Concert pitch and transposing instruments, explained

Your director says, "Everyone play a concert B♭." The flutes play B♭, the clarinets and trumpets play C, the alto saxes play G, and the horns play F. Everyone plays a different written note, and yet it all sounds like one pitch. This guide explains why, and how to figure out which note to play.

What concert pitch means

Concert pitch is the actual sound you hear, the same pitch you'd get from a piano key. Some instruments read music at concert pitch: when they read a C, a concert C comes out. Others are transposing instruments: when they read a C, a different pitch sounds.

Instruments are named for the concert pitch they produce when playing a written C. A B♭ clarinet playing a written C sounds a concert B♭. An E♭ alto sax playing a written C sounds a concert E♭.

Why transpose at all?

Transposition lets players use the same fingerings across a family of instruments. A saxophonist can switch from alto to tenor and read the same written notes with the same fingerings, even though the instruments sound in different keys. It also keeps most parts sitting comfortably on the staff without lots of ledger lines.

Concert pitch instruments in a typical band include flute, oboe, bassoon, trombone, euphonium (bass clef), tuba, piano, and mallet percussion.

B♭ instruments

B♭ instruments include clarinet, bass clarinet, trumpet, cornet, soprano and tenor saxophone, and treble clef baritone or euphonium. When they play a written C, a concert B♭ sounds: a whole step lower than written.

To go from concert pitch to your written note, go up a whole step. Concert B♭ becomes written C. Concert F becomes written G.

Tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, and treble clef baritone also sound an octave lower, so their written note is a whole step plus an octave above concert. The note name works the same way.

E♭ instruments

E♭ instruments include alto and baritone saxophone, alto clarinet, and E♭ clarinet. When alto or bari sax plays a written C, a concert E♭ sounds, a major 6th lower than written. (Bari sax sounds an octave lower still.)

To go from concert pitch to your written note, go up a major 6th, or, more easily, down a minor 3rd. Both give the same letter name. Concert B♭ down a minor 3rd is G, so alto sax plays a written G. Concert F down a minor 3rd is D.

The small E♭ clarinet is different: it sounds a minor 3rd higher than written.

The saxophone section

Alto and bari are E♭ instruments, and tenor is a B♭ instrument, so the three saxes read different notes for the same concert pitch. Alto and bari both read a G, but because bari sounds an octave lower, it has to read that G an octave higher to match.

F horn

French horn and mellophone are in F. When they play a written C, a concert F sounds, a perfect 5th lower than written. To go from concert to written, go up a perfect 5th. Concert B♭ becomes written F. Concert F becomes written C.

Double horns have both an F side and a B♭ side, but horn parts are still written in F. The second side just gives the player extra fingering choices.

Tuning notes and warm-ups

Most bands tune to concert B♭ or concert F. Here's what each section plays:

The same idea applies to scales. When the band plays a concert B♭ major scale, clarinets and trumpets play C major, alto saxes play G major, and horns play F major. That's why your warm-up book might show a different key for your instrument than the one your neighbor is playing. For how to read those key signatures, see Key signatures.

Quick transposition chart

Woodwind Trainer and Brass Trainer use written pitch, the notes you see on your own part. So you can practice your fingerings exactly as they appear in your music.