Transposing sheet music

Gnaget · 04-06-2012, 10:10 AM

I picked up a saxophone yesterday, and I'm starting to learn it as well as reading sheet music. I decided on a song I wanted to learn as a teaching aid. I found the sheet music, and it is written in G Major. I know the alto sax is an E Flat transposed instrument, so what I see as a C is actually E Flat. I assume that means I need the sheet music transposed down 3 half steps. Instead of the G Major, do I need to transpose it to E?

This all seems crazy, who came up with this transposing thing? If I ever find a time machine, screw Hitler, I'm going for this guy.

04-06-2012, 10:10 AM	#1 (permalink)
Gnaget Groupie Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 1	Transposing sheet music I picked up a saxophone yesterday, and I'm starting to learn it as well as reading sheet music. I decided on a song I wanted to learn as a teaching aid. I found the sheet music, and it is written in G Major. I know the alto sax is an E Flat transposed instrument, so what I see as a C is actually E Flat. I assume that means I need the sheet music transposed down 3 half steps. Instead of the G Major, do I need to transpose it to E? This all seems crazy, who came up with this transposing thing? If I ever find a time machine, screw Hitler, I'm going for this guy.