Topmusicanswers
Transposing musical instrument, instrument that produces a higher or lower pitch than indicated in music written for it. Examples include clarinets, the English horn, and saxophones. Musical notation written for transposing instruments shows the relative pitches, rather than the exact pitches, produced.
- What string instruments are transposing?
- What is the point of transposing instruments?
- How do you work out transposing instruments?
- Is the oboe a transposing instrument?
What string instruments are transposing?
The clarinet, cor Anglais, trumpet and French horn are transposing instruments. The note which actually sounds at concert pitch when the player reads/plays the note C determines what pitch the instrument is “in”. For each of these instruments, the concert pitch note is lower than the written note.
What is the point of transposing instruments?
Music is often written in transposed form for these groups of instruments so that the fingerings correspond to the same written notes for any instrument in the family, even though the sounding pitches will differ.
How do you work out transposing instruments?
The easiest way to go about transposing is to fill in your new key signature, your time signature (which will not change at all), and write out every note paying close attention to the interval between your original notes and transposed notes, plus the intervals between the notes in the individual measures.
Is the oboe a transposing instrument?
The following are NOT transposing instruments: Flute, oboe, bassoon. Trombone, tuba. Violin, viola, cello.
