Song Transposition?

[M J R]

Posted: 7/20/04 at 5:49pm

Any of you NYC'ers know anyone who does transposition for sheet music?

[AnothaPartofMe]

Posted: 7/20/04 at 5:55pm

I can transpose if it is a MIDI file.

[M J R]

Posted: 7/20/04 at 6:01pm

Nope - only have the sheet music...

[AnothaPartofMe]

Posted: 7/20/04 at 6:02pm

what song is it? i've got thousands of MIDIs to shows. maybe i have it.

[MusicMan]

Posted: 7/20/04 at 7:04pm

If it's a standard, get a coach to pencil in the transposed chords on the sheet music. A much less expensive proposition. Most accompanists worth their salt should be able to negotiate it. Updated On: 7/20/04 at 07:04 PM

[M J R]

Posted: 7/20/04 at 7:06pm

Need it for auditions though, so I can't do that...

[MusicMan]

Posted: 7/20/04 at 7:09pm

What do you mean, you can't do that? Of course, you can. As a former audition accompanist myself, I can't tell you how many times I've transposed songs, sometimes even without chords. That is standard audition procedure and what accompanists get paid to do. Don't throw away money needlessly. Updated On: 7/20/04 at 07:09 PM

[M J R]

Posted: 7/20/04 at 7:14pm

It's just been beaten into my head to "have sheet music in the correct key" - too many horror stories of people refusing to play, or attempting to transpose and the end result being totally unrecognizable.

[shesings]

Posted: 7/20/04 at 8:19pm

i would try to find someone to transpose it. while accompianists probably can transpose it by sight, it would probably be appreciated to have it in the correct key. i'm sure that everyone in the audition would appreciate your being prepared. it will make you seem more professional. check backstage.com or craigslist.org and see if there are any ads for transposition on there!

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 7/20/04 at 8:31pm

You should always have your music in the correct key. If the pianist is unfamiliar with your material he or she may have difficulty transposing it by sight. It's unfair to expect them to do that. I would check Backstage newspaper...I see many people offering services in the back. Most freelance accompanists can transpose something for you easily, and it shouldn't be very expensive.

[MusicPos2]

Posted: 7/20/04 at 9:36pm

You really shouldn't be transposing songs: they are written in a key for a reason. It really sounds bad when songs are transposed: pick something that's more in your range, unless it's something that's frequently transposed and works that way. Talk to a vocal coach or a voice teacher, and they'll advise you, they can also transpose for you. Also, www.sheetmusicdirect.com will allow you to download songs to a viewer that can transpose. If that's not the site, I'll check it for you: I know all the Wicked music is on there.

[MusicMan]

Posted: 7/20/04 at 10:28pm

First off, NO ONE should be doing WICKED songs at an audition as the material is overdone and a cliche at this point (as anything new might be expected to be) and, unless you are auditioning for the show (or something like it), an indication of a lack of imagination on the part of the actor.
Second, to state that songs shouldn't be transposed from their published key is absurd. Quite often, songs published for public consumption have already been transposed from the key in which they were originally performed. Not every song 'works' in transposition, however, and the singing actor needs to be judicious in the selection.
If the chords are written on the music, it is absolutely appropriate to expect a pianist to transpose on sight, unless the song is something inordinately difficult or thorny (which means you shouldn't be singing it at an audition in the first place). Give us an idea of what you are expecting to sing and I'll tell you whether it requires a complete transposition or not.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 7/20/04 at 10:30pm

Anyway, the 'original key' is quite often just the most comfortable and best-sounding key for the original performer.

[LittleBroken]

Posted: 7/20/04 at 10:49pm

Ew and if you get it from a large random songbook the songs tend to all be in C which is really annoying because then it's not even in the original key from the show.

[M J R]

Posted: 7/21/04 at 12:44am

MusicPos2 - transposing songs within the overall context inside a show is one thing, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with transposing something for an audition or for a "stand-alone" performance. I have a masters degree in voice from a major conservatory and a lifetime of experience - I know what I'm talking about, too.

The actual song I'm wanting is "Still Hurting" from Last Five Years. It's originally in C - I want it in F. Perhaps an easy thing to do on sight, but I'm not taking anything JRB to an accompanist that's not easy as possible to read.

