A minor update to the very first post on this blog… Now with a YouTube demo!

Puzzled about transposition? Why are notes on the trumpet pitched differently from other instruments even though the notes have the same names? What about alto sax, tenor sax, and trombone?

This is not a theory lesson, but a brief video demonstration that aims to demystify the world of transposing orchestral instruments for you. All of the notes played sound identical, but are written differently depending on the instrument.

Use this as your “transposition matrix”. Find the note that you want in the chromatic scale for your instrument, and see how that same note appears written for the other big band instruments.

Download and print: Transpose to and from Bb Trumpet: Big Band Edition.