Posted by Chuck(G) on October 27, 2002 at 14:29:49:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Eb fingerings posted by Klaus on October 27, 2002 at 13:18:13:
I hear this idea of reading the same line on a different key tuba, referred to as "transposing". But, it's only like transposing, but done inside-out.
Normally, when you're transposing, you have music that needs to be played up or down by a certain interval, so you mentally translate it and play the result using fingerings known on your current instrument.
However, playing on an instrument of a different key is the situation turned upside-down. The notes have to come out at the written pitch, but you're mentally translating the music by an interval and playing it using the same fingerings on a differently-keyed instrument. In other words, the notes aren't coming out at the pitch you've transposed them to!
I can well imagine that this is an unbelieveably awkward situation for those with "absolute pitch". Thank heavens I'm not one of those people!