B-flat4/3/2024 ![]() ![]() This discussion assumes traditional notation, where key signatures are used for most instruments. So if we transpose horn parts for saxophone, we want to include key signatures for the saxophone player regardless of whether they were present in the original horn part. Why does this matter? Most players are used to seeing key signatures. So if you see no key signature, you have to determine the correct key signature from another (non-transposing) part or from the score. ![]() The absence of a key signature can thus indicate either a key of C major ( or A minor) or an omitted key signature. Unfortunately, key signatures are often omitted for the French horn! Parts for other instruments, such as the trumpet and A clarinet, are sometimes written without key signatures as well. The clarinet part should therefore be in the key of A: Imagine, for example, that our sample oboe part is in the key of G. We transpose key signatures in the same way as notes. Unfortunately, things are usually a bit more complicated. If, for example, the oboe is supposed to play a G, we must write an A for the clarinet: So we need to raise the pitch by a whole step. The clarinet, however, is a B-flat instrument ( see Nomenclature below). Like the flute, the oboe is a concert-pitch instrument. So we need to transpose our oboe part for clarinet. Fortunately, a clarinet player is available. Suppose we have an oboe part, but no oboe player. For example, maybe a saxophone will play a French horn part. And sometimes we compensate for missing instruments by substituting others. If the player isn't used to "sight-transposing" we'll need to transpose the part. We often have parts for A clarinet instead of B-flat clarinet, and for C trumpet instead of B-flat trumpet. That is, we must transpose the flute part. (So we call the flute a "concert-pitch" instrument.) On the other hand, when a clarinet plays C we hear a B-flat! This means that if we want a clarinet to play a flute part, we must write pitches that are higher by just the right amount. ![]() For example, when a flute plays a C we really hear a C. Not all instruments refer to the same pitch with the same names. Examples: A to Bb clarinet | F horn to saxophones | E horn to alto sax Introduction ![]()
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