HELP! What is transposing??

[kenigmatic]

I have recently bought a student Alto Sax, I think (presume) it's eb ?!
I am trying to teach myself as I sit thru a cold winter...
Please can someone direct me towards a beginners tutorial on transposing written -> sounding.
I understand the concept, but cannot find a concrete explanation of what exactly written C or D or E# should sound like?

[cleger]

If you are reading music written in concert pitch, just use the following chart (http://www.saxontheweb.net/Transposition.html) from the SOTW home page to transpose. Basically if a piano (or any other concert instrument) is playing a C, you play an Eb and you're on the same page, etc.

[fballatore]

If you are reading music written in concert pitch, just use the following chart (http://www.saxontheweb.net/Transposition.html) from the SOTW home page to transpose. Basically if a piano (or any other concert instrument) is playing a C, you play an Eb and you're on the same page, etc.

Cleger - You have that in reverse. A C played on an alto sax is an Eb in the concert scale. Concert C is an A on an alto sax.

Kenigmatic - to transpose from concert pitch, you need to go down 3 semitones. For example, starting at C concert, you'd go down B, Bb, A for the alto, E would transpose to C# (Eb, D, C#). Hope this helps. But if you're just starting out, I don't know if I'd worry about transposing just yet. You have more fundamental things to deal with - proper embouchure, tone, breathing, etc. Check out the SOTW Beginner's Corner here - http://www.saxontheweb.net/Learning/.

Good luck.

[cleger]

Cleger - You have that in reverse. A C played on an alto sax is an Eb in the concert scale. Concert C is an A on an alto sax.

Right! damn I should know better than to try to give advice about something that I'm just starting to learn myself.

[fballatore]

Right! damn I should know better than to try to give advice about something that I'm just starting to learn myself.

LOL - you get points for trying!!