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Theory Options: Transposing  -  Key Signatures  -  Scales  -  Chords  - Advanced - Jazz Concepts  -  Modal Theory  -  Playing Concepts  -  Instrument Selection

Transposing  [back to the top]

I often play music books written for piano/guitar/vocal on my saxophones.  Many people ask me how do I manage to play that music in the correct key.  The answer is: transpose.  Transposing music by sight is a very needed skill.  Whether it may be from concert C (flute, piano) to alto sax or tenor sax (or clarinet) or vice versa.  If you are in band you may be called upon every so often to play another instruments part (which may be missing from your band).

If you are transposing Bass Clef(trombone, tuba, baritone/euphonium, bassoon, etc) to alto Sax, simply mentally change the Clef to Treble Clef and add 3 sharps.

If you are transposing Tenor Clef (normally used for Cello) to tenor sax then you simply substitute the Tenor Clef with a Treble Clef and add 2 sharps.  If the key has 2 flats the added 2 sharps negate them and you have no flats/sharps,  if the original key has 1 flat then you will end up with 1 sharp, if original 1 sharp then you will have 3 sharps.

The following chart will show you what key is transposed to which key for any instrument.

Rules of Thumb on Transposing:

I do most of my transposing from C to Eb (alto sax) or Bb (soprano/tenor sax)

It is best thought of this way.  If the music says to play a C, for tenor sax take that note up a second  (or one step) - basically you would play a D.

If it says a C and you are playing alto sax you would take it down two steps (a third) or play an A.

Be careful of accidentals.  Normally flats become naturals, and naturals become sharps. But this is not always correct.  Practice makes perfect so this may not come easy.  The more you transpose the easier it will become.

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Key Signatures  [back to the top]

Concert Key

I recall back in Middle School that the music director would tell us to play the Concert C scale.  What does that mean if your instrument is not in the key of C?

See tranposing for detailed information.  But if your instrument is in Bb (tenor sax, clarinet, trumpet) you would want to add 2 sharps to the stated key.  In this example concert C has no sharps or flats and adding 2 sharps would put you in the key of D (F# & C#). And you would thus start the scale on D.

If you are in Eb (alto sax) you would add 3 sharps and be in the key of A.

Keys   [back to the top]

To figure out the keys follow this rule:

For flats, the key you are in is the 2nd to last flat.  So 2 flats of Bb and Eb and the key is Bb.  Except 1 flat which is the key of F.

For sharps, take one step up from the last sharp.  So 2 sharps of F# and C# and the key is D.

The flats and sharps do not overlap so you simply have to memorize all the keys.

    Treble, Bass & Alto/Tenor Clefs  [back to the top]

A Master Staff (basically for Piano) contains both the Treble and Bass Clef (in most instances).  The understanding of how these staff are related is good knowledge.

Treble Clef - The C below the staff if the C above the staff of the Bass Clef.  It is also the middle C of the Alto Clef and the first line above the middle of the Tenor Clef.

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Half-Tones/Whole tones

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For questions or comments about these Theory pages please contact Steve at stevesklar@gmail.com

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