Which way is UP ... and why? Transposing instruments, Tablature and capos
I'm probably going to feel embarrassed when someone explains the answer to me!
scorster
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Perhaps you should transpose the key down a major 2nd - from D to C, then use a capo at the 2nd fret:
Transpose_the_key.mscz
This needs the capo at fret 2 for the final correct playback. (Listen to the middle system. It uses no capo.)
It looks like you are transposing the instrument. This makes what looks like a notated C, actually sound as a D (up a major 2nd) without really using a capo.
In reply to You can transpose the key… by Jm6stringer
Hey Jm,
Your score shows an excellent progression, through the various transitional states, to reach the third and—in our opinion—most desirable outcome for a capoed guitar.
But how did you accomplish that in a single system?!
Much appreciated!
scorster
The semantics of staff transposition are designed to work for transposing instruments like clarinet or trumpet, not for capo usage (although it can be used that way as well. The idea is, a clarinet sounds a major second lower than written, so music for clarinet needs to be written a step higher than you want it to sound. Thus, if you specify a transposition of major second down, you are telling MuseScore, "this instrument sounds a major second lower than written, so please move the music up a step to compensate". And it's traditional to describe instruments in exactly this way - in terms of how much lower (or, occasionally, higher) than written they sound. That's also why we talk of Bb clarinet and Bb clarinet, or Eb alto saxophone or F horn - these are the sounds produced if you write a C.
In reply to The semantics of staff… by Marc Sabatella
Hi Marc,
Great information. I'll look to see if we have a nice exposition like this in the Handbook.
In the meantime I reworded what you wrote and wonder if you approve:
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The system of staff transposition applies to instruments like clarinet or trumpet ... and also for capoed instruments.
When clarinetists play a C note (as seen written in their Bb clarinet part) their instrument sounds Bb, a major second lower than a concert C. So a clarinet part in a conductor's "concert pitch" score must be written a major second lower [< corrected thanks to forum input] than it appears in the actual clarinet part.
MuseScore manages this for a Bb clarinet with a downward transposition of major second on the Staff/Part. A downward Major 2nd transposition tells MuseScore, "This instrument sounds a major second lower than concert pitch. Therefore, on any part written for this instrument, move the music up a step to compensate."
Similarly it's traditional to describe instruments similarly—in terms of how much lower (or occasionally, higher) their notation sounds than the "same" note played in concert pitch. That's also why the instruments are named Bb clarinet, A clarinet, or Eb alto saxophone or F horn—because those are they sounds they produce when they play a "C" written in their part:
When a Bb clarinetist reads a C from their score it's sounds a concert Bb
When an A clarinetist reads a C from their score it's sounds a concert A
When an Eb alto saxophone reads a C from their score it's sounds a concert Eb ...
While entering notes—whether composing, arranging or simply notating—a scorist may want the main score in concert pitch, but conductor's scores are not normally printed in concert pitch.
In reply to Hi Marc, Great information… by scorster
So a clarinet part in a conductor's "concert pitch" score must be written a major second higher than it appears in the actual clarinet part.
No, it have to be second lower in score, sounding Bb is written as Bb in "pitch" score, and as C in part.
In reply to Hi Marc, Great information… by scorster
That's mostly good. But as noted, the statement:
a clarinet part in a conductor's "concert pitch" score must be written a major second higher than it appears in the actual clarinet part.
is indeed wrong, on a couple of levels. First, normally, the score and the part are both transposed. At least, by the time you print or otherwise actually use them - you might well work in concert pitch while composing. And there is at least some precedent for publishing concert pitch scores, although it's not the norm at all.
But the parts are always transposed, meaning, always a step above concert. So if you have a transposed score, the score and part are identical. If you have a concert score, it's a step lower, not higher, than the part.
In reply to That's mostly good. But as… by Marc Sabatella
Thanks everybody!
I corrected the goof in my post. And added that conductors' scores are not normally printed in concert pitch.
scorster