How you can transpose piano music for violin
The piano is the most popular instrument in the world, especially if you count all digital pianos and keyboards. One reason for its popularity is the layout of the keyboard, which makes learning music theory and learning to play much easier for children and adult beginners.
Another feature of the piano that makes it so popular is the comparatively quick progress that can be made by a beginner. Early on, students learn to play complete chords which produce rich sounds with a wide range of dynamics, further making the piano an appealing instrument.
If you’ve learned piano first but are thinking about moving to the violin, you may be wondering if you’ll be able to play some of your favorite pieces by transposing piano music for violin, or if you’ll have to learn everything all over again?
The good news is that transposing piano music into a piece for the violin is easier than you think.
More than just copy and paste
When transposing music from piano to violin, you will need to know the key of the song and the range of the violin. The key signature of the song will tell you what notes are sharp or flat, and to determine the range of the violin, look at the highest and lowest notes playable on the violin.
To transpose the piece of music, simply change the notes of the song to match the notes of the violin. Start by copying the treble clef notes, retaining the same measure lengths and divisions. A standard violin ranges from the G below middle C to a very high C; any notes on the treble clef should be copied over.
You’ll also need to divide the chords into more manageable notes because pianos are meant to be played using ten fingers that play multiple notes at once. By contrast, violin players can only push down on two notes on two different strings and bow across.
One of the hardest things about transposing music for the piano to the violin is keeping consistent time/meter, so make sure to proofread your transposition. Consider having a professional look it over for mistakes and suggestions.
Try different variations
The fundamentals of both piano and violin sheet music are the same. However, one of the big differences between piano and violin music is that the piano uses both treble and bass clef while the violin only uses treble clef due to its pitch range. Therefore, when transposing from piano to violin, you may want to include more “texture” into your violin piece by incorporating some of the bass part.
If you don’t want to spend the time transposing your favorite piano music, Johnson String Instrument offers an extensive selection for sheet music for the violin from a variety of music genres, including classical, jazz, rock and roll, and more.
