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Position:Home>Performing Arts> How do composers write music for each instrument if each instrument is limited bQuestion: How do composers write music for each instrument if each instrument is limited by musical scales!? What if a composer writes a composition for an orchestra that has trumpets and flutes and they both have different music scales!?
Since those instruments can't be played in a chromatic scale, what would happen if the trumpet was in the key of Bb and the flute was in the key of G!? In this particular case, do you buy more instruments that are in different keys!?Www@QuestionHome@Com Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: But trumpets and flutes can play chromatic scales! So they simply transpose the key (in your example, if the actual key of the music was C, the trumpets would be reading in D and the flutes in A)!. However, it used the be the way you describe - I think flutes have been chromatic forever, but trumpets (and other brass instruments like horns) used to be able to play in only one key!. So the performers did have to have instruments in multiple keys, and never had accidentals in their parts!. They didn't play very much though!.!.!. usually a few notes with the timpani and that's about it!. You'll also notice that older music is all written in the same few keys; C, D, B-flat for example!. You didn't see key signatures like G-sharp minor in those days, because nobody had a trumpet that could play it!Www@QuestionHome@Com I'm not sure, but maybe you're talking about the fact that some instruments are in different keys, like a trumpet is in Bb and a piano for instance is in C!. For instruments in different keys, all you have to do is transpose the music for that instrument!. If the song is in A major, for example, you would transpose the song for trumpet in B major!. Because a Bb trumpet is a whole step below what a normal instrument would play, you have to put it a whole step above the key the song is in!. Sorry if that was confusing!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Each instrument has melodies and harmonies that are written for its specific *range*!. Let me give a really simple example!. If I had one instrument that could only play the notes C, C#/Db, D, and D#/Eb, and another instrument that could only play G, G#/Ab, A, and Bb, and if I had a chord progression that went from Dm7 - G, then I would have to be careful how I broke those notes up!. I might give the first instrument a D and C during the Dm7 and a D during the G (the root and b7 for Dm7 and fifth of the G) and the second instrument an A for the Dm7 (it's fifth) and a G for the G (root)!. Other notes would go to other instruments to help give the overall impression of the Dm7 and G as necessary!. Do you kinda see where I'm going with this!? Each instrument has a range of notes ( C-C, or Eb-Eb, or whatever) and you arrange your composition so that certain instruments get certain notes!. Ideally, each instrument should be playing a melody, and not have weird interval jumps, but whatever!. To say it another way, each instrument tackles notes that are relevant to its "key"!. I know that's not a full answer, but it's the best I can do!. As others have said, all of these instruments (now) can be played chromatically, ie, have the full range of notes within their range!. SaulWww@QuestionHome@Com What makes you think trumpets and flutes can't play chromatic scales!? You're starting from a premise which simply isn't true!. All standard orchestral instruments can play all chromatic notes over their standard range!.Www@QuestionHome@Com |