How to use the transposition quiz
- Choose a question type: melody by interval, chord symbols to a new key, or transposing instruments.
- For melodies, choose up, down or both directions.
- Press Start round. Each round has ten questions.
- Pick one of four answers with a tap or the number keys 1 to 4. Wrong options differ from the right one by a single accidental or a single note, so read each one carefully.
- Read the explanation, then press Enter for the next question.
Score and streak last only for the current page visit. Note values are drawn as whole notes because only pitch matters here.
How transposition works
- Move every note by the same interval, counting both letter names and semitones. Up a major third is two letter names and four semitones: C becomes E, D becomes F sharp.
- Keep the spelling consistent. A note that lands on the wrong letter name needs a different accidental, so B up a major second is C sharp, not D flat.
- Chord symbols move the same way. The root and any slash bass move together and the chord quality stays the same.
- Octaves wrap: B4 up a major second is C sharp 5.
| Instrument | Sounds (concert pitch) | Written part is |
|---|---|---|
| B flat clarinet, B flat trumpet | a major second lower than written | a major second above concert |
| E flat alto saxophone | a major sixth lower than written | a major sixth above concert |
| Horn in F | a perfect fifth lower than written | a perfect fifth above concert |
Common questions
What is concert pitch?
Concert pitch is the pitch that actually sounds. A written C on a B flat clarinet sounds as B flat, so the player reads a part written a major second higher than the piano part.
Why do transposing instruments exist?
They let players switch between sizes of the same instrument family while keeping the same fingerings. The written part moves, not the fingering.
Why does the quiz leave out F sharp and G flat for chord questions?
Chord roots in this quiz use plain sharp or flat names, so keys that would need E sharp or C flat in the chords are left out. The melody mode does use correct letter spellings, including E sharp or C flat when the interval requires them.
How do I check my answer by ear?
Play the original and the answer on a piano. Every interval between neighbouring notes should sound identical, only higher or lower. If one step sounds different, that note has the wrong accidental.
Sources
- Transposing instrument, reference article: Concert pitch and the standard B flat, E flat and F instrument transpositions
- Transposition (music), reference article: Transposing by interval and by key
- Open Music Theory: pitch and pitch class: Letter names, octaves and enharmonic spelling