The Happy Musician

In this short post you will learn how to read your trumpet sheet music and how your music is different from an instrument like the piano’s music. Let’s go!

Reading trumpet music is quite simple, but when you transfer from a C instrument like the piano (i.e. the piano is tuned to concert C or the key of C), it can be tricky to sort out what you’re hearing.

First, establish the key signature. In this case, as seen above, there are no sharps or flats, so the piece is in C. But be careful. This is not the C that you would hear on the piano. This is trumpet C, and since the typical trumpet is tuned to Bb, then C is concert Bb! Sound confusing? All you have to do is go down a whole step from whatever pitch you’d play on the piano, and that’s what is written in trumpet music!

This will get easier with time, and soon you won’t have to think about it at all. Just remember that whatever key your music says you’re playing a whole step down from it. But you don’t read it that way, you’re only making it go through your instrument that way!

If you have any additional questions on this, a video might be helpful. Please comment down below if you think a video could explain this better. Thanks for reading!

Post photo by Devpost

Cover photo by Cottonbro Studio