Transposing instrument
Transposing instrument is the usual term for musical instruments in which the notation is not in the pitch that is supposed to sound, but rather shifted by a certain interval ( transposed ; from Latin transponere , “translate”, here in the sense of “to one bring another pitch ”) is. Thus, with transposing musical instruments, the notated voice does not match the actual sound of the instrument. The description of a transposition is based either on the notation (and the sound is then, for example, an octave higher) or the sound (and the notation is then, for example, an octave lower). An indication of the basic tuning (such as "trumpet in Bb" or "horn in F") on the sheet of music shows, based on the note c, by which interval the "ringing" note has to deviate from the notated note. (With “Clarinet in Bb”, for example, a b sounds instead of the notated c). For brass instruments , the fundamental note of the respective basic tuning is noted as c and all other notes shifted accordingly. With reed instruments , the same applies with regard to their respective fundamental ladder .
Purpose of the transposition
One purpose of transposition is to make it easier for the instrumentalist to play in changing moods. The transposition ensures that the same note image always corresponds to the same fingering or the same natural tone on the instrument, e.g. B. with natural horns , which achieve the transposition by attaching appropriately tuned bows.
Another purpose - especially with octaving - is to use the staff without too many guidelines. The octaved notation is therefore used for particularly high or low-sounding instruments. It is indicated by the number 8 (internationally with the addition especially for 'ottava') above or below the clef for an octave or the number 16 for playing two octaves higher or lower.
Generally non-transposing instruments (instruments in which sound and notation correspond) include violin, piano, flute, and trombone.
Examples of transposing instruments
Octaving instruments:
- sounding two octaves higher than notated: Garklein recorder , crotales , glockenspiel (varies from score to score, sometimes only sounding an octave higher)
- Sounding an octave higher than notated: flute piccolo , recorders in the positions of sopranino and soprano, crooked horns , cornamuses and kortholte in the positions of alto and tenor, all notated in the treble clef; Recorders in the bass and large bass registers, notated in the bass clef; Glockenspiel and celesta , notated in treble and bass clef (like piano )
- sounding an octave lower than notated: guitar , bass guitar , lute , heckelphone , notated in treble clef; Double bass and double bassoon , notated in the bass clef. In addition, there is the tenor singing part if it is notated in the treble clef.
In a narrower sense, transposing instruments are those that transpose by an interval other than the octave:
- up:
- Soprano Clarinet (Small Clarinet) in Eb, sounds a minor third higher than notated
- Trumpet in D or small trumpet in D, sounds a big second higher than notated
- Great Highland Bagpipe root note B, but is notated in A (without a sign!), So it sounds a minor second higher than notated
- downward:
- Clarinet / trumpet / flugelhorn / soprano saxophone in Bb, sound a big second lower than notated
- Oboe d'amore / clarinet in A, sound a minor third lower than notated
- Alto flute in G, sounds a fourth lower than notated
- Alto saxophone / Horn / Tenor Horn / Eb trumpet in Eb, sounding a major sixth lower than written
- Tenor saxophone / bass clarinet / bass trumpet / tenor horn in Bb, sound a major ninth lower than notated
- Baritone saxophone in Eb, sounds a major treadmill lower than notated
- Horn (French horn) / English horn in F, sound a fifth lower than notated. But there are also other notations for other horns (e.g. different shapes of the bow horn ). The parforce horn in Bb sounds a major ninth lower than notated, the parforcehorn in Eb a major treadmill lower than notated. Other natural horns are usually notated "in C", ie in the sounding pitch.
The fact that most brass instruments have the basic pitch B has an effect on entire musical styles. In New Orleans jazz and Dixieland jazz, for example, pieces are preferably set in keys such as B flat major or the neighboring keys of F major or E flat major in the circle of fifths . This allows the instrumentalists to easily play the melody and accompaniment with comfortable fingering, without the virtuosity being hindered by purely mechanical demands on valve combinations, fingerings and slides.
In the Viennese Classic , the timpani were mostly notated transposing. Since the usual pair of timpani were tuned to the root and the upper fifth, only the notes C and G were used in the notation. The instructions for the appropriate tuning can also be found here at the beginning of the part.
Here clearly illustrated:
If a B-flat trumpet plays the note transposed "B-flat notation" as C, then the B flat must be struck on a piano so that the same note sounds. If the Eb saxophone plays "his" C in "Eb notation", the same note is in sounding notation as, for example, on the piano, the Eb.
| Notation of the same sounding notes on transposing instruments | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piano not transp. |
C. | Cis Des |
D. | Dis it |
E. | F. | Fis Ges |
G | G sharp a flat |
A. | A sharp B |
H |
| Trumpet in Bb |
D. | Dis it |
E. | F. | Fis Ges |
G | G sharp a flat |
A. | A sharp B |
H | C. | Cis Des |
| Horn in F |
G | G sharp a flat |
A. | A sharp B |
H | C. | Cis Des |
D. | Dis it |
E. | F. | Fis Ges |
| Saxophone in Eb |
A. | A sharp B |
H | C. | Cis Des |
D. | Dis it |
E. | F. | Fis Ges |
G | G sharp a flat |
Older orchestral works
Occasionally orchestras use very old sheet music in which natural trumpets, horns, etc. were still intended. The player could change these natural instruments during the performance depending on the information on the music sheet or change his mind by exchanging pipe bends; the notes are then also alternately transposed to suit the given instrument. Today, however, such wind parts are played continuously on one and the same modern instrument.
Kuhlo notation
Trombone choirs usually play from the so-called Kuhlo or C notation, named after Johannes Kuhlo . Here, all (usually four) parts are given in a score in staves combined with an accolade . Regardless of the basic tuning of their instrument, the winds play the notated note sounding (exception: tuba register, this has to be octave down an octave). The advantage of this type of notation is that trombone choirs can play movements directly from hymn books and sheet music for choirs.
See also
Remarks
- ↑ In reality it is not the instrument that transposes something, but rather the usual notes for this instrument are (mostly) written transposed. However, if an instrument is learned and played “by ear” without notes, for example, the term “transposing instrument” loses its meaning.
- ↑ Wieland Ziegenrücker: General music theory with questions and tasks for self-control. German Publishing House for Music, Leipzig 1977; Paperback edition: Wilhelm Goldmann Verlag, and Musikverlag B. Schott's Sons, Mainz 1979, ISBN 3-442-33003-3 , pp. 180-182 ( transposing instruments ).
- ↑ a b "Sounding notation", "sounding notation" is the opposite of transposing notation and means: the notation corresponds to the real sound. Ulrich Michels: dtv atlas on music. Boards and texts. Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag, Munich 1977, Volume 1, ISBN 3-423-03022-4 , p. 47.