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First off, let me say that I'm new to playing music and any sort of music theory. I'm learning to play the B flat clarinet. I know that other instruments, such as the violin or flute, are in the key of C.

If I understand correctly, this means that when I play a C, it is actually a full step (C -> B -> Bb) off of the C from a violin. So why call it a C on the clarinet? Why not call it whatever it would be in the key of C, and call it a C instrument? What is the benefit of having it on a different key? Because then all C keyed music must be transposed (is that the right word?) to fit the clarinet.

I know that clarinet is not the only instrument that does this. I had always been under the impression that the note C was a sound at a specific frequency, and that all C's are at this same frequency, or a mathematically equivalent shift in the octave scale. This does not appear to be the case.

Furthermore, this means if I have a tuner that is in the key of C, that it won't actually show as C when I play C on my clarinet...

So, why have instruments in different "keys"? What is the benefit? And is it correct to say that a note of C does not actually imply a certain frequency of sound?

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2 Answers

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Disclaimer: This may be a brass- and trombone-biased answer.

If I'm not mistaken, an instrument being in the key of Bb means the note it plays in its natural position (e.g. a trombone with the slide all the way in, a trumpet without any valves pressed) is Bb. For many instruments (such as the trumpet), music is also written in Bb, which means that a C in trumpet music actually sounds like a Bb.

Trombones are one exception. Although they are usually Bb instruments like their trumpet brethren, trombone music is normally written in C. This means that when a trombone player reads a Bb note, the actual note produced is a piano Bb, and it is played at first position.

Hence, there is a distinction between the key an instrument is in (what note comes out in its natural position) and what key music for that instrument is typically written in. However, in many cases (such as the trumpet), both keys are the same.

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It looks like the major difference between the historically popular clarinets is that each enabled a different set of chromatic notes, enabling performance in more keys, just like different harmonicas allow playing along with different keys.

The Wikipedia page on "Transposing instrument" has more info. I get the impression this is mostly due to to historical reasons.

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