Technical Library KEYBOARDS II: Safe transposing method Entire Contents Copyright ©2010 CBH

The safe transposing method…

Here is the safest transposing method, which is best to use if you only transpose occasionally and wish to avoid any possible problems with jacks jamming. It may take you ten minutes:

• Lift the jackrail and place it carefully to one side, not somewhere on the floor where you may kick it.
• With one hand, play each note ascending the keyboard while you lift up the jacks for each note and stand them aslant on the lower guide. There is no need to remove them from the instrument completely, so I’d encourage you in fact not to. They should stand up just fine, well clear of any interference with the keys. The photo above shows a French Double with the lower keyboard jacks lifted ready for transposition—there’s no need to worry about the front 8´ jacks because they tend to hang from the dampers.
• Check to see if there are any keyboard holddown screws you must remove. Not all instruments use these. Most are accessed from the bottom of the instrument, although for some you must actually find the screws by lifting a few keys around the top or bottom notes.
• Pull out the right hand key end block transposing piece. Some instruments require you to remove the nameboard batten to enable you to access the transposing piece.
• In a smooth but firm motion, push on the lower manual key end blocks to slide the keyboards to the right until they stop against the cheek. If you have a double manual instrument, the upper sits on the frame of the lower and will move with it. Do not push the upper manual keyend blocks, because they do not always have the opportunity of as firm an attachment as the lower. Some instruments have access points to the keyframe through the bottom: If your instrument has these, use them instead of the keyend blocks to grasp your keyboard.
• Slip the loose transposing piece into the vacant space at the left.
• Replace the keyboard holddown screws and the nameboard if you had to remove these parts.
• Drop the jacks down through the lower guide so they are standing on the appropriate keytails, and replace the jackrail.

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