Handy Charts

Common Instrument Transpositions

Instruments that are in concert pitch and sound as written are shown in Table 1. Table 2 shows how transposing instruments in concert pitch sound in relation to concert pitch. Tables 3 -6 show how instruments in other keys sound. The transpositions for the various keys are shown in Table 7.

Table 1 - Instrument Soundings
(Non-Transposing Instruments)

Instruments in C (Non-Transposing Instruments)
Instrument	Transposition Interval	Clef
Violin	Concert Pitch (Sounds as written)	Treble
Viola (a perfect 5^th below the violin)	Concert Pitch (Sounds as written)	Alto/Treble
Cello (1 octave below the viola)	Concert Pitch (Sounds as written)	Bass
Harp	Concert Pitch (Sounds as written)	Grand Staff
Flute	Concert Pitch (Sounds as written)	Treble
Oboe	Concert Pitch (Sounds as written)	Treble
Bassoon	Concert Pitch (Sounds as written)	Bass
C Trumpet (Orchestra Trumpet)	Concert Pitch (Sounds as written)	Treble
Trombone	Concert Pitch (Sounds as written)	Bass
Bass Trombone	Concert Pitch (Sounds as written)	Bass/Tenor
Tuba	Concert Pitch (Sounds as written)	Bass
Marimba	Concert Pitch (Sounds as written)	Treble
Vibraphone	Concert Pitch (Sounds as written)	Treble
Timpani	Concert Pitch (Sounds as written)	Bass
Piano	Concert Pitch (Sounds as written)	Grand Staff
Organ	Concert Pitch (Sounds as written)	Grand Staff
Harpsichord	Concert Pitch (Sounds as written)	Grand Staff

Table 2 - Instruments in C
(Transposing Instruments)

Instruments in C (Transposing Instruments)
Instrument	Transposition Interval	Clef
Glockenspiel	Sounds 2 octaves higher than written	Treble
Piccolo (1 octave above the flute)	Sounds 1 octave higher than written	Treble
Hand bells	Sounds 1 octave higher than written	Grand Staff
Tin whistle (Penny Whistle)	Sounds 1 octave higher than written	Treble
Xylophone	Sounds 1 octave higher than written	Treble
Celesta	Sounds 1 octave higher than written	Grand Staff
Guitar	Sounds 1 octave lower than written	Bass
Bass Guitar	Sounds 1 octave lower than written	Bass
Double Bass	Sounds 1 octave lower than written	Bass
Bass flute (1 octave below the flute)	Sounds 1 octave lower than written	Bass
Contrabassoon (1 octave below the bassoon)	Sounds 1 octave lower than written	Bass

Table 3 - Instruments in B♭
(Transposing Instruments)

Instruments in B♭
Instrument	Transposition Interval	Clef
Piccolo trumpet (1 octave above the B♭ Trumpet)	Sounds a minor 7^th higher than written	Treble
Soprillo saxophone (1 octave above the soprano sax)	Sounds a minor 7^th higher than written	Treble
B♭ Clarinet	Sounds a major 2^nd lower than written	Treble
Soprano saxophone (1 octave above the tenor sax)	Sounds a major 2^nd lower than written	Treble
B♭ Cornet	Sounds a major 2^nd lower than written	Treble
Flugelhorn	Sounds a major 2^nd lower than written	Treble
Euphonium (when written in bass clef)	Sounds a major 2^nd lower than written	Bass
Baritone horn (when written in bass clef)	Sounds a major 2^nd lower than written	Bass
Bass clarinet (1 octave below the B♭ clarinet)	Sounds 1 octave + a major 2^nd (major 9^th) lower than written	Bass
Tenor saxophone	Sounds 1 octave + a major 2^nd (major 9^th) lower than written	Treble
Euphonium	Sounds 1 octave + a major 2^nd (major 9^th) lower than written	Treble
Baritone horn	Sounds 1 octave + a major 2^nd (major 9^th) lower than written	Treble
Tenor trombone	Sounds 1 octave + a major 2^nd (major 9^th) lower than written	Treble
Contrabass clarinet (2 octaves below the B♭ clarinet)	Sounds 2 octaves + a major 2^nd lower than written	Basss
Bass saxophone (1 octave below alto sax)	Sounds 2 octaves + a major 2^nd lower than written	Bass

Table 4 - Instruments in E♭
(Transposing Instruments)

Instruments in E♭
Instrument	Transposition Interval	Clef
E♭ Clarinet	Sounds a minor 3^rd higher than written	Treble
E♭ Trumpet	Sounds a minor 3^rd higher than written	Treble
Soprano cornet)	Sounds a minor 3^rd higher than written	Treble
Sopranino saxophone (1 octave above the tenor sax)	Sounds a minor 3^rd higher than written	Treble
Contra-alto clarinet	Sounds a 1 octave + a major 6^th (major 13^th) lower than written	Treble
Baritone saxophone	Sounds a 1 octave + a major 6^th (major 13^th) lower than written	Treble

Table 5 - Instruments in F<
(Transposing Instruments)

Instruments in F
Instrument	Transposition Interval	Clef
French horn (when written in bass clef)	Sounds a perfect 4^th higher than written	Bass (old notation)
English horn	Sounds a perfect 5^th lower than written	Treble
French horn	Sounds a perfect 5^th lower than written	Treble

Table 6 - Instruments in G
(Transposing Instruments)

Instruments in G
Instrument	Transposition Interval	Clef
Alto flute	Sounds a perfect 4^th lower than written	Treble

Table 7 - Traspositions

Concert Pitch	C	C♯ D♭	D	D♯ E♭	E	F	F♯ G♭	G	G♯ A♭	A	A♯ B♭	B
Concert Pitch Instruments No transposition	C	C♯ D♭	D	D♯ E♭	E	F	F♯ G♭	G	G♯ A♭	A	A♯ B♭	B
B♭ Instruments Transposes up a major 2^nd	D	D♯ E♭	E	F	F♯ G♭	G	G♯ A♭	A	A♯ B♭	B	C	C♯ D♭
E♭ Instruments Transposes down a minor 3^rd	A	A♯ B♭	B	C	C♯ D♭	D	D♯ E♭	E	F	F♯ G♭	G	G♯ A♭
F Instruments Transposes up a perfect 5^th	G	G♯ A♭	A	A♯ B♭	B	C	C♯ D♭	D	D♯ E♭	E	F	F♯ G♭
G Instruments Transposes up a perfect 4^th	F	F♯ G♭	G	G♯ A♭	A	A♯ B♭	B	C	C♯ D♭	D	D♯ E♭	E

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Common Instrument Transpositions

Table 1 - Instrument Soundings(Non-Transposing Instruments)

Table 2 - Instruments in C(Transposing Instruments)

Table 3 - Instruments in B♭(Transposing Instruments)

Table 4 - Instruments in E♭(Transposing Instruments)

Table 5 - Instruments in F<(Transposing Instruments)