How to Transpose Notes for Alto Saxophone

Transposing music requires a musician to look at the music and play a different note than the one written in order to harmonize correctly with other instruments in the band. Music for the alto saxophone is already transposed to be in sync with the B Flat concert scale as the alto saxophone is an E Flat instrument.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Use the alto saxophone as a transposing instrument. The alto saxophone is built in the key of E flat.

2. Play the note G to tune up with the concert band to a B Flat instrument, such as the trumpet. It is standard for band directors to tune up the instruments in the band to the B Flat Major concert scale.

3. Play the G Major scale while the others in the band are playing the B Flat concert scale. The notes of the G Major scale are D E F# G A B C# D.

[torme98]

on 10/26/2009 Step 3 is inaccurate. The notes of a GMaj scale are: G A B C D E F# G. (Note: The notes given in the original post are for a D Major scale.)