 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Mindy
Date: 2001-06-06 17:43
Last night i was talking to a friend of mine who plays the trumpet. We were discussing a piece of music written in the key of D (concert) and I said that we would be playing in the key of E. The first WRITTEN note was a D and I said it would be an E yet he said that it would be a F or F# "depending on the key". From there a BIG argument broke out and he even talked about it with my mother (since she is a music teacher). She couldn't convince him that he would be playing in the key of E either. It seems to me that he is "thinking" that he is playing a trumpet in D since the music is written in D and is trying to say that the relationship between Bb and D is a 3rd so therefore the first note on the music would be an F or F#. Is this making sense? My mother and I talked to him till we were blue in teh face and he even "slammed' the door on us. Who is right? I say we are UNLESS he is playing a trumpet in D but he continually said he was not he was playing a trumpet in Bb. I will attach a text file he wrote where he was trying to explain his position.
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Instrument = Bb
Music Is Keyed for a D Instrument
Bb to D = 3rd NOT a 2nd
so a D is written.
_______________________
___________x___________ <---- This is a D not and E
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
We look at the Relationship always maintaining in Bb terms
When we Have C written We play E When the music is pitched for D.
Look at the Relation SHip our C is a Bb, Our E is a D.
so
If the key is No sharps no flats in the music which we keep in mind is in D then
in Bb the key is 3 sharps.
Now
We establish this
We go back to the Bb world and See a D written
Oh No! its for a D instrument
Dont move
dont think
we stay in Bb and go up a 3rd
so
D,E,F#
The note, F#.
Think about it, I did for a long time when I started
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Now -- does that explain his position? I say he is a bit mixed up because the music was NOT written for a trumpet in D it was an Aria from an Oratorio so it was for piano and voice (C instruments!!!!!!!!). Please help me put a stop to this argument.
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Author: Keil
Date: 2001-06-06 17:52
Sweety, you're right... for a Bb instrument when a concert D is written the Bb instrument would play a D... true the relationship is a 3rd meaning you'd have to go up 3 half steps counting the D! you'd be playing an E!!
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Author: Todd W.
Date: 2001-06-06 22:44
Mindy--
Well, I think I understand your friend's thinking; however, it's not only way too complicated, it's wrong.
Have him think in terms of sound. When we (playing a Bb clarinet or a Bb trumpet) see a note on the page and finger that note, the sound that comes out (assuming we are playing the note well and in tune) will be a full step lower than the written note. For example, if we see a D on the page and finger a D on our instrument, the note we will hear is a C. So, to sound the correct note (concert pitch) we must finger an E.
Therefore, for a piece written in concert D, Bb instruments will have their part written a full step higher, that is, in E.
You and your friend (and your mother) can check this against a tuner or a piano (or a piano tuner :-) ). Pick a written note; have your friend play the note he thinks it should be; then check it against the tuner or piano.
Hope this is clear and helpful.
Todd W
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Author: Mindy
Date: 2001-06-07 01:08
Thanks everyone...... I knew that would be the answer but I just wanted to make sure
Thanks Again
Mindy
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-06-07 05:34
Also D trumpets are extremely uncommon. If he is playing a standard band trumpet, it is a Bb trumpet.
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Author: Terry Horlick
Date: 2001-06-07 06:49
Why not just have him listen to a D on a piano or pitch pipe and then see what note matches it on his horn? I think he will be appologizing to you if he does that... he might learn a little about transposing also.
Cheers! Terry
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