You're looking at a tenor sax part. The lead alto, or lead trumpet, is probably playing the melody on the lead sheet you attached. Your part is a harmony part.

If the original recording is in C, as implied by that lead sheet (although lead sheets get transposed all the time), then the arranger has for whatever reason made his arrangement in Bb. Which, of course, will read to you as C on tenor sax, and to the alto player as G.

Wait till the whole group's together, play the part as written, then see what happens.

 

Well, that lead sheet the teacher gave you specifies that it's for tenor sax. So, it's in C on the tenor, Bb concert. So, my guess is the band will be playing in that key.

The original could be in a different key. It's not unusual for some bands to play a tune in a different key than the original, often, but not always, for the singer. I tend to learn R&B tunes like this one by ear, from the recording. Then, if necessary, transpose them to whatever key the band plays it in.

 

...The original could be in a different key. It's not unusual for some bands to play a tune in a different key than the original, often, but not always, for the singer.

Yes, is in C concert (D for tenor).
The was not yet the singer. He/she "should" (not sure) be come next time, so...

I tend to learn R&B tunes like this one by ear, from the recording.

Yes, when I listened the first time the tune, I got it was in a different key, even if there wasn't the singer (= the usual "key changer"...).

Then, if necessary, transpose them to whatever key the band plays it in.

But when you're playing, you think at the chords?
1) listening I get the progression (and the scale degrees)
I/V/I/4 4#
I VI-/II- V/I IV /I 5
2) I can transpose
Is this?

 

But when you're playing, you think at the chords?
1) listening I get the progression (and the scale degrees)
I/V/I/4 4#
I VI-/II- V/I IV /I 5

If I have learned a tune by ear, whether it’s the lead or my part. I think of BOTH the melody and the chords at the same time. They are both part of the same thing. In other words, I learn the music.

I can’t make out what you mean in the progression - you are mixing Roman and Arabic numerals, and it’s not clear where the bar lines are. Are you asking if your chords are correct? I don’t know this tune, so can’t comment. Bu in general, play what the leader says to play They might have a different idea. In other words, they gave you a part, so go by that part.

If the part is really a tenor sax part, then yes it’s in concert Bb. If it’s for tenor, but the person who printed it just forgot to transpose it, it’s in C and YOU will have to transpose it. (Or maybe they don’t know that saxophone is a transposing instrument…) You probably have to play the tune with the rest of the band to find out.

 

They gave you a written arrangement for your instrument for a reason. There's no need to guess or do your own arrangement based on the original. As turf said, just play the ink with the band.

 

Yes, is in C concert (D for tenor).

Steve answered your questions, in post #6 above, very well. And if it is actually in C concert, yes, you'll have to transpose it up a step to D for tenor:

If the part is really a tenor sax part, then yes it’s in concert Bb. If it’s for tenor, but the person who printed it just forgot to transpose it, it’s in C and YOU will have to transpose it. (Or maybe they don’t know that saxophone is a transposing instrument…) You probably have to play the tune with the rest of the band to find out.

Do you have the band leader's phone # or email? If so, you could just contact him/her and ask what key the band is playing the tune in. That might give you some time to work on it in the right key. And it's a good idea to always speak in concert key when talking to the other band members. Most of them won't likely have any idea about the sax key.

 

Steve answered your questions, in post #6 above, very well. And if it is actually in C concert, yes, you'll have to transpose it up a step to D for tenor.

Am I missing something? Where's the evidence this arrangement is even supposed to be in the "original" key?

Personally, after I spend hours writing an arrangement for a whole band, and one player second guesses me and makes up their own part in a different key based on their interpretation of the "original", that person will not be invited back to the next rehearsal. I think we need to hold off on "fixing" this arrangement until the all the facts are established and the OP has played it with the rest of the band.

 

Am I missing something? Where's the evidence this arrangement is even supposed to be in the "original" key?

Since you seem to be responding to my post (you quoted me), you must be missing something in what I said. I merely stated that IF, as the OP stated (see quote below), the tune is actually in concert C, that would be D on tenor. I said nothing about the original key, aside from pointing out in an earlier post that tunes are not always covered in the original key.

Yes, is in C concert (D for tenor).

Personally, after I spend hours writing an arrangement for a whole band, and one player second guesses me and makes up their own part in a different key based on their interpretation of the "original", that person will not be invited back to the next rehearsal. I think we need to hold off on "fixing" this arrangement until the all the facts are established and the OP has played it with the rest of the band.

I never said anything about "making up their own part in a different key" or "fixing this arrangement". Where did you get that idea from anything I wrote?

 

Since you seem to be responding to my post (you quoted me), you must be missing something in what I said. I merely stated that IF, as the OP stated (see quote below), the tune is actually in concert C, that would be D on tenor. I said nothing about the original key, aside from pointing out in an earlier post that tunes are not always covered in the original key.

I never said anything about "making up their own part in a different key" or "fixing this arrangement". Where did you get that idea from anything I wrote?

Sorry for misinterpreting. Sounded like you gave to green light to the OP's plan after he confirmed the original was indeed in C.

I had a rehearsal the other day where we had a few people missing. We were playing one of my arrangements, and my first trombone was very obviously not playing the notes in his part. I asked him if he was playing what I wrote, and he admitted he was trying to cover what he thought was the missing first trumpet part. I know he meant well, but whatever he did stepped on a lot of other parts and pretty much ruined the harmony since the trombone part I wrote was not being played. I asked him to stop doing that. So I'm a little sensitive about folks ignoring the arranger. If you join a band, and they give you a written part, play that part. If it doesn't work, then the arranger will be aware of the mistake and can rework it and give you the corrected part next rehearsal or ask you to sight transpose for the moment, if that's the only issue. If you have slashes under chord symbols, play whatever you want, as long as it fits the tune.

But when you're playing, you think at the chords?
1) listening I get the progression (and the scale degrees)
I/V/I/4 4#
I VI-/II- V/I IV /I 5
2) I can transpose
Is this?

Play the notes on the page. If they don't work, discuss a solution with your teacher.

 

Dear all, thanks for your patience in answering me: I was certainly confused, partly because of my English.

I'm aware that the arranger creates the piece in the key he wants.
The "suspicion", not of an arranger error, but of a typing error, came to me when comparing the tenor sax score and the original (not from the band but downloaded on internet):

• the harmony is the same C concert for both, tenor and concert
• the melody differ by a minor third, in all the score.

Turf, in the second post, explained to me that since the tenor sax part is a harmony part, it could also differ from the main melody.

For me, that was it; I'll see how it goes with the rest of the band tomorrow.

 

Too much overthinking. I can't remember any times that I've received a piece of written music for a band I'm in, then question it's accuracy without having ever played a note. Now, I have had a couple times where the part was wrong, but it's rare (and usually just a note or 2).

Go in, play it as written. If it sounds bad it's on the arranger. Otherwise it just makes you sound needy or difficult if you're coming up with issues that likely don't exist. Play the written parts, that's what you're there to do.

 

Go in, play it as written. If it sounds bad it's on the arranger. Otherwise it just makes you sound needy or difficult if you're coming up with issues that likely don't exist. Play the written parts, that's what you're there to do.

I think this is the right approach. It will soon become apparent if the written part is not in the right key (like after playing the first few notes).

The bands I've played in have no written scores. It's up to me to either come up with my own parts and/or play 'signature lines' by ear that I've learned from the recording. Putting them (and soloing) in whatever key the band is playing in.