Why are Instruments in Different Keys?Learn about transposing instruments and why they are played in different keysIn this video, Robert gives you a very interesting lesson about transposing instruments, such as the clarinet in B flat, the trumpet in B flat, and many other wind and brass instruments. Released on October 22, 2014 DISCLAIMER: The views and the opinions expressed in this video are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Virtual Sheet Music and its employees. Video TranscriptionHi, welcome to VirtualSheetMusic.com and LivingPianos.com with a phenomenal viewer question which is, "Why are instruments in different keys?" You've heard of clarinet in B-Flat and saxophone in E-Flat and French horn in F. What's the story? Why would they pitch them in different keys Wouldn't it make more sense to rewrite the music in concert pitch. Well, believe it or not, it makes more sense to have instruments in different keys. Let me explain why. For example, in the family of saxophones there are different saxophones that are pitched differently. Yet they all have the same fingering patterns, essentially. So a saxophone player going from instrument to instrument, if they had to call notes different things, it would be incredibly confusing to them. So instead, they play E-Flat, and it's what called a transposing instrument, meaning when a saxophone in E-Flat plays their C, it sounds E-Flat on a piano or concert pitch. This is why a conductor looking at a score has to be able to transpose all the parts because an orchestral score is written in concert pitch. Pardon me, it's not written in concert pitch. If a conductor is looking at a horn in F and there's a B-Flat written, he has to be able to translate that to E-Flat instantly in his head so he knows the pitches of all the different instruments. But for instrumentalists it's much easier because you just play in the key it's written, and it sounds in the proper pitch for the group. Now these are some instrumentalists who have to transpose. I'm also a French hornist, and French horn parts, because of tradition, are actually found in many different keys. Even though the horn is actually a F instrument, you will come upon parts that are horn in D or horn in C or horn in E-Flat, and you have to transpose. Now why is this? Well, years ago the horn didn't have valves, so the composers wrote the part in all of the different keys. And the horn player would take a series of crooks. These are additional pipes to pitch the horn into the proper key for that piece or a movement of a piece. And because the parts were written that way by Mozart and Beethoven and Brahms and others, we still as horn players have to transpose the parts even though our horn is in F. So that's an interesting point, and this is true of some other instruments. But French hornists, in particular, must learn how to transpose. Fortunately, all the parts are written in C, so it's not as difficult as you might think. So that's a great question. Keep the questions coming in, and I"m so glad to bring you these videos. I'm Robert Estrin here at VirtualSheetMusic.com and LivingPianos.com. Thanks for joining me. Automatic video-to-text transcription by DaDaScribe.com Comments, Questions, Requests: Fulvia * VSM MEMBER * on October 25, 2017 @4:59 pm PST
I know a Swiss man who owns a clarinet in C. Is this a very old instrument or just an oddity? I thought clarinets are usually in B or E flat.
 Fabrizio Ferrari - moderator, on October 30, 2017 @2:02 pm PST
Hi Fulvia, I am not a clarinetist, but being a music composer, maybe I can answer here. Well, clarinets are usually in B or E flat (i.e. the "piccolo" clarinet), but there are clarinets in A (often used in orchestra) and some rare clarinets in C, yes, they do exist. I have also heard of clarinets in F and other different keys, but they were more of "experimental" instruments and rarely used nowadays.
So... I am not surprised you reported the existence of a clarinet in C. Please, feel always free to contact me with any questions or ideas you may have, I will be glad to hear from you. Thank you again fr your active participation Fulvia, we all appreciate it!  Vartan * VSM MEMBER * on October 27, 2014 @12:04 pm PST
What does it mean when there is an x next to a note in written music?
Tosh * VSM MEMBER * on October 22, 2014 @4:58 pm PST
I would like to thank Fabrizio Ferrari for his kind reply, and add further: Even if professional violists (who have obviously played the viola C clef all their lives) would get upset with such a change, is it not possible and even preferable for music publishers, including Virtual Sheet Music, to publish such an edition of viola music as I have proposed, "in addition to" an edition in the traditional viola C clef? Or failing that, because of logistical difficulties, modifying music writing programs like Finale, so that they are capable of transposing viola music into the new proposed clef? Sure would make it easier for violinists to take up the viola.
Fabrizio Ferrari - moderator, on October 23, 2014 @2:10 pm PST
You are very welcome Tosh!
Answering your question, yes, of course, we could provide that kind of "extra" parts. Keep in mind thought, that for many pieces we offer for viola and piano, they are taken from the version for violin and piano, simply transposed one 5th lower, therefore if you read the original violin part, you should be fine to play it correctly on a viola... does this make sense? Of course you can't find for violin and piano specific viola compositions written originally for viola, but for transcriptions you can easily find the violin and piano related version. For example, Auld Lang Syne for viola and piano: http://www.virtualsheetmusic.com/score/AuldLangSyneVlaPf.html has been created from the version for violin and piano: http://www.virtualsheetmusic.com/score/AuldLangSyneVlPf.html Which was simply transposed one 5th lower from the violin and piano version, therefore you can just use the violin part of the violin and piano version, to play it on the viola with the viola and piano version (the piano will use the viola and piano version.) Does this make sense? Robert - host, on October 23, 2014 @2:21 pm PST
Viola parts are written with the C clef as well as treble clef depending upon the range of the music. The reason why the viola clef is utilized most of the time is so that violists don't have to read music on ledger lines most of the time which would be the case if the music was all written in the treble clef.
Tosh * VSM MEMBER * on October 23, 2014 @4:59 pm PST
Yes, it does make sense.
Thanks for that and for the link to Auld Lang Syne. What you say works perfectly when reading a violin score while playing a viola. I have such a viola transcription of the Bach violin solo sonatas and partitas, which was transposed one 5th lower. However that doesn't cover the situation where one is trying to play from an original viola score and one is basically a violinist and not a violist. It is unfortunate that when the viola clef was originally instituted (I suppose hundreds of years ago), more thought wasn't given to the situation. Fabrizio Ferrari - moderator, on October 23, 2014 @5:21 pm PST
Glad to know that, you are most than welcome. I understand your meaning, but besides what Robert said above, it is also a way to not having to transpose the music by reading in treble clef by using the same fingerings like the violin... in other words, the alto clef avoids to read music on ledger lines as well as keeping the written notes as "real notes" and not "transposed notes" as it would be if music for viola were written in treble clef, one 5th higher (!!). In any case, offering both version would be the best deal for everyone
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