Lightning quiz: What is the most popular page in the entire Horn Matters website? That article is by Bruce Hembd on the topic of transposition, with a link to his PDF chart of how to transpose by interval. It has certainly saved many rehearsals and concerts by now. That article is here:
Fundamentals 17. Transpositions: E-flat, E, D, C, G, B-flat basso, C alto, A-flat, F-sharp, D-flat (approximate order of use)
Returning to our series after a bit of break, I shortened the title this time. The full prompt (above) from the list of fundamentals in the Douglas Hill book (which I have followed for this series), is quite a mouthful — and transposition is quite an important topic.
More than one way to do transpositions
In the modern, USA context that I teach and play horn in, almost universally people transpose by interval as described in the Hembd article. However, there is a classic book you may have heard of, The Art of French Horn Playing, that encourages transposition by clef. Maybe this was popular back in the day, I don’t know. But I don’t think very many people do this these days.
As to transposing by interval, the downside is that, at least initially, you are looking at and playing “imaginary” notes some interval away from the printed notes. Fortunately, after you begin to get the skill down it actually (believe it or not!) becomes a fairly automatic process. Let’s say your are in D, you see a C, and play an A. Simple.
(By the way, our world is in F, if you are a non-horn player reading this article to help a hornist. We think of all transpositions as being to F, our home key).
When I taught for a year in Taiwan some years ago I was interested that my students used a system of transposition involving solfeggio. I could not describe it to you now other than it certainly worked and might actually have been a better approach.
Learn transpositions with Kopprasch?
My own teachers did this and it is one way to do it, but in my own teaching I tend to work on transposition with solos and excerpts. Real music.
I actually considered publishing a book for transpositions that was based on relatively simple natural horn music, which is what you have to actually play most of the time in reality — especially for the average player out at a church gig or in a community orchestra.
Tip for all transpositions: Figure out the key signature
A brief, useful tip would be that you will find it helpful, at least initially, to figure out the key signature.
For example, if you are playing horn in D, the music is in the written key of C. The key signature for horn in F will move by the same interval as the transposition, so go down a minor third and the the (imaginary) key signature will be A. With the key signature in mind you will be more likely to play the correct notes (E is C#, etc.).
Pro tip for horn in E: Think in sharps, not flats
Many students come up with a plan for horn in E that involves putting flats in front of everything. While technically that plan does work, I would propose that you are better off thinking of a written C as a B (and G as F-sharp), with a mental key signature of sharps rather than flats.
It really does get easier
To close, seriously, it really does get easier with practice, and becomes a fairly automatic process. Trust me!
When the series returns I think I may need to break topic 18 in the Hill list into multiple articles! More on that in a few weeks.
Keep reading the Fundamentals Series
