How to transpose a bass clef to a treble clef
Absolute novice here. I want to show a line written in the bass (F) clef into the treble (G) clef. Same tones and notes, only to be shown in the G clef. I can't seem to find anything in the handbook as to how to do it.
Comments
Just select the measure with the bass clef and click the treble clef in the palette. MuseScore will move all of the notes.
OK, following helpful instructions, I was able to change from the bass clef to the treble clef. Now I would like to transpose the line up one octave and down a minor third (from F major to D major). I've tried everything I can think of but no luck. Is there a simple way to do this?
In reply to OK, following helpful… by frankd14612
for the octave use ctrl+up arrow. For the minor third down select all of the measures you want to change and use Tools->Transpose and check all of the appropriate options in the interval section.
I'm curious if you are trying to change from a Bass clef tuba to a treble clef Eb tuba. If so, then just right click the staff (still showing bass clef) click change instrument and type tuba in the search box under the instruments list, then select the correct tuba.
In reply to for the octave use ctrl+up… by mike320
Mike, this goes to show what harm one can do when one does not read instructions. That one is me. No, I want to change this tuba to a flute! It seems that all the music I like and want is arranged for strange (to me) combinations of instruments. So as a novice, I'm trying to change the strange instruments to my preferred one: flute. So, if I read you right, all I should have to do is to type "Flute" in the search box under the instruments list. Am I being too hopeful?
In reply to Mike, this goes to show what… by frankd14612
No you cannot just change from Tuba to Flute because the notes will not be in the right octave. You should start by making that edit though. You will then need to use ctrl+up arrow on all of the notes a few times to put the notes into playable octaves for the flute. In general, this is the easiest way to change instruments. If you go from flute to Tuba you will of course need to use ctrl+down arrow to move the notes down to an octave a tuba player can play. This doesn't mean a musician will actually be able to play the results (especially the flute to tuba example) but the notes will be where they belong.
One thing you will want to ensure is that the Concert Pitch button at the top of the MuseScore window is not pressed. This will make it so you can see key changes if you switch from between something like English Horn and Bb Clarinet.
What led me to believe you were transposing from a C tuba to a Eb tuba Treble clef is that you described the steps necessary to manually do that. There is no minor third adjustment necessary for transposing between Tuba and C Flute.
In reply to Mike, this goes to show what… by frankd14612
Alto saxophone is a transposition instrument, that is why it shows as being in D major even though it will actually play in F. Simply using Change Instrument in Staff/Part Properties to change the alto saxophone to flute will un-transpose for you - you should not need to touch the transition yourself. Except, to raise it an octave if needed, as probably some of the alto saxophone notes are too low to play on flute.
Note that changing the tuba part to flute doesn't involve transposition at all, so in theory it is as simply as changing the clef and then raising it a couple of octaves. However, if it's really intended for tuba, it's going to sound pretty wrong on flute. Tubas are bass instruments, typically emphasizing roots of chords and playing lines that really won't make much sense in the flute range. But it doesn't hurt to play it and see.
In reply to Alto saxophone is a… by Marc Sabatella
Thank you, Mike and Marc, you are both so helpful to me. If I had to search for and find in the MuseScore instructions what you both have given me, I would have given up by now. I know what you're saying about tubas and root notes, Marc. I'm doing this for my and my granddaughters' (both good flute players) experimentation, and for my own learning how to use MuseScore, so that part of it is incidental. I appreciate the help both of you have given me. :-)