Transposition
Moving a passage of music up or down in pitch by a fixed interval
Category
keys
Pronunciation
tranz-poh-ZIH-shun
Origin
Latin
Length
89 words · 1 min read
About Transposition
Transposition shifts every note in a passage by the same interval, preserving all melodic and harmonic relationships. It is used to accommodate different vocal ranges, to write for transposing instruments, and as a compositional technique for developing material.
More keys terms
Relative Major and Minor
View all keysterms →A pair of keys — one major, one minor — sharing the same key signature
ChromaticPertaining to notes outside the prevailing key or diatonic scale.
Leading noteThe seventh degree of a major or harmonic minor scale, a semitone below the tonic.
Parallel KeyA major and minor key that share the same tonic note but have different key signatures, such as C major and C minor.
Circle of FifthsA diagram arranging all twelve major and minor keys by ascending perfect fifths, showing their key-signature relationships.
v1 · 09/04/2026Browse all terms →