Updated On: 7/21/04 at 12:44 AM

[MusicMan]

Posted: 7/21/04 at 1:41am

Well, you'll do what you want, but STILL HURTING is a negative, self-indulgent number that gives the actor nothing to play but 'victim.' Unless you're auditioning for the show itself, is that the message you want to send to your auditors? Updated On: 7/21/04 at 01:41 AM

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 7/21/04 at 9:37am

I've been to thousands of auditions in New York City and let me tell you something - RARELY can an accompanist at an audition transpose on sight. It is VERY unprofessional to expect that from anyone - no matter how well educated and wonderful the accompanist is. Unless you hire your own accompanist to go with you to an audition and transpose it on sight, then you haven't any right to expect it (transposiion) and if you DO take the risk and ask someone to do it for you - you get what you deserve (I've had a few auditions ruined that way - so I learned the hard way) go with your original instinct and have the music transposed. If you look in Backstage you can find advertisements for people who can do it for you relatively inexpensively - and I agree with you - never take JRB to an audition and ask someone to transpose it. From what I understand - his music is hard enough to play in the key it's published in. You are right in thinking you should take it in to the audition in the key you want it played in = and NOT just chorded out for you - but completely written out, note for note (there are good programs that people use thesedays to transpose via computer -you'll find someone who can do it for you and not charge an arm and a leg...as a matter of fact, if I can find one or two - I'll pm you -but I'm on vacation this week and don't have access to my address book).
Best of luck to you - and though I do agree that it's not the best choice to play the victim at an audition - I also think you should sing what you are most comfortable with and show yourself off in the best light possible - so follow your gut instinct.

[MusicMan]

Posted: 7/21/04 at 11:36am

I'll say it again. Unless the song is difficult, most accompanists can handle a transposition when the transposed chords are written on the sheet music. It's part of the job. And, frankly, there were (and are) many others like myself who could do it even without the chords---if we know the song (I once had to transpose MEADOWLARK on the spot without any music whatsoever!). Is it better to be prepared by having the whole thing written out? In MJR"s case, of course. But don't judge all accompanists by the unprofessional few.
STILL HURTING is still a poor choice.

[M J R]

Posted: 7/21/04 at 3:24pm

Thank you for your opinion.

[MusicPos2]

Posted: 7/21/04 at 3:29pm

Actually, you're wrong, it's not part of their job, unless your paying them as your private accompanist, and they tell you they can. They are paid to be able to play what's written. Yes, most can. If you've ever wondered why a lot of songs don't sound as good as the recordings, it's because they're transposed. Pick something in your range, unless it is a song that sounds exactly the same in another key, which is really rare on Bway. NEVER transpose something by Webber, he purposely picks every key for it's own unique quality. I know many musicians that will transpose, but don't do it, it sounds awful. This from a voice teacher.

[M J R]

Posted: 7/21/04 at 3:35pm

this from a voice teacher...

I love how that means it MUST be GOSPEL

Thank you for your OPINION. Obviously in this case, I'm taking the song completely out of context - being that it's a woman's song to begin with - so there's really nothing wrong with transposing it as well - this also from a voice teacher...

And if you want to be technical about it, F to C is one step away in the circle of fifths, making it an obvious choice for transposition...

Updated On: 7/21/04 at 03:35 PM

[MusicMan]

Posted: 7/21/04 at 3:37pm

MusicPos2, your comments are absurd.

[BWayBoy88]

Posted: 7/21/04 at 3:39pm

I think its perfectly ok to transpose a song. I know I heard somewhere that its not a good idea to use a Sondheim song at an audition because it is so hard to play. I would think the same goes with JRB. I know it the accompanist's job to play the music but you dont want to screw up an audition because the song was too hard to the accompanist to play.

[M J R]

Posted: 7/21/04 at 3:39pm

And MusicMan - I think it's wonderful that you were/are good enough and WILLING enough to transpose so easily. Unfort, I think I can say that for most of us auditioning these days, it's often a nightmare for the accompanist to be able to play in the WRITTEN KEY, much less a tranposed one.

Maybe you should be back in the rounds playing - I'm sure you'd be in demand.

[MusicPos2]

Posted: 7/21/04 at 3:40pm

Sondheim transposed would sound even worse than normal.