Translating 5 Staff to Number Notes

[jetz320]

Hi everyone. I got some friends in my school band to ask the band teacher if I could play dizi in the band. Luckily, he said yes and their music is pretty easy compared to the music that I have to play in my erhu class and orchestra. So, I need to translate the music to the number notations. What I am still confused about is WHAT KEY DO I USE!!! I'm bringing all 7 keys as required for most musicians. Soome songs don't require high or low notes so I'll just witch the key. But; the notes aren't the exact doe, ray, me ,fa, so, la, te, doe. The music for the G key for example in western music are like ray, me, F sharp, So. So I am thinking of mainly using the F and C key. Or, I'll just tune the D key. Will this work? Can someone tell me how much I'll have to tune and what keys I should play? Thanks for all your help guys!!! I'm spreading the love for dizi to more people!!! ;D

[davidmdahl]

It sounds like you are in for a challenge, jetz320! Frankly I would recommend learning to read staff notation if you are at all serious about studying music. Translating the staff notation for your band music will be tedious, but it should be relatively straightforward. Just identify the key of the tune from the key signature. Hopefully someone can help you with this if necessary. If the tune is in G, then notate the jianpu such that G=1, A=2,..., F#=7. On your G dizi, you will play a G with all left hand holes covered.

Alternately, you could play a G band tune with a C dizi since all holes covered will play G. Just shift your thinking such that G=1 is all holes covered.

If the music modulates to another key, then things may get interesting on the dizi, and you might have to change instruments in the middle of a tune. Some music may be not worth the trouble to play on dizi, or may not sound good.

Good luck!

Best wishes,

David

[kyokuhon]

Hi, all,
Yes, I agree with David, though I don't always follow it myself. I play a number of instruments (lute, shakuhachi) which have, at one time or another, had specific notations used for them alone. I've also often avoided learning to read staff notation by intabulating or innumerating(?) music for others (xiao, guqin, guitar). The popularity of these systems would indicate that I'm not alone in this preference, but it is tedious and time consuming to do it. And, if your going to be playing in a band I too would recommend just giving in and learning to read staff.
Best,
K.

[YouLanFengChune]

just use a big G key dizi. It has the same fingering as a classical flute, plus it sounds very good..

[jetz320]

I know where all the C, D, E, F, G, A, B, and C are on the flute david!! Not all the notes are the same though. So I'd have to tune it a bit to get the exact notes. G key is also very small. It can't play C or B in the western music. As for reading the five staff, I know how to read it, but it's been about 3 years. I'm scared I'm going to mix alot of stuff up after reading numbers for the past couple of months.

[Charlie Huang]

I'm currently trying to teach myself staff and I'm up to Grade 3. The thing that makes it hard is trying to memorise all those keys! I can get major keys, but minor keys are mind boggling, doubly so with having to juggle between harmonic and melodic scales... tsk!

Anyways, might concentrate on other things like rhythm instead since that is more important in qin music.

[jetz320]

Memorzing keys is part of it. Like erhu, D KEY, F KEY, A KEY, G KEY, ETC.

[jetz320]

I just started the band class today!!! It was so complicated though. Although their music was simple to play, I spent the whole time watching the music and listening to them play. Does anyone have advice on which keys for whick flute? I only know C for F or C key on dizi. And then B flat key could be done on E key. Anyone help?!!

[jetz320]

Does this make sense? B flat major, use the E key. C/G major, use F or C key. E major, C key. F major, D key. D major (if there is one) G key? Thanks for all the help. If I'm wrong (Which I have a big feeling I am) then please correct me!!! Thanks so much!!!

[dsouthwood]

Some time ago I created a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation to help me transpose Western music notation to simplified notation. For each scale, both major and relative minor, I placed the numeral 1 at the root note of the scale. Once the music is transcribed into simplified notation, of course, you can designate 1 = whatever note you want. Here is a link to the sheets as graphic images on my Flickr site.

www.flickr.com/photos/dsouthwood/

[jetz320]

Thanks. I think that just might help. I need a B flat dizi though. I can't get that until I go to China.