[HANASHIR:13539] Re: Instruments (more!)

[mmirkin <mmirkin...>]

Clarinets and saxophones are transposing instruments.  If you want these 
instruments to play in the same key you will have to transpose the music for 
them, if the musicians are not able to transpose on sight.  If you have a lead 
sheet for vocal line with guitar or piano accompaniment and you want a clarinet 
or saxophone to play along on any of these lines you will have to transpose as 
follows:

Bb Clarinet: transpose the music up a Major 2nd.
A Clarinet: transpose the music up a minor 3rd.
Eb Alto Saxophone: transpose the music up a Major 6th or down a 3rd depending 
upon the musical line and how it lays on the horn.
Bb Tenor Saxophone/Bass Clarinet: transpose the music up a Major 9th or down a 
Major 2nd depending upon the musical line and how it lays on the horn.

I hope this helps, if you have any other questions or arranging help just let 
me know.

Marcy Mirkin

> Someone needs to refresh my orchestration memory (it's been awhile since 
> college!):
> 
> If I give someone sheet music to a song to play on Saxaphone or Clarinet, do 
> I need to transpose it (or recapo my guitar) so that we'll be playing in the 
> same key?
> 
> Neil Weinstein
> Bellevue, WA
> 

------------------------ hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org -----------------------+