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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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OP
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I know a kid in the neighbourhood who plays Alto Sax. I have a tune written in the key of E. If I print it out for him and use the opt under Notation I can select to transpose for Alto Sax, which shows +9 and moves the key to Db.
Am I correct in my understanding that giving him the music printed for Db will give him correct notes to play against a backing track in the key of E? If so why. Why does he not just play the charts for the key of E?
PM
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Hi PM,
The alto sax is a Eb instrument - this means the C key on the alto sax is the equivalent pitch of a Eb on a piano - so your Db alto sax key is the same as an E of your backing key
jazzman
BIAB - RealBand - 2022
Windows 10 64
Zoo computer with 7i processor- SSD 1TB -2TB HDD
Roland keyboards
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Hi PapaMikie,
The alto sax is in Eb. This means that when the alto sax player reads and plays the C major scale, s/he thinks of it as "C major" but the pitch we hear is Eb. Applying this principle (and not worrying about octaves) gives the rule that the pitch that the sax player reads is a minor third lower than the pitch we hear. So, if the song is written in E, a minor third lower is C# (enharmonically the same as Db) and this means that the sax player would need to play in C# or Db to be in tune with the backing in E.
To make it easier for the young guy, I encourage you to transpose your song to Eb rather than E because then your printout would be in C. Transposing is very easy in BIAB and I'm sure the young guy would find it much easier to read music in C than in Db (or C#).
Regards,
Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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At the Ottawa Valley, their favorite keys are A and E. It's a fiddle thing. Same thing on yer east coasts. My father in law's band really only plays in those keys, probably because my wife's uncle calls the dances and it suits his range (not). It's the 2 fiddle players!
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Oh, and +9 or -3 is the same thing, just gives you lower notes to play.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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I always think of the alto as a major 6th above concert pitch (same as down a minor 3rd) because it is easier for my brain to transpose. The 6th is the relative minor, and that is an important association. Plus when I think of chord structures, I generally think up rather than down. So in the key of C I would play the Major 6 arpeggio as C-E-G-A and A is the relative minor or the alto sax pitch. (Note: that arpeggio is the "meat" of the bass line to zillions of songs)
BTW, The Tenor (a Bb instrument) is a whole step above concert pitch.
I played tenor and alto in guitar bands most of my life. Guitar players like E and A concert, so I learned to play the sax in the keys with lots of sharps in them.
As a result, I actually prefer to play in keys like E and A to what are supposed to be easier keys like Bb and Eb.
It's all a matter of what you get used to. F# is not any more difficult for the fingers than any other key. IMHO the sharp keys are actually easier to play than the flat ones. I don't know if it is what I'm used to or not, but the hands actually seem to be more comfortable in those keys. The transition from B to C# is much more fluid than B to C on the sax and the Bb is always a bit of an awkward note to play in fast runs (which is why there are alternate not-quite-in-tune fingerings for that note).
I encourage all sax players to learn to play in E and A concert because there is so much music that is played in those keys.
Insights and incites by Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton  Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Quote:
Noel
To make it easier for the young guy, I encourage you to transpose your song to Eb rather than E because then your printout would be in C. Transposing is very easy in BIAB and I'm sure the young guy would find it much easier to read music in C than in Db (or C#).
I will transpose the original down to Eb and then make the adjustment to C for the Alto Sax. Thank you for the suggestion. Very helpful and very senseable.
PM
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Hi,
A BIG +1 to everything Bob Norton wrote. And transposing any tune away from the original key because it may be easier is only delaying the improvement of any musician. It only takes a little more study and work, and in the end your student will gain the ability to play a tune in any key. Also, this does wonders for your sight reading, another very important skill..............
Hope this helps, it helped me,
Ed
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