ZIBALDONE: range & transposition

GUITAR is notated higher than it sounds?

Yep, it's a transposing instrument in terms of octave, like the upright bass (but not from another key like Bb or Eb.) So, if you play a C --- you'll hear the concert pitch C.

(as opposed to say a Bb trumpet -- where if you play a notated C, you will hear the concert pitch Bb -- so to hear a concert C, you would have to play or notate the pitch D.)

The clef to the left has an ottava bassa (the "8" below the G clef) which means...... 8vb sounding?? .... 8va notated?? huh??? (always found this so confusing as a kid, along with how the upright bass pitches are notated versus its sounding pitch.)

Anyway, most guitar music we read is written using the G clef (without the ottava bassa, since it's assumed... I think? :)

That's really great for reading guitar music --- but for composing music on the guitar for other instruments (especially when thinking about their ranges), it might be helpful to work with a grand staff.

Full Fretboard Range Example:

Here is an example of the practical concert pitch range of the guitar fretboard (from E2 to A5 in C Major):

'C Major' scale degrees on the 6th String:

Compare the treble staff + tab to the grand staff + tab below it:

The treble staff + tab is the traditional guitar transposition, notated an octave above where it actually sounds
The grand staff + tab shows the pitches notated where they actually sound

'A Minor' scale degrees on the 6th String:

Again, compare the treble staff + tab to the grand staff + tab below it:

The treble staff + tab is the traditional guitar transposition, notated an octave above where it actually sounds
The grand staff + tab shows the pitches notated where they actually sound

'C Major' scale degrees on the 1st String:

'A Minor' scale degrees on the 1st String:

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