How to Transpose Alto Sax to Soprano Sax

Saxes are popular in many forms of music.

The saxophone is popular in many styles of music from all over the world and comes in a variety of forms. The alto saxophone and soprano saxophone are both in the higher ranges of the saxophone family but are made to be in different keys. This can cause difficulty when a player reads different parts. Transposing refers to the process of taking music for one instrument and changing the notes so that they are the same for another. The alto sax is in the key of E-flat, and the soprano sax is in B-flat.

Things You'll Need

• Staff paper

Instructions

1. Write out the notes to be transposed on a piece of staff paper. These should be the alto notes.

2. Write the notes up a major fifth, or five half-steps. These will be the notes the soprano will play.

3. Play the two sets of notes on the corresponding saxophones to check that the pitches are the same.

References

• CNX - transposing Instruments
• Alto Saxophone - Alto Saxophone Basics and Transposing for Alto Saxophone
• Taming the Saxophone - Saxophone Transposition