First of my dumb questions

[Face Ache Mike]

"Sax is a transposing instrument" right I understand that but why? Why not just say you press this key and it plays this note.....

Its like being pulled over by the police for speeding and saying "Yeah I know you think I was doing 90 but this car is a transposing vehicle and I was actually doing 50"

Next question while I`ve got your mindsat ;)

Whats a fake book? Can I pay for it with fake money?

[gary]

Whats a fake book? Can I pay for it with fake money?
A fake book is a book that is filled with fake questions.
Kind'a like the ones in this thread. :binky:

[Face Ache Mike]

Despite my attempt at humour they were serious questions!

[gary]

In that case...

A transposing instrument is called that because it is pitched differently from a concert instrument. That is, to play a concert C on a transposing instrument calls for the written note to be transposed to the instrument in question.

A fake book is a collection of tunes from which people play, usually on gigs. These are not arrangements but simple "lead sheets", which means melody and chords. The musicians then use that music as a guide, normally not only playing the melody but improvising from. An older term for improvisation is to "fake" it; hence, "fake book".

[JMac]

To answer the second part of the question - essentially why don't 'they' call the note played on a saxophone by the concert pitch?

That would mean playing a "C" on tenor/soprano/bass/subcontrabass/soprillo [the Bb horns] would have different fingering than a "C" on alto/baritone/sopranino/contrabass [the Eb horns] or a "C" on a C-mel / C-Sop [the C horns], let's not even addres the f-mezzo :oops: . A dumb player like me would forget what horn I was playing and start using the wrong fingerings - d'oh.

So if there is going to be confusion - the question becomes what is the most acceptable confusion? I think in developing a new instrument, Adolphe decided it was best to have the fingerings remain consistent from horn to horn and have the parts written in the transposed key. It was probably in keeping with other instument families as well (i.e. - clarintets in "A", "Bb", "Eb"). Just my take...

[Face Ache Mike]

Thanks JMac, I get the idea now. Especially when you said "what is the most acceptable confusion?". The explanation is a little complicated by the other instruments coming into picture which I hadn`t accounted for.

Thanks Gary. A fake book is a guide book for improvising at a gig. Simple as that?

[gary]

Thanks Gary. A fake book is a guide book for improvising at a gig. Simple as that?
Yup. Well, somewhat. That's where the name comes from, but of course they're used as references for any number of other reasons as well.

And apologies for my first post. I thought someone was trolling.


(Pogo says: "But he does, nevertheless, take perverse pride in his response :twisted: ."

[Face Ache Mike]

Gary you are forgiven :) Just displaying my musical naivity and warped sense of humour ;)

If one can`t ask the simplest of questions we may never begin.