6.1.8 Transpose

A music expression can be transposed with \transpose. The syntax is

\transpose from to musicexpr

This means that musicexpr is transposed by the interval between the pitches from and to: any note with pitch from is changed to to.

For example, consider a piece written in the key of D-major. If this piece is a little too low for its performer, it can be transposed up to E-major with

\transpose d e ...

Consider a part written for violin (a C instrument). If this part is to be played on the A clarinet (for which an A is notated as a C, and which sounds a minor third lower than notated), the following transposition will produce the appropriate part

\transpose a c ...

\transpose distinguishes between enharmonic pitches: both \transpose c cis or \transpose c des will transpose up half a tone. The first version will print sharps and the second version will print flats

     
     mus = { \key d \major cis d fis g }
     \new Staff {
       \clef "F" \mus
       \clef "G"
       \transpose c g' \mus
       \transpose c f' \mus
     }

\transpose may also be used to input written notes for a transposing instrument. Pitches are normally entered into LilyPond in C (or “concert pitch”), but they may be entered in another key. For example, when entering music for a B-flat trumpet which begins on concert D, one would write

\transpose c bes { e4 ... }

To print this music in B-flat again (i.e., producing a trumpet part, instead of a concert pitch conductor's score) you would wrap the existing music with another transpose

\transpose bes c { \transpose c bes { e4 ... } }

See also

Program reference: TransposedMusic.

Example: input/test/smart-transpose.ly.

Bugs

If you want to use both \transpose and \relative, you must put \transpose outside of \relative, since \relative will have no effect on music that appears inside a \transpose.

Other languages: French.