Saxaphone question??

i just started playing the baritone sax and this whole note system thing is weird to me. like i have to play an a on the szx to sound like a c on the piano??? isn't a C a C and an A an A?? pleaz help me!!!

No....When you play A on an Eb Baritone Sax it sounds as C.

When one plays an C on bari sax it sounds as an Eb, when one plays C on a Bb instrument(Bb trumpet), it sounds as Bb, when one plays C on an F instrument(French Horn) it sounds as F, when one plays C on a C instrument (flute)it sounds as C. Starting to get the picture?

Saxophone is a transposing instrument. Other transposing instruments include clarinet, trumpet and horn. They have a different tuning so their parts have to be transposed when they are playing with other instruments. I'm not sure what the tuning of a baritone sax is, but from what you're saying, I think it's E-flat. That means if you play E-flat on sax, it will be a C on piano.

Good grief, you're asking one of the hardest about music in my opinion. I hate transposing. That's why I play a B flat instrument that doesn't have to transpose at all! So I'm playing a B flat and then a clarinet is playing a C. Confusing? I think so. Just enjoy your instrument and then it will make more sense to you as you get farther in the wonderful world of jazz and music!

yeah, horns are often in different keys, but the charts are usually adjusted. you have to get bari charts, or play by ear.