Re: transposing instruments

[Wols Lists]

On 17/07/10 05:02, James Lowe wrote:
> Jatziri,
>   

Hi James, Jatziri,
>  
> See:
>  
> http://lilypond.org/doc/v2.12/Documentation/user/lilypond-big-page#Transpose
>  
> I regularly am given music in 'A' or 'C' to write out and transpose for 
> B-flat for the small orchestra I am in (for example I play a lot of parts 
> written for Cornets in A or sometimes, depending on the melody and the 
> instrument that plays it I'll be asked to join the bassoons or play a French 
> Horn part - we are a very small orchestra and have an imaginative conductor!).
>  
> So this is what I do.
>  
> I typeout the music 'as is' on the score and then I create different 'score' 
> parts with the transpose function accordingly.
>  
> Example:
>  
> OriginalMusicInA = { a b c d e }
>   

Horses for courses, but I don't like that. imho it's error prone (I'll
explain why later :-) so I do

OriginalMusic = \transpose bf c { a b c d e }

So that OriginalMusic is in concert pitch.
>  
> Now I simply create score part thus
>  
> \score {
>    \new Staff {
>     \set Staff.instrumentName = #"Trumpet "
>     \transpose bes a { \relative c'' \OriginalMusicInA }
>   }
> }
>   

In the score I then do eg

\transpose c ef { \OriginalMusic }

to convert the music to whatever key I need.
>  
> What I also while I am in the process of copying out the score, is use
>  
>     \transpose c c { \relative c'' \originalmusic }
>  
> and then change the 'c c' value to whatever I need to tranpose to/from once I 
> am ready to print the music out. it simplifies the working-out process for me 
> until I have checked for any copying mistakes.
>  
> I hope this helps.
>  
> James
>  
>   
As I said, horses for courses, but I play the trombone, so original
source may be Bf or C, and my output parts may be Bf or C. So I find it
simpler just to transpose everything to C when copying the music in,
then transpose it back to what I want when outputting it.

You get the same problem with basses, with Ef, Bf, double Ef and double
Bf. It's not unusual to want to give a Bf part to an Ef player, or vice
versa.

Cheers,
Wol