. The clarinet and trumpet (and baritone if written for treble clef) will play a C major scale. The Alto Saxophone will play the G major scale. You should be comfortable with all of these scales as these are the easiest scales.
One of the easiest way to learn the transpositions is to have any of those instruments play a C (what they see as a C). Then compare it to the piano. Any of the transposing instruments (those that don't play concert pitch) will sound the key of the instrument (alto sax sounds Eb, clarinet sounds Bb, etc). So then take that information and think about what changes you need to make to have them sound the concert C. If the Eb saxophone sounds Eb when reading C, what note might you have to read to get the Eb saxophone to sound a C?