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Original poster

Could anyone musical explain this about transposing instruments please?

34 replies

zasknbg · 21/12/2019 20:49

I have got very confused! I help my DC with their music by playing along on the piano. Not an accompaniment, I just am trying to play their line of music at the same pitch to help them stay in time and get the correct notes.

So: E flat alto saxophone reading treble clef plays a C as written in saxophone music. If you want to play the same note on the piano, you play the E flat that is lower than the C. I get this, I hope!

But: E flat tuba reading bass clef plays a C as written in tuba music. The note that matches this on the piano appears to be the F that is lower than the C written in the music. (I am not sure if this is correct)

Could anyone help me, if both instruments are in E flat and they both play a C (albeit from different clefs), why the piano must play E flat to match the saxophone and F to match the tuba?

Thanks for any help!

OP posts:
stripeypillowcase · 21/12/2019 21:18

the piano part should always be in c.

traditionally trumpet and horn were always playing c notation but used one instrument or extension to match the rest of the orchestras.

Original poster
zasknbg · 21/12/2019 21:16

thirdfiddle do you think that the tuba music for an orchestra is written differently to the tuba music that someone might play for eg an ABRSM exam? I might have heard this and forgotten.

The open note/s with no fingering are coming out as Eb/Bb

I'm looking at an ABRSM grade 1 piece and a grade 3 piece, both for Eb tuba.

OP posts:
thirdfiddle · 21/12/2019 21:13

Ah ignore me someone who actually knows what they're talking about got there first.

thirdfiddle · 21/12/2019 21:11

I thought tuba parts were usually written in concert pitch? So if child plays a written C it should sound a C but unlike other brass instruments they would put some fingers down to play it. The instrument is in E-flat means that if they don't use any valves they can get the E-flat harmonic series (Eflat, Bflat, Eflat, G, Bflat ...).
I can't work out how a C would become an F though so bit puzzled.

Original poster
zasknbg · 21/12/2019 21:10

Right I shall think about that and see if I can also do the brain gymnastics, thank you! What exactly does "noted in F mean", does it just mean that it is written such that when you play a C, it sounds like an F? The tuba C definitely sounds like a piano F.

OP posts:
stripeypillowcase · 21/12/2019 21:01

tub/french horn will (usually) be noted in f.
can be any notation btw but the most common is f. the brain gymnastics french horn players do are amazing.

the e will refer to the base note of the instrument, not the notation of the music.

Original poster
zasknbg · 21/12/2019 20:58

Oh no! the piano part is for Bb brass! So that won't tell me. Oops!

OP posts:
Original poster
zasknbg · 21/12/2019 20:57

Yes, I will inspect the piano part now, didn't think of that!

OP posts:
randomsabreuse · 21/12/2019 20:55

Is the Tuba in tune? Although I'd expect it to be flat rather than sharp...

Does the music have a piano part too - this might well have be melody at pitch or echo/repeat the melody in the piano part.

Hopefully a brass player will be along with a better explanation!

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