Transposing and Non-Transposing Instruments
What is Concert Pitch?
Concert pitch is the actual sounding pitch of a note. For example, piano music is written in concert pitch. So, when a composer writes the note Middle C on a piano score, the performer plays Middle C.
What is a Non-Transposing Instrument?
Instruments whose parts are written in concert pitch are referred to as non-transposing instruments.
What is a Transposing Instrument?
A transposing instrument is an instrument whose parts are not written in concert pitch. The parts of numerous musical instruments are written at an interval above or below the actual notes played by the performer.
For example, the French horn is a transposing instrument. On the French horn stave of a typical musical score, the French horn's notes are written a perfect 5th higher than they sound. Therefore, when a composer writes the note G4 (one perfect 5th above Middle C) on the French horn stave, the performer actually plays Middle C (one perfect 5th below that G4).
Here's another way of explaining Transposing Instruments...
The B♭ clarinet is a transposing instrument. A "C" in a score for B♭ clarinet player is not an instruction for the player to sound a certain note, but it is to use a certain fingering, which on a B♭ clarinet happens to sound a B♭, hence the name of the instrument. Now on an A clarinet, the very same fingering will sound as the pitch A, and in the score for A clarinet, will again be associated with the fingering for a written C.
As can be seen below, all of the instruments in the String Family are at concert pitch. It is only some of the instruments in the Woodwind Family and the Brass Family that are transposing.
Concert pitch is the actual sounding pitch of a note. For example, piano music is written in concert pitch. So, when a composer writes the note Middle C on a piano score, the performer plays Middle C.
What is a Non-Transposing Instrument?
Instruments whose parts are written in concert pitch are referred to as non-transposing instruments.
What is a Transposing Instrument?
A transposing instrument is an instrument whose parts are not written in concert pitch. The parts of numerous musical instruments are written at an interval above or below the actual notes played by the performer.
For example, the French horn is a transposing instrument. On the French horn stave of a typical musical score, the French horn's notes are written a perfect 5th higher than they sound. Therefore, when a composer writes the note G4 (one perfect 5th above Middle C) on the French horn stave, the performer actually plays Middle C (one perfect 5th below that G4).
Here's another way of explaining Transposing Instruments...
The B♭ clarinet is a transposing instrument. A "C" in a score for B♭ clarinet player is not an instruction for the player to sound a certain note, but it is to use a certain fingering, which on a B♭ clarinet happens to sound a B♭, hence the name of the instrument. Now on an A clarinet, the very same fingering will sound as the pitch A, and in the score for A clarinet, will again be associated with the fingering for a written C.
As can be seen below, all of the instruments in the String Family are at concert pitch. It is only some of the instruments in the Woodwind Family and the Brass Family that are transposing.
Reading and Playing at the Same Pitch
The following groups of instruments are able to play each other's written music without any change of pitch.
- Flute, oboe, violin (treble clef, non-transposing)
- Bassoon, cello, trombone, tuba (bass clef, non-transposing)
- Trumpet, clarinet (treble clef, transposing Bb)
The following instruments cannot play from any other instrument's music part:
- Viola (the only instrument which uses the alto clef)
- French horn (the only instrument pitched in F)
- Double bass (the only instrument which sounds an octave lower than written)