In music transposition refers to the process of moving a collection of notes (pitches) up or down in pitch by a constant interval. For example, one might transpose an entire piece of music into another key. Similarly, one might transpose a tone row or an unordered collection of pitches such as a chord so that it begins on another pitch. See also Transposing instrument and modulation.

Two different types

There are two different kinds of transposition, depending on whether one is measuring intervals according to the chromatic scale or some other scale. In chromatic transposition one shifts every pitch in a collection of notes by a fixed number of semitones. For instance, if one transposes the pitches C4-E4-G4 upwards by four semitones, one obtains the pitches E4-G♯4-B4. In scalar transposition one shifts every pitch in a collection by a fixed number of scale steps relative to some scale. For example, if one transposes the pitches C4-E4-G4 up by two steps relative to the familiar C major scale, one obtains the pitches E4-G4-B4. If one transposes the same pitches up by two steps relative to the F major scale, one obtains instead E4-G4-B♭4. Scalar transposition is sometimes called diatonic transposition, but this term can be misleading, as it suggests transposition with respect to a diatonic scale. However, scalar transposition can occur with respect to any type of scale, not just the diatonic.

Sight transposition

Although transpositions are usually written out, musicians are occasionally asked to transpose music "at sight", that is, to read the music in one key while playing in another. Musicians who play transposing instruments sometimes have to do this (for example when encountering an unusual transposition, such as clarinet in C), as well as singers' accompanists, since singers sometimes request a different key than the one printed in the music to better fit their tessitura.

There are three basic techniques for teaching sight transposition: interval, clef, and numbers.

Interval

First one determines the interval between the written key and the target key. Then one imagines the notes up (or down) by the corresponding interval. A performer using this method may calculate each note individually, or group notes together (e.g. "a descending chromatic passage starting on F" might become a "descending chromatic passage starting on A" in the target key).

Clef

Clef transposition is routinely taught in Belgium and France. One imagines a different clef than the one printed so that the lines and spaces correspond to different notes. Seven clefs are used for this: treble, bass, baritone, and C-clefs on the four lowest lines; these allow any given staff position to correspond to each of the seven note names A through G. The octave may also have to be adjusted, but this is a trivial matter for most musicians.

Numbers

Transposing by numbers means, one determines the scale degree of the written note (e.g. first, fourth, fifth, etc.) in the given key. The performer then plays the corresponding scale degree of the target key.

Transpositional equivalency

Two musical objects are transpositionally equivalent if one can be transformed into another by transposition. It is similar to enharmonic equivalence and octave equivalence. In many musical contexts, transpositionally equivalent chords are thought to be similar. Transpositional equivalence is a feature of musical set theory.

Using integer notation and modulo 12, to transpose a pitch x by n semitones:

$T^p\_n\; (x)\; =\; x+n$

or

$T^p\_n\; (x)\; rightarrow\; x+n$

For pitch class transposition by a pitch class interval:

$T\_n\; (x)\; =\; x+n\; (mod\; 12)$

(Rahn 1980)

Source

• Rahn, John (1987). Basic atonal theory. New York: Schirmer Books.

External links

• Chords transposition in song sheets plus showing these chords for different instruments
• Chords transposition
• ChordSmith: Java program to transpose chords in song sheets
• Online Tool to transpose songs