transposing for non-C instruments

PG Music Home

I know its somewhere in the manual, but....

When I launch a BIAB song, the output through my speakers is against a C instrument (piano, etc). However, I'm playing a trumpet (Bb).

So, how do I run the song in C, while changing the notation to show the Bb transpose on the screen?

Art

You have an icon that is a black P in a white box with blue outline - this is the "Practice Central" icon. Click it and you will get a dialogue box with a section at the top just left of centre that allows for transposition of the written music.

Be warned however, if you don't restore to concert it "remembers" the transposition between sessions - this can sometimes catch you out - it does me anyhow!

You can also get there using <Alt-Shift-L> or click on |Window|Practice Window|

Lawrie,

I'm looking on my version of BIAB (V12 for Mac). Where is the equivalent 'Practice Central' icon on the Mac version?

Art

Sorry Art, I don't know. I don't even know if it's there - I've only been using BiaB for less than a year and not that heavily - and I'm on a PC... I do know from information released on this forum that:
a) the Mac version is not up to date with the PC version, and
b) an update to the Mac version to include stuff like realtracks etc. and bring it into line with the PC version is supposed to be on the way.

At the very top of this page there is a "Support" link.

If you hit that and then hit "FAQ" (Frequently Asked Questions) link, scroll down to BB ver 12 for Macintosh, you can find the answers to a whole lot of questions, including this one.

Use page search feature (typically ctrl-f in most browsers) to quickly search the page for keywords.

So I entered "Transpose" and it immediately returned BIAB FAQ #36:

Quote:

36. How do I set the right key or visually transpose the music for my non-concert instrument?

The key transpose box on the main screen of Band-in-a-Box sets MIDI music you hear and the Notation key for viewing and printing at the same time. The 'Transpose' setting in the Notation Window Options dialog affects only the viewable and printable notes, while leaving the MIDI playback in the original key. This allows you to view proper notation for non-concert instruments, such as a tenor sax. Open the Notation Window and press the [OPT] button to open the Notation Window Options dialog. Beside 'Transpose', type in the number of semitones that you want the notation to be transposed. For example, if you have a trumpet, set it to +2.

So it is just like earlier Windows versions, from the Notation Window view, hit the Options button and look for the transpose shift stuff. Should be a setting there labeled for Bb Trumpet. If not that fancy, what you want is a whole step up from Concert C, which is two half steps up, or that +2 entry.

--Mac

Sometimes, when you transpose for trumpet, you'll find that the notes are too low; if this happens, use the tenor sax (+14) instead of trumpet (+2) which will move your notes up an octave. And if the notes are too high, you can drop an octave by using (-10).