Why do saxophones transpose

As several people alluded, the various saxophones are not pitched in octaves, so if we all played in concert pitch, you'd have to learn a new fingering system for alto and tenor saxes (and baritone would probably be in bass clef). That's a drag, so we learn to transpose when we need to speak to other musicians.

1. Why do we transpose instruments?
2. Why are saxophones in different keys?
3. Is the saxophone a transposing instrument?
4. Does alto saxophone transpose?

Why do we transpose 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.

Why are saxophones in different keys?

Because the saxophone is a transposing instrument, when changing from one instrument to another, such as from an alto to a tenor, playing the same score will produce different actual sounds. ... This arrangement was originally conceived with the intention of making saxophone fingerings easier.

Is the saxophone a transposing instrument?

The saxophone is a transposing instrument.

This means that notes played on a saxophone will sound different from a note of the same name played on another instrument such as the piano or guitar. We refer to those instruments that don't transpose as being in “Concert” key or the key of C.

Does alto saxophone transpose?

This is when you discover that your saxophone is pitched in a different key. Yes an alto is in Eb and a tenor is in Bb so your Eb on alto sounds the same pitch as C on a piano. This is because they are what is commonly called a “transposing instrument”.