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Peer Review

Reading and Writing Music for Transposing Instruments

Reviewed:
Apr 11, 2011 by Music
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Ratings

Overall Rating: 4.0 stars
Content Quality: 4.0 stars
Effectiveness: 3.8 stars
Ease of Use: 4.5 stars
Overview:
This site specifically addresses the process of notation for instruments that are transposing.
Type of Material:
Lecture/Presentation
Recommended Uses:
When reading music written for a transposing instrument students need to know that the notes produced by the instrument are not the same notes as those written. We must know the transposing interval to be able to know the real note that will be heard. Uses not clearly stated, but this is useful when writing scores for large and small ensembles or for simply writing a similar part for another, different instrument.
Technical Requirements:
Browser/Soundcard/Speakers and or headphones
Identify Major Learning Goals:
The single goal is to know how to interpret a pitch in C to transposing instruments.
Target Student Population:
This is valuable to students of orchestration and students who play transposing instruments who need to read concert parts. High School/College level
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
None.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:
This is a good resource to understanding the concepts of transposition and instruments which do not play in concert pitch. The techniques are very good and typical of the product of this site at large.
Concerns:
Navigation is very dicey and non-intuitive. I wish the content could somehow be more engaging...

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:
For composers and transposing performers this offers valuable information. The information is clear and in-depth.
Concerns:
The main thrust is to use movable C clefs. This is more common in European studies and is a sound way of reading concert scores by transposing instruments. American studies are not so fluent in the C clefs and might find this more cumbersome.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:
The flow if information is obvious and very clear. It lets you know how much you have completed.
Concerns:
Extra links to music terms proves to be confusing and leads the user further away from the original term that was 'looked up'.
Other Issues and Comments:
The use of C clefs is a concern in countries that are not fluent with them. The information is valuable.
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