The right octave after transposition
From time to time I transpose SATB a cappella choir scores for use by a SAAT saxophone quatet. Musescore is absolutely superb for doing this, with one niggling exception for which I have not yet found an answer, though I'm sure there is one.
I enter the choir scores, which are always in concert pitch of course, then simply use the 'stave properties/change instrunment' facility to transpose sop voice to sop sax, alto voice to alto sax 1, tenor voice to alto sax 2 and bass voice to baritone sax. When I play this transposed score back the sop sax, alto sax 1 and baritone sax staves play back in the right octave for saxophones, but the alto sax 2 stave transposed from tenor voice stil plays back in the tenor octave namely, an octave below an alto sax.
I've tried to alter the playback octave of the alto 2 stave using the 'stave properties/playback transposition' facility but this transposes the notes on the stave and not the playback pitch.
So the question is.....how do I alter the playback pitch of one of the staves in a score without changing the notes on the stave?
Thanks for any help on offer.
Comments
Hello.
Maybe the problem is that you say: "I enter the choir scores, which are always in concert pitch of course..." But the tenor voice is written one octave up, like classical guitar.
Regards.
In reply to Hope works by Maximiliano
Yes, I suppose moving the concert pitch part up one octave before transposing would work. Thanks for the suggestion, I'll try it, but I'm sure there must be a 'proper' way to do it.
My problem is, I suppose, that I don't understand what the 'stave properties/play transposition' function is all about or how it's supposed to be used. It's not mentioned in the user manual and I've searched for threads on it without success. I have a feeling the answer is in that function somewhere but I've tried every which way to get it to change the playback pitch and it doesn't. So I've either totally misunderstood what 'play transposition' means, or it just doesn't do what it says on the tin.
In reply to Yes, I suppose moving the by Peter B
Hello again.
It is for transposing instruments, like clarinets or saxos. For example: Alto sax needs major 6th down transposition, that is, it will sound a major 6th down (or it should be written a major 6th up).
Hope it helps.
Regards.
In reply to About play transposition by Maximiliano
Ok. I have done some tests. Try this (in tenor voice):
Change the clef to treble (without the 8). Now "Staff properties" via right click, and set there major 6th down, and there it is!
Hope it helps.
In reply to Try this. (Edited) by Maximiliano
OK I realize that alto sax needs major 6th down transposition, but MuseScore does this automatically. Look, here's my problem..............do this:
1. Open new score.
2. Select vocal/tenor
3. select key signature concert C
4. Notate middle C on the first measure of the stave
5. Select the measure, right click staff properties .......note that it shows play transposition perfect unison
6. Now select staff properties change instrument and select woodwind/alto saxophone (note that the stave shows key change to A maj and the notated note to A above the stave - perfectly correct.
7. Select the measure, right click staff properties ....note that it shows play transposition major 6th down
8. Click play..........it still plays the same note pitch as the concert pitch tenor note before transposition, but the alto sax part needs to be an octave above that..
That's the problem.............
In reply to OK I realize that alto sax by Peter B
Yes. The problem is that alto sax can't play that C because it is really C3 and not C4 and its limit is Db3. Probably you have to arrange the choir score. But I think you want all the tenor part an octave higher. In that case you only have to change the clef (with 8) to treble clef (without 8) (this will show you the real sound of tenor voice and set the correct clef to alto sax) then do an octave transposition (up) and finally the steps to change to alto sax.
Regards.
In reply to Yes. The problem is that alto by Maximiliano
OK , so I guess the answer to my question at the bottom of my first post is........you can't !.........Pitty
I now accept that the only way to get things in the right octave is, as you say, to do all the correction before transposition from voice to alt sax.
Personally though, I would like the play transposition algorythm to work the other way round. That is, instead of changing the note position on the stave relative to the playback pitch, I would prefer the playback pitch to change relative to the note position on the stave. So then I could place a note on the stave and select what pitch that written note plays back at.
Thanks for your help anyway, much appreciated.