Need some help transposing!

[warduke75]

Trying to transpose a piece of music.
It is written in B (BEAD) and I need to change it to
Drop C (CGCF). This is driving me completely crazy!
I am trying to convert it to TAB while doing this (thinking this would be easier) but I am at a loss.
As far as the low string (B) all the notes would need to go up 1/2 step, but when I get to the next string (E to G) I am totally lost. Anyone wanna tell me the easiest way to do this in TAB? Like, for the E string, move the notes this many steps up, A string, this many steps up.... etc.

[somedumbguy]

just take each number and add two?

[Jim Campbell]

Originally Posted by somedumbguy

just take each number and add two?

the tuning he refers to as drop c is does not retain the same relationship between each string.....if there is no reason to alter the tuning i'd say leave it and transposing would be simple....unless there are some odd fingerings that require a retune,why bother

[Burlington]

Guitarpro is your friend!

[santucci218]

how about this, tell us the piece of music. tell us why you are doing in drop c instead of standard.

[paganjack]

Since you are tuning higher (LOL @ tuning UP to drop C), you will play everything on a lower fret. To move it from BEAD to CGCF, in TAB:
D->F:-3
A->C: -3
E->G: -3
B->C: -1

so if you played a Cmajor scale before in BEAD
D------------------
A-----------0-2-3--
E-----0-1-3--------
B-1-3--------------
it would now be notated:
F------------------
C----------------0-
G----------0-2-4---
C-0-2-4-5----------

Hope that helps. I much prefer standard notation, since it leaves the fingering up to your own discretion.

[Jazz Ad]

Well yeah it's one of these cases in which knowing notes by their name rather than a fret number will help a lot.

[gerison]

As it has allready been mentioned! Get Guitar Pro.

Not only, tat you can easily transspose your piece wherever you want to, you can optimize the fingering automatically...
I think, when it's about saving time...
Otherwise... getting this 12 notes for now and ever... would be most profitable..

[JimmyM]

anyone else think reading notation's a waste of time anymore?

didn't think so. guitar pro...sheesh!

[sound of bass]

Im one of those who believe that notation AND tab, both have thier place in teaching one to read / play music.

[warduke75]

Guess I will get guitarpro. Right now I am using TuxGuitar and it does have a transpose option. I just cannot make any sense of it.

[gmahoog]

Learn it in the same key as the B tuning first and then move everything up 1/2 a step.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by sound of bass

Im one of those who believe that notation AND tab, both have thier place in teaching one to read / play music.

may i ask your reasons for believing that, and how long you've been playing in order to reach that conclusion? because in over 30 years of playing pro, i have not once gotten a piece of tab on a gig, only sheet music or chord charts. i would think if it was so much better for playing, i would get tabs on my gigs.

if you're going to say that tabs tell you where to put your fingers, though, why would you need someone to tell you where to put your fingers? i can figure that out on my own, and most good readers i know can, too. once you learn how to read notation, the only reason you need exact fingerings is for historical accuracy, and who cares about that?

[Jazz Ad]

I too think tabs can be good to use. Not everyone plays for gig money. They are very good when you need to quickly write down odd parts that don't fit straight into a scale, when you're copying on the fly from the guitar player, when you need help to figure how to play a part more easily.

Now, playing music by the numbers is bad. You must know what notes and chords you use. Tabs are not only helpless but detrimental in the process of learning proper theory.

[RDUB]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

may i ask your reasons for believing that, and how long you've been playing in order to reach that conclusion? because in over 30 years of playing pro, i have not once gotten a piece of tab on a gig, only sheet music or chord charts. i would think if it was so much better for playing, i would get tabs on my gigs.

if you're going to say that tabs tell you where to put your fingers, though, why would you need someone to tell you where to put your fingers? i can figure that out on my own, and most good readers i know can, too. once you learn how to read notation, the only reason you need exact fingerings is for historical accuracy, and who cares about that?

+1! I prefer to see the timing of the notes I'm supposed to play, not just a fret number that someone else has fingered for me. Tabs might be a handy shortcut for a beginner, but there's a really good reason for notation, and that's why it has stood the test of time.

If I hand you a tab of a tune you've never heard before, how close can you come to the real part?

Not meaning to hijack the thread here, but if you learn the notes and where they are on your bass, transposing is a whole lot easier.

[Demonator]

Guitar Pro??

[warduke75]

OK, got Guitar Pro. This program rocks! Now, one problem. The tab I have is written for 5 string. I need it for 4. So I had GP transpose from BEAD to Drop C and It just removed all the low (B) notes. Am I missing something? Is there a certain order I need to follow? Like Transpose first, then change number of strings?

[Jim Campbell]

Originally Posted by warduke75

OK, got Guitar Pro. This program rocks! Now, one problem. The tab I have is written for 5 string. I need it for 4. So I had GP transpose from BEAD to Drop C and It just removed all the low (B) notes. Am I missing something? Is there a certain order I need to follow? Like Transpose first, then change number of strings?

dude....you are making barriers where none exist..... why do you need to change your tuning.....sliding up to the fifth fret effectively changes BEAD to EADG......you did say that standard tuning was an option for your guitar guy......now it has to be drop C and that can be accomplished for you by sliding everything up up one fret

guys here are generally willing to bend over backward to help but you don't endear yourself by creating problems where none exist

[warduke75]

I apologize. I am just trying to make the song as LOW as possible so as to not lose the heavy sound and make it sound like the original song which I do not want. I am doing this to try and accomidate the guitar player and the singer.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by warduke75

I apologize. I am just trying to make the song as LOW as possible so as to not lose the heavy sound and make it sound like the original song which I do not want. I am doing this to try and accomidate the guitar player and the singer.

nothing wrong with that. hey, have fun and make music. that's what it's all about. just making you aware of the benefits of learning how to read actual music. for a little investment of time in the front end, it can save you a ton of time on the back end. if that's not what you want to do, that's cool. but it really does make a huge change for the better in your enjoyment level.