Fluther: How do I transpose music to B flat?

How do I transpose music to B flat?

Asked by gbelste (89

) January 9th, 2011
13 responses
“Great Question” (2

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I am a beginner trumpet player. My band director always tells us what scales to play in C. I don’t like asking which scale to play in B flat.

Also, I’m a beginner and although I do know the basics of music theory, I’m not that knowledgeable on the subject. Try to be as simple and straightforward as possible for a noob like me :)

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Topics: music, band, music theory, sheet music, trumpet, transposing, b flat

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Answers

You may find this helpful to begin with. Chapter 7 is a free download that lists scales for trumpets.

Aside from the scales, are you wanting to transpose actual sheet music? Your instructor should be giving you the right parts for your instrument, :(

MissAnthrope (21511

)“Great Answer” (1

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I’m no trumpet player by any means, nor do I know music theory, though I have been playing a guitar for 16 yrs calling myself a musician. So I guess my question could be valid.

I’m not sure what you’re looking to do here. Are you just trying to play the scale a step down?

Axemusica (9500

)“Great Answer” (1

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The easiest way is to go to musicnotes.com and just order the music in the correct key. It only cost from 2 to 4 dollars.

Gregory (107

)“Great Answer” (2

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@Axemusica – Each instrument is tuned to a particular key. Flutes, pianos, bassoons, violins, they are in the key of C. Guitars can be tuned to different keys, I believe. Saxes are in G, if I remember correctly.

Anyway, what happens is if you give a sax player sheet music for a piano, it’s not the right key, it’s not being played as intended. It’s not the same A, if I’m understanding correctly. So, for another example, I have a metronome that plays a tone of A for tuning purposes. I play the flute, so I play A. But a sax player would not play their A, they’d play another note.

Did I just confuse things even more?

MissAnthrope (21511

)“Great Answer” (2

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You didn’t confuse me @MissAnthrope I understood that perfectly and now I think I understand the question and am going to agree with your first response then. Ask your instructor if you have an adequate instrument.

I knew the guitar was a very versatile, but you just put it into perspective for me @MissAnthrope. I always knew but never knew just how versatile it was. Thanks. :)

Axemusica (9500

)“Great Answer” (1

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@MissAnthrope is right.

More specifically, the trumpet being a B flat instrument means that, when a trumpet plays a C, it sounds like what a B flat would sound like on a piano. Your instructor will tell you scales for what a piano would play, which is called concert pitch. The trumpet plays a different scale in order to make the same sounds. The scale that you need to play on your trumpet is always one full step up from what your instructor says. For example, if your instructor wants a C scale, you play D.
You must remember, though, that some white notes on the piano don’t have black notes in between them, so going up a full step doesn’t always entail just going from one letter to the next. For instance, if your instructor wants an E scale, you must play F sharp.

I feel like I’ve made this more confusing.

Mariah (25883

)“Great Answer” (3

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I found another site you might find helpful as a beginner, as there is loads of information from the technical to the instrument’s history. Don’t try the links to the left, though, they’re broken.. you have to use the links toward the bottom (‘Woodshed’, ‘Then There Was Trumpet’, etc.).

MissAnthrope (21511

)“Great Answer” (0

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To play the right scale in your band class when your instructor names them “in C”, just play the scale one whole step above the scale your instructor has named. For example, if your instructor wants you to play a C major scale, you would want to play a D major scale (as D is one whole step above C). If s/he says F# minor you would play G# minor, Ab major you would play Bb major and so forth.

While this may seem counter-intuitive what with the “Bb” in “Bb Trumpet” being one whole step lower than a “C”, all this means is that the trumpet will naturally sound lower. In order to sound at the same note as the rest of your band, you have to play one step higher to compensate.

Good luck, and ask on if there’s any lingering confusion!

jessicahuntmusic (21

)“Great Answer” (4

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Most band music is written in the proper key for the instrument so that when everyone plays together, you are all playing appropriate pitches.

As far as transposition is concerned, it depends on the interval between the key of the piece and B flat. If the piece is written in C, the B flat trumpet plays in D. A C trumpet doesn’t have to transpose at all. If the piece is in D, the trumpet plays E, E = F#, F = G, etc, etc.

As a beginner, though, you shouldn’t have to transpose much. That’s a more advanced skill. Like I said, almost all band pieces are written in the proper key for the instrument. At least, they are in the US. Are you in another country?

It occurs to me that you are talking about warmup scales, where the band director calls out the scale. Then just make yourself a cheat sheet showing what each scale for C instruments becomes when played on a B flat instrument. If you can do it in your head, then whatever scale he calls out, you play it one step higher.

wundayatta (58741

)“Great Answer” (1

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Learn the circle of 5ths! This will help you learn to quickly transpose in your mind… do everything you can to learn music theory. Learning how to quickly apply basic theory while playing your instrument can only help make you a better musician… there’s no better time than when you’re first starting out!

torchingigloos (531

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