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Question: How do I transpose piano music for playing the flute!?
I recently acquired a flute and only have piano sheet music!. This may appear to be a stupid question but how do I transpose it for the flute!. Move the notes up an octave!? I can't play many of the songs as written because of the low notes below middle C!. Please help!.Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Yes, just take it up one octave, or even two if needed!.

Note that you can usually transpose certain passages and leave the other ones as written if they're in the right range!. Use your ear and your good taste to tell you if you should take the whole thing up an octave or just selected phrases!.

Now, if the piece only occasionally dips one or two tones below middle C, you might do the more difficult work of transposing it up a third or a fifth!. If you intend to play along with another musician (say, a pianist) at any point, you won't want to try that!.

Occasionally I've found that when a piece goes down to B or Bb for only a note or two, instead of going down to that note I can substitute a low D in its place!. Try it, and again, let your ear be your guide!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Hi Strummer!. You are lucky in the fact that you don't have to do anything but start playing!. No transposing necessary!. Both the piano and flute are instruments in the key of C!. Since you know the keyboard of piano, just think of the flute starting with its lowest note as Middle C going up three full octaves!. (exception: if you have a Bfoot flute which has an extra key and will play the B right below Middle C)!. You are right, the flute does not play below that C or in the bass clef!. You can, however, just play one octave higher or two, if you like the way it sounds and it should sound perfectly fine!. Have fun!. Playing flute is great!!Www@QuestionHome@Com

Their is no transposing needed!. Piano and flute notes are the same!. The difference is that , piano has 7 to 8 octave range!.
Choose a song within the limits of your range!. That simple!.

You can't play a song that has one octave of notes out of range and just drop that part!. You have to compensate!.Www@QuestionHome@Com