Clef Transposition Page 3

• Transposing up a whole step: going from C Major, this would mean that we were

moving upwards to D Major, the key lying one whole step higher from C Major.

Therefore, the key change is two ‘notches’ sharpwise (or to the right) on the cycle of

fifths:

From here

To here

Therefore, whenever transposing upwards by one whole step, the key signature will

move two ‘notches’ in the sharp direction on the cycle of fifths. This is a D

transposition; we call it D because D is one whole step upwards from C. Performing

a D transposition on a piece in, say, E-flat Major results in a key signature of F Major

(move from E-flat two notches to the right on the cycle of fifths.)

• Transposing down a minor third: going from C Major, this would mean that we’re

moving to A Major. A Major lies three ‘notches’ to the right on the cycle of fifths

from A Major:

From here

To here

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