Why cant all instruments be in the same key?

Many instruments are transposing instruments which do not play in concert pitch. This is where it can become confusing because a conductor will have to transpose many parts of the score because an orchestral score is not written in concert pitch. However, there are some instrumentalists that do have to transpose.

Why are different instruments in different keys?

To reduce the use of these more difficult keys, alternate tunings of the instrument are available that have pretty much the same range (unlike the saxophones and the alto/bass variants of the clarinet/flute) but have parts written so that the note with the same fingering gets the same written pitch, but produces a …

Does every instrument in a song have to be the same key?

Technically all instruments are in the same key. It’s called concert pitch or pitched in the key of C. This means when you place a C on a concert pitch instrument you will sound a C.

Why are instruments transposed?

Music is often written in transposed form for these groups of instruments so that the fingerings correspond to the same written notes for any instrument in the family, even though the sounding pitches will differ.

Why are saxophones in different keys?

The four main saxophones (soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone) can be grouped into two different keys, soprano and tenor are in the key of B flat, and alto and baritone are in the key of E flat. The reason for this is due to concert pitched instruments like piano or guitar.

Why are instruments in B flat?

B flat gives you a couple of notes below the common C. That’s it. Otherwise those instruments are pitched to where they make the best sounds. Flats only sound bluesy in the context of other keys.

Why are trumpets not in concert pitch?

The main reason to not think in concert pitch, and the reason we write transposed parts for wind instruments is that in written pitch the fingerings remain the same for all instruments in the family.

Why are trumpets not in C?

The reason for this is tradition. TLDR; The reason why all instruments dont play the same “C” is historical and related to how they were made many years ago. Tuning to a concert C is a mistake for a Bb trumpet. The D below the staff is very sharp; and the fourth-line D tends to be flat.