Saxophones will not transpose to keys properly
I am writing a piece in the key of G# minor (B major). Alto saxophone and baritone saxophone are tuned to Eb, and therefore should display the key signature of D major/B minor, but instead are displaying the key signature Ab major/F minor. The soprano saxophone is a Bb instrument, and should be displaying C# major/A# minor, but instead is displaying Db major/Bb minor. This means that when I copy lines from other instruments onto soprano, alto, or baritone sax, the notes have an unreasonable and unnecessary amount of accidentals. Only the tenor saxophone transposes properly.
Comments
An Eb instrument plays 3 semitones higher than concert pitch so you should write it 3 semitones lower giving F minor/Ab major?
A Bb instrument plays 2 semitones lower than concert pitch so you should write it 2 semitones higher giving Bb minor/Db major (or C# major)?
If you attach your score it might be easier to work out what is going on.
In reply to An Eb instrument plays 3… by underquark
An Eb clarinet plays 3 semitones higher than written, An Eb alto sax plays a major 6th lower than written. An Eb baritone sax plays an octave lower than that.
See #313651: Saxophones will not properly transpose keys