Music Questions

Question

I need clearly to a question. I thought the answer was 1-D-Flat major. According to my study notes from school, whatever music piece the concert pitch is in, you would lower the key for the B-flat trumpet by a whole step. So, a whole step down from E-flat major is D-Flat major. Can you correct my thinking and explain better why the answer is 3.

 

A high school vocal music teacher is creating an arrangement for mixed chorus, harpsichord, and B-flat trumpet. The piece will be in E-flat major. The teacher should write the trumpet part in which of the following keys?

1. D-flat major

2. C major

3. F major

4. E-flat major

 

Answer

Correct Response: 3. This question requires the examinee to demonstrate a broad and comprehensive understanding of techniques for composing, arranging, and improvising, including knowledge of instrumental transpositions, ranges, and idiomatic writing for various instruments and instrumental ensembles. Whenever an instrument plays a written C, the name of the instrument is produced at sounding pitch. For example, whenever a B-flat trumpet plays a written C, the name of the instrument, B-flat, is produced. Thus, music for B-flat trumpet must be written a whole-step above sounding pitch. Consequently, a piece in E-flat major requires the trumpet part to be written in F major.

Answer 1

This is a very common mistake that I have fallen into when I was younger! Transposing instruments can be daunting, but often it is just overthought! The general rule is that for any instrument, whatever pitch comes out when you play "C" is its transposition name. When a trumpet plays a "C," instead of a piano C, it would sound like a piano Bb-- one whole step down.

When transposing for a Bb instrument from the concert pitch (in your case Eb), you would move the tonic/home note a step UP, not down. The instrument starts off at a lower step so to compensate, the pitches are raised a step.

So, in your case, a trumpet's F scale will sound like a piano's Eb scale. Eb is one step lower than F and the trumpet is a Bb transposing instrument, which means you only compensate up one step.

Answer 2

Hi Bill,

Great question, and a common mistake! When we talk about transposing instruments, the easiest way to think about their transposition is this: when they play a written C, the note that sounds is the note in their transposition name. In other words, as trumpet is a B-flat instrument, when they play a C, a B-flat sounds – or, a whole step lower than the written pitch. In the example you cite, the piece is written in E-flat major. For a trumpet to play what sounds like an E-flat major scale, they will need to see an F-major scale written on the page. When they play the F-major (written) scale, it will sound one whole step lower: E-flat major.

Let me know if you have other questions!

Best,

Aaron