Transposing for Trumpet: A Handy Reference

Several years ago, I resumed playing trumpet after about 20 years (!) away from the horn. As I’ve mentioned before, I was surprised at what I remembered…and also at what I had forgotten. I was never that good at transposition before, but upon returning to playing, it looked like a steep uphill climb.

At that point, I worked through the basic concepts of it with a good friend and musician (horn/trumpet – thanks, Steve!) and found this helpful document online: Dr. Gary Wurtz’s Transposition Issues page. What a lifesaver! A printed copy of Dr. Wurtz’s transposition chart was a key part of my gear my first full season back with an orchestra.

I recently rediscovered that worn copy, and after finding its current home online, I’m sharing it with you in the hope that you might find it useful as well. If you’re returning to orchestral trumpeting after some time away, or if you just want to verify your grasp of transposition, this is a great document to have.

Transposition is a big subject that affects many instruments (and instrumentalists!), and this is only a small segment of that topic…but more is on the way! In the meantime, if you have anything you’d like to share about your transposition trials and triumphs, please post a comment or drop us a line! We’d love to hear from you.

Keep playing (in whatever key!),
Mark

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