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Sax notation in Staff view


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1 hour ago, bitflipper said:

Question for the sax players: does this apply to altos specifically, or to all saxophones?

I've long marveled at the way my band's sax player can quickly transpose in his head. I'm too lazy to even try. Fortunately, I play keyboards and there's a button for that. But if he's using different rules when switching between, say baritone and tenor (which he sometimes does mid-song) that would be an even more impressive skill.

 

Alto and Bari are Eb instruments,  Soprano and Tenor are Bb...so there is that craziness.

Same for me Bitflipper.  I'm amazed how some horn players transpose on site.  I have hired a lot of horn players and I am so grateful that I can sketch out a horn arrangement and have the players read it with no problem. I do know a couple of guys who play / bring all of the saxes to a session and transpose with little thought.

I use a trumpet player and if you give him an alto part he will transpose from Eb into his Bb. Generally if you get jazz guys they pick up that skill.

I guess the point here is if you are going to learn alto or any sax, best learn how to transpose also.

 

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3 hours ago, scook said:

Try adding the plug-in to the MIDI FX rack. This applies the plug-in to the whole track, The "Insert Effect" in the clip context menu adds the plug-in to the clip FX rack.

Just like audio FX racks, every track has one. Every clip has an FX rack too but, the OP a track level application.

Instrument tracks do not show the MIDI FX rack in the track view, it is on the MIDI tab in the inspector.

Thanks, found it.

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2 hours ago, John Vere said:

I worked with a horn Section a few times. 10 piece R&B band. They told me it's pretty easy if you know your scales. 

I'm pretty good with my scales but NOPE it still is not easy for me :(   

Guess that is why I never went for any type of music course in college.   Looking back I wish I did do a minor in music or at least join the band playing the trumpet.  I might of kept up the playing if I did.  Wonder if I could pick it up after 35+ years not playing one?  

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4 hours ago, Jimbo 88 said:

Alto and Bari are Eb instruments,  Soprano and Tenor are Bb...so there is that craziness.

Same for me Bitflipper.  I'm amazed how some horn players transpose on site.  I have hired a lot of horn players and I am so grateful that I can sketch out a horn arrangement and have the players read it with no problem. I do know a couple of guys who play / bring all of the saxes to a session and transpose with little thought.

I use a trumpet player and if you give him an alto part he will transpose from Eb into his Bb. Generally if you get jazz guys they pick up that skill.

I guess the point here is if you are going to learn alto or any sax, best learn how to transpose also.

 

Most of the time, you either have a chart or you just work out what key it's in.  For alto sax it's easy - you just go down 3 semitones from the key everyone is playing in.... in other words, if everyone is playing in C, you play in A;  if they're playing in E you play in C#/ Db.  In my head I see it as switch to the key of chord 6.

For Tenor sax, you play 2 semitones up - i.e. if the band is playing in C, you play in D.

If the band doesn't bother telling you the key, you can look at what the guitarist or bass player is playing, and work it out from there.  9/10 when playing sax, I only ever played the solo, so there was plenty of time to get it right in my head.

And if someone gives you the chart for a tenor sax when you're playing an alto.... you just pretend you're playing the clarinet in the lower register. The fingering is similar enough to get you most of the way there.

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