Theory

Photo courtesy of Marco Arment

Use this method to improve your speed and accuracy of transposition.

Choose a piece of music which you know well. Pick a section to use to practise your transposition. Look at the key signature and work out what key this section of music is in. Next pick a new key that you will transpose the music into.

Take some manuscript paper and on it write down the new key signature. Then work out the distance between the new key and the old key (the number of tones or semi-tones).  Read more . . .

Photo courtesy of Yannis

Being able to write down what you hear will help all aspects of your playing.

For this method you will need a way of playing music (CD or mp3 player).

Pick a piece of music. Any piece you like. Using your music player, listen very, very carefully to the music - try to pick up the pattern of the notes and rhythms. Listen to this section of music several more times until you can sing it note for note from memory.

Once you can do this take out a blank piece of paper and draw out a 'map' of the music. How many bars are in each section? Which instruments? What does the melody do? Any repeats? etc. Doing this will help to know where you are in the piece.  Read more . . .

Improve your all round musical knowledge.

Find a new piece of music. This can be for any instrument. Your local library is a good place to look. Open the music to a random page.You now have to describe every single element on that page.

You will need to identify dynamics, clefs, key signatures, italien terms, instruments and anything else that appears on that page. If there is any item on the page that you do not understand you must go and look it up and make sure you are clear on the meaning.

If you are easily able to complete the task above then carry the analysis a stage further and describe the melody, instrumentation or, for the more advanced, do a harmonic analysis.  Read more . . .