Transposing
You will notice that when there are two versions of songs in this book they are often in different keys. This is because everyone’s voice range is different and while one key is perfect for one singer, the same key will be uncomfortable (too high or too low) for another.
Often when you learn a new song, you will find that it in contains notes that are either too high or too low for your voice. The solution is to experiment with singing the melody either lower or higher until you find a comfortable range for your voice. When you do this, you are actually changing the key of the melody. This is called transposing. The ability to transpose is an important skill for a singer to develop.
When you get together with another musician, you may find that you both know the same song but you have to determine the key which is most comfortable for you to sing in.
If you know how to transpose and can say "I sing this one in D" (or G, or B flat, or any other key) you can save a lot of time which might otherwise be wasted stumbling around ignorantly until you find a key and even then don’t know what "key" means, which means you have to go through the same process again next time.
The easiest way to transpose written music is to write the scale degrees (do = 1, re = 2, mi = 3, etc) under the original melody and then work out which notes correspond to those scale degrees in the key you want to transpose to.
To transpose by ear, you will need to relate your pitches to an instrument to know what key you are transposing to. The following examples demonstrate the first part of the melody of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" transposed from the key of G to the keys of D and F. Try this technique with some of the other songs in the book, or any other songs you know.
The Six Eight Time Signature
This is the six eight time signature.
There are six eighth notes in one bar of ) time. The six eighth notes are divided into two groups of three.
When playing or singing ) time there are two beats within each bar with each beat being a dotted quarter note. (This is different to * and ^ time where each beat is a quarter note). Another useful time signature based on eighth notes is twelve eight (+) which means there are twelve eighth notes per bar. Many Blues songs are written in + time.
This traditional American song is in ) time and is written here in the key of E minor.
The second version of this song is in the key of Bb minor, which means it has been transposed up an interval of a diminished 5th from the key of E minor. As mentioned earlier, an interval is a measurement of distance in music.
A knowledge of intervals is particularly useful for transposing, as well as helping you to learn songs more quickly by sight or by ear. Ask your teacher to show you how intervals work by demonstrating them on the keyboard.
2. My mother she’s a tailor
She sews those new blue jeans
My husband he’s a gamblin’ man,
Drinks down in New Orleans.
3. My husband he’s a gambler,
He goes from town to town
And the only time he’s satisfied
Is when he drinks his liquor down.
4. Now, the only thing that a gambler needs
Is a suitcase and a trunk
And the only time he’s ever satisfied
Is when he’s on a drunk.
5. He fills his glasses up to the brim
And he passes the cards around
And the only pleasure he gets out of life
Is ramblin’ from town to town.
6. Go tell my baby sister
Not to do what I have done
Shun that house in New Orleans
They call the risin’ sun.
7. If I had listened to what my mother said
I’d have been at home today
But I was so young and foolish
I let a rambler lead me astray.
8. Well it’s a-one foot on the platform
And the other foot on the train
I’m goin’ back to New Orleans
To wear that ball and chain.
9. I’m goin’ back to New Orleans
My race is nearly run.
I’m goin’ back to end my life
In the house of the risin’ sun.
