Transposing from an alto sax to a tenor?

Question:How would I take a tenor saxophone part and turn it into an alto saxophone part? How many steps up is a note on alto for it to sound the same on a tenor? (Like a Bb and a C for concert pitch and tenor)? =)

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: How would I take a tenor saxophone part and turn it into an alto saxophone part? How many steps up is a note on alto for it to sound the same on a tenor? (Like a Bb and a C for concert pitch and tenor)? =)

When a tenor sax plays high C, it sounds like a Bb below middle C. To get that same Bb, an alto player has to play the note G above middle C (below high C).

So in playing a tenor part on an alto, play all the notes a perfect 4th down (that is the difference between the tenor's high C and the alto's middle G). (A perfect fourth=5 half steps.)

To play an alto part on the tenor, play all the notes a perfect 4th higher.

alto is Eb
Tenor is Bb
so five half steps down

Ya, bring the tenor part down a perfect 4th if your playing it on alto. Not the easiest one to do at sight.