I need help please. I've never tried to transpose music before and my music theory is knowledge isn't good. I understand that Alto flute is a G instrument. To tune to a standard A I would need to play the F above it. To tune to a C I would play a G. So all notes need to move up 4 steps. BUT I figure with some Keys it won't be so simple as that and accidentals will need to change? Here my brain is going blank and refusing to understand how to work out what accidentals where. Can anyone please help me or point me to an online free resource for learning this?
Also, if I needed to transpose by sight for orchestra (from a C instrument part) how would I learn to do so?
Thanks

To tune to a C play an F, to tune to an A you need to play a D - you were right in that it is four degrees removed, but i'm not sure how you got A-F and C-G.

If you play a 'C major' scale on a G instrument, the pitch will be of a G major scale (hence 'in G'). So it can be imagined to be adding a sharp to the scale (or taking away a flat) - if you play D major it will come out as A major, Eb major as Bb and so on.

If you're playing from a part written for a C instrument, take a sharp from the key signature (or add a flat) and there is your new key - it will be raised by a fourth (or lowered by a fifth if you prefer)

so the passage C-B-A (the last three degrees of C major) you would play F-E-D (F major), and F#-C#-B (D major) would be B-F#-E (G major)

basically the note you finger sounds down a perfect fourth, so transpose up the same amount.

hope that made sense!

Thanks Des

erm, I can't figure out how I got those notes now, even though I was convinced at the time?

What's confused me even more is my previous flute-teacher saying I'd have to "take it up 3 and add 3 flats" Huh?



That's a huge help. A simple rule to learn as a guide. Thank you

I guess my next step here is to get on with my theory learning, I've been ignoring it, stupidly. Where to start though?



p.s. On a different tack, with a straight flute I put it on a flute stand in pauses in my practice to drain, but if I do that with a curved head alto won't it wet the cork? What do I do with it instead? (when I finish for the day I always wipe out and return it to it's case)

You might get more answers if you post in the Woodwind forum.

I have never had a curved headjoint, but I am sure it is fine if you just wipe the inside of it with your cleaning cloth

that sounds like she's talking about something in A, thats the transposition you would do for an A clarinet. possibly she just got mixed up?

Hopefully She's a music teacher (school) and flute teacher (private)

Nicki, Will I not get in trouble if I repeat the same thing in another place? (some forums will delete and warn for that )

I am sure you won't and it was my idea and not yours, so don't worry

People often get confused about working out intervals because you have to include the note you start on and the note you finish on when you are counting. E.g. C (or C flat or C sharp) to F (or F flat or F sharp) is some kind of 4th: C (1) D (2) E (3) F (4). Similarly A B C D = 1 2 3 4 = another 4th.

In any major scale the interval from the tonic (note 1 of the scale) to the subdominant (note 4 of the scale) is called a Perfect 4th. That's the interval you need when you transpose flute music for alto flute.

Hope that helps.