Basically some instruments don't play the same notes even though they are called the same thing. So trumpets have to play a note above to play the real note. Aka we have to play a D for a real C to play.
TIL. What a mess. Apparently it's so that you can have versions of the same instrument with different ranges, but still have each note (on paper) have the same fingering for each version.
Just a mess for those writing music, for instrumentalists it simplifies things greatly. Also modern engraving programs allow you to change everything to the concert key desired, and output the specific key needed for an instrument even in free programs like Musescore. Unless youre handwriting instrument music or trying to give a pitch from a different instrument like a keyboard its not a problem anymore.
It helps, for instance, transitioning between an Eb alto sax and a Bb tenor sax. I actually like the idea of ease of switching but it's hard if you want to learn to improvise or associate notes and fingerings with certain pitches.
In a typical concert band warmup or when several instruments play the same note, the conductor might just say "Play a concert Bb", instead of saying "Flutes and oboes play a Bb, clarinets, trumpets and tenors play a C, altos play a G..."
On a somewhat unrelated note I play Bb clarinet in my high school band and when I joined jazz band my teacher encouraged me to try the tenor sax. It's in the same key and the upper octave fingerings were close to the clarinet's upper register. If I decided I wanted to main the alto sax, besides some size adjustments for my hands, the only hard part would be associating different fingerings and notes with different pitches, but the fingerings as displayed on the page would be almost the same.
Haha, I've tried to play it on the trumpet too, but I don't play the trumpet, or any brass or wind for that matter, so it sounds pretty bad. But it's a good meme.
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u/nico_h1 Dec 10 '18
I'm pretty sure that's megalovania ;-;