 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Christoffer
Date: 2001-03-08 19:11
Could someone give me a little "transposing for dummies"-course - how to transpose from C to Bb. The other way round would be nice, too. I have heard something about one-note-up-and-add-two-sharps (that's from C to Bb, right?) ... but how does one know where to add those sharps?
Also: does there exist such a thing as duets for clarinet and violin (or any C instrument, whose part could be played on violin)? Preferably on a not-too-advanced level, I am still pretty much a beginner.
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Author: Al
Date: 2001-03-08 21:29
Simple Answer
Bb to C --Add 2 sharps or take away 2 flats
C to Bb -- Add 2 flats or take away 2 sharps
The order of the flats in key signatures is- b,e,a,d,g,c,f.
The order of the sharps in key sigs.is- f,c,g,d,a,e,b
Memorize them.
If this is too simple, ask somone to elaborate.
Al
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Author: William
Date: 2001-03-08 22:11
In addition to Al's advice, when transposing C to Bb, read each note one whole step higher. Example: Written G on "C" music, play A on clarinet; Writen Eb on "C" music, play F on clarinet. Bb clarinet sounds one note lower than it is written. If a C instrument is playing a Bb part, then you must play each note one whole step lower. Example: Written A on "Bb" music, play G on "C instrument (flute, violin, piano, etc.)
It's not so hard, once you get the basic concept figured out. Good luck!!!!!!!
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-03-08 23:23
You may need to think a little for the accidentals. Just check and make sure you have moved them one step (2 semitones).
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Author: nam
Date: 2001-03-09 01:56
Forget about transposing.Try to practice scales especially cromatic scale..then play by ear..If the ritten music is in C play in D ..If ritten music is d play in E....etc..
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Author: Jim
Date: 2001-03-09 05:23
Christoffer,
If you are reasonably near a GOOD music store, a look through the various instrument bins (start with clarinet of course) should yield books of easy (and more difficult) duets, trios etc for use in mixed instrument classes. You would need to buy the same book for both clarinet and for violin (or some other C instrument.) As quick check in the store... look to be sure that the key signatures on the same piece for the 2 instruments are different. (I once bought a clarinet/ piano book only to get home 50 miles and find that the clarinet part was missing and the clarinet cues on the piano part were in C of course.) C instruments include flute, oboe/ bassoon, and the various keyboards. B flat instruments also include trumpet.
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Author: Jeff Forman
Date: 2001-03-09 11:39
Just my two cents. You might want to write out the scale in both keys, one on top of the other. In fact, there are plastic transpose rulers (works almost like a slide rule used to) where you put the key you are going from on top and slide the ruler to the key you want. But look at the following example:
Bb C D Eb F G A Bb
C D E F G A B C
In the above chart, if you have an F note in the music written in the key of C, you need to play Eb, and so on. On the reverse side, to transpose from Bb to C, just go the other way. You can do this with any key by just writing out the compensating scale. And by the way, you can also look at the chart and know that the relative minor key (the 6th note of the scale) for C is A minor, so looking at the chart, you could also see that the A minor transposes to G minor so the relative minor of the key of Bb is G minor.
Jeff
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-03-09 14:46
Nam that is all very well, but much music modulates frequently and suddenly all over the place, without changing key signature or indeed has almost no sense of 'key'. By the time you work out what key you're in a couple of bars later you've moved on to a new one.
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Author: Blake
Date: 2001-03-09 15:40
I cursed my teacher as child <sgt. Richard Bassett of the army band> because he would make us play one of our pieces from the previous week in C the following week. I did this for almost 10 years. The result.. I "think" in C as well as I do in Bb and dont have to worry so much about the up one add 2. One thing that really helps me is I play the scale in the transposed key before i play the piece to get the "lay of the key" in my fingers. Arpeggios in the key help too. Not sure if you've caught what the add 2 sharps/sub 2 flats means.. it refers to the key signature..so if the piece is written for a c instrument in the key of c you play a d for a c and youre in the key of D <two sharps> The nice thing about having this skill is that if you decide to not pursue a music career as i did, but played in churches for the past 20 years, i can read off the piano part or play an oboe or flute part without having to have the director transpose. I never did master transposing from Bb to A...it was too tortures for me and didn't "click" Blake
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Author: ron b
Date: 2001-03-09 17:39
Christoffer -
My own experience is much like Blake's. Playing from C instrument sheet music is second nature and I really give it no (note by note) thought. Just read everything a note higher.
Sounds simple, doesn't it?
Well, for me, it was by no means as simple as that. It was at least a couple of years or (probably) more of agonizingly hard work. At first, it was painstakingly difficult, note by note. Sorta like a second language - you're slow at it at first and you make a lot of (sometimes hilarious) funny mistakes. Maybe some not so funny. But, after doing it repeatedly you find you're not 'translating' any more - you're thinking and communicating... just as you were in your first language. Then, (the time it takes varies by the individual of course) it begins to sound natural and no one laughs at you any more. They just enjoy your company and your conversation and, if you get really good at it, they don't notice too much that it's your second language. In a sense, you're still a 'foreigner', though - don't ignor that. Playing flute parts won't make you sound like a flute.
I agree with Nam that learning to 'hear' the notes, the intervals, is an invaluable asset. Like any skill, it's developed over time. There's no instant formula to get around it - you have to practice.
- ron b -
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