so to write for a trumpet in B flat, transpose UP a major 2nd! played on a trumpet in B flat sounds as B flat major. Therefore, if you want a French horn to play an F, you would write a C if you want them to play a G, you write D, and so on.Ĭonversely, to find the pitches that would sound from some music written for a French horn, you would transpose down by a perfect fifth: a written C sounds as F, and a written D sounds as G, and so on.

So you transpose up a perfect 5th to write for a French horn in F. Similarly, a French horn in F playing a written C major scale will sound as the scale of F major a perfect fifth below the C major scale you've written: Same as the name of the instrument: so B flat in this case. If you want to know what note a C written for an instrument 'in B flat' will sound as, it's the Therefore by writing out a C major scale, you have effectively transposedĪ B flat major scale for an instrument 'in B flat', by transposing it up a major 2nd (from B flat to C). it will sound like B flat major when played by an instrument 'in B flat'. This will sound the same as the major scale that the instrument is 'in', e.g. It can be confusing to remember which way to transpose: up or down?Ī simple way to remember is to imagine the transposing instrument playing a C major scale that you've written out. Likewise, if we want to play music that has been written for a B flat instrument (such as a trumpet) on a non-transposing instrument (such as a piano), we will have to transpose itĭown by a major 2nd to hear the correct notes. Then we will have to transpose the music for the B flat instrument up by a major 2nd. (the interval between B flat and C), and therefore if we want this instrument, in B flat, to play alongside other instruments that do not transpose (instruments 'in C', in other words), The interval of transposition is a major 2nd To put it more simply, if an instrument 'in B flat' plays a written C, it will sound as a B flat. If an instrument is 'in B flat', for example, then this means that when the instrument plays music with no sharps or flats (i.e., in C) then the music will sound in B flat. It is common to hear certain instruments referred to as being 'in' a key, for example 'clarinet in B flat' or 'French horn in F'. Transposing Instruments How to understand transposing instruments

B-flat major