transposing musical instrument

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. Writing in this manner is a historical convention that often allows players to switch from a given instrument to a related one without relearning fingerings and other techniques (as from E♭ clarinet to B♭ clarinet or from English horn to oboe). The instrument name, as in the case of the B♭ clarinet, often indicates the pitch resulting when the player sounds the note written as C. If the actual pitch is lower (or higher) than the notated pitch, the written music must be adjusted upward (or downward) by the same amount. Thus, in the key of C major the music for the B♭ clarinet must be written in the key of D major.

      Although most transposing instruments belong to the woodwind and brass families, transposing keyboard instruments have also been built. The piccolo, contrabassoon, and other instruments whose parts are written an octave above or below the actual pitch (as c′ above c) are not considered transposing instruments.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Transposing instrument — A transposing instrument is a musical instrument for which written notes are read at a pitch different from the corresponding concert pitch, which a non transposing instrument, such as a piano, would play. Playing a written C on a transposing… …   Wikipedia

  • transposing instrument — noun Etymology: transposing (present participle of transpose) (I) + instrument 1. : a musical instrument that sounds pitches different from those indicated by the notation 2. : an instrument with a shifting keyboard for mechanically causing the… …   Useful english dictionary

  • transposing instrument — a musical instrument played at a pitch different from that indicated in the score. [1880 85] * * * …   Universalium

  • Musical notation — Music markup redirects here. For the XML application, see Music Markup Language. Hand written musical notation by J. S. Bach: beginning of the Prelude from the Suite for Lute in G minor BWV 995 (transcription of Cello Suite No. 5, BWV 1011) BR… …   Wikipedia

  • Musical scale — For psychoacoustic scale, see bark scale and mel scale. Pattern of whole and half steps in the Ionian mode or major scale on C   …   Wikipedia

  • Musical mode — This article is about modes as used in music. For other uses, see Mode (disambiguation). Modern Dorian mode on C  Play …   Wikipedia

  • Musical system of ancient greece — This article concerns itself with the music theoretical and mathematical tone system of ancient Greece. For a discussion of the cultural aspects and history of ancient Greek music, see Music of ancient Greece. The musical system of ancient Greece …   Wikipedia

  • Musical development — Sonata form as a dramatic pyramid featuring the three main sections: the exposition, the development, and the recapitulation …   Wikipedia

  • List of musical symbols — Modern musical symbols are the marks and symbols that are widely used in musical scores of all styles and instruments today. This is intended to be a comprehensive guide to the various symbols encountered in modern musical notation. Contents 1… …   Wikipedia

  • Saxophone — An alto saxophone in E♭ Classification Wind Woodwind Aerophone Hornbostel–Sachs classification …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”