I play oboe and i have to play a solo written for english horn and it says trans

Question:The English Horn sounds a P5 (perfect fifth) below the oboe, meaning it transposes. So, in order for you to play the English Horn part, you need to transpose the solo UP a perfect fifth.
For example:
Say the first note is a C. Going up a perfect fifth, you would play a G, which is 7 half steps above C.
Other examples:
D= up a P5 (or 7 half-steps) would be A
E= up P5 would be B
F= C
and so on.

I suggest you write out the solo separately on a piece of staff paper (visit www.freestaffpaper.cjb.net to print some out) and tranpose the solo. When transposing, make sure to watch the range--you might transpose some notes that can't be played by the oboe. For this, I recommend you talk to your band director OR put the note in a different, but playable, octave.

If possible, use the separate staff paper to play the solo, or if it's okay with your band director, write it directly above the solo part in your music. If you have the original oboe part to the music, ask for a copy of the music instead so you can write it on the page.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: The English Horn sounds a P5 (perfect fifth) below the oboe, meaning it transposes. So, in order for you to play the English Horn part, you need to transpose the solo UP a perfect fifth.
For example:
Say the first note is a C. Going up a perfect fifth, you would play a G, which is 7 half steps above C.
Other examples:
D= up a P5 (or 7 half-steps) would be A
E= up P5 would be B
F= C
and so on.

I suggest you write out the solo separately on a piece of staff paper (visit www.freestaffpaper.cjb.net to print some out) and tranpose the solo. When transposing, make sure to watch the range--you might transpose some notes that can't be played by the oboe. For this, I recommend you talk to your band director OR put the note in a different, but playable, octave.

If possible, use the separate staff paper to play the solo, or if it's okay with your band director, write it directly above the solo part in your music. If you have the original oboe part to the music, ask for a copy of the music instead so you can write it on the page.

All you are doing is changing the notes by taking each note up a fifth. On the left is the written note, on the right is the note you play instead.

C-G
#C-#G
D-A
#D-#A
E-B
F-C
#F-#C
G-D
#G-#D
A-E
#A-F
B-#F

When you play an English horn though it is fingered just the same as oboe, it "sounds" one fifth (five steps) lower. To transpose a written EH part so you can play it on oboe may be one of two answers either play the line down a fifth (five scale tones ie. written C you play the F lower) or you may have to take it all up a fourth (play the F above). Many times the EH parts are already low especially solos so to transpose it all down would be impossible since EH is really just and "Alto oboe" it would be best to play it up the fourth (this will still be the same lettered notes).
A good way to check your transpositions, would be to have one of your french horn players play the written notes as the EH would read- both French and English Horns are F instruments.

music teacher/ oboist

Just to clarify (since the advice is conflicting): the music teacher/oboeist is correct. If you want to play the english horn part on the oboe, you have to play the note a perfect FOURTH higher than what is written (if you play up a fifth, you will play the wrong note.)

(Think of it this way: when an english horn player plays the note middle C, it sounds like a low F. Therefore, you have to play the note F to make sound correctly- and since you probably will not be able to play the F lower than the C, you will have to play the F higher than the C, and to get to that note, you go up a fourth.)