What is Transposition (music)?
'''Transposition''' or '''transposing''' in [[music]] means playing or writing music in a way that makes it sound higher or lower. This can be done by playing or writing the music in a different [[key (music)|key]], or by playing or writing it up or down an [[octave]], without changing the key. Transposing is a useful skill for people who play an [[musical instrument|instrument]], especially the [[piano]], [[Organ (music)|organ]], or some other [[keyboard instrument]]. If a pianist is [[accompaniment (music)|accompanying]] a [[singer]] and the [[song]] is a little too high for the singer’s [[voice]], it is very useful if he is able to transpose it down so that the music sounds in a lower key. For example, if the music is written in the key of [[C major]], it could be transposed down a [[whole tone]] so that it sounds in [[B-flat major]]. Most electronic keyboards and organs these days have buttons which can set notes to transpose automatically. This can be very useful, although it may be confusing for people with [[absolute pitch]]. == How to transpose == {{see also|Transposing instrument}} It is a good idea for people who play keyboard instruments or other kinds of [[transposing instrument]]s to practise transposing. There are two ways to do this: #Transpose each note, one at a time. For example, when transposing from C to B-flat major, each note has to be one tone lower: an A becomes a G, a G becomes an F, an F becomes an E-flat, and so on. #By watching or hearing the [[interval (music)|intervals]] between the notes in of the music and thinking of the same thing in the new key. For example: when a note leaps up a major third in the old key, the same needs to happen in the new key. Transposing by intervals is the a better way of transposing, but when people transpose they sometimes also transpose the notes the first way, one by one. There is another possibility which sometimes works: by thinking in a different [[clef]]. For example, someone who is used to reading music in the alto clef, such as a [[viola|v