Trumpet and Brass Tuner
Tune your trumpet by reading the note from your own part: the tuner shows the written note for B♭, C, D or E♭ instruments, and works for French horn, trombone and tuba too. Free, no account, and it works offline.
The microphone is only requested when you tap the button. Sound is analysed on your device; nothing is recorded. Open the full app
How to tune your trumpet, step by step
- Pick the “B♭ Trumpet” preset, or the transposition that matches your instrument.
- Warm up the trumpet and your lips for a few minutes: cold brass plays flat.
- Play an open note in the middle register, with no valves pressed, held steady at a medium dynamic.
- If you are flat, push the main tuning slide in; if you are sharp, pull it out.
- Check a second open note, then a valved note to check the valve slides.
Reference table
| Instruments | In | Offset (semitones) | A written C4 sounds | A concert A 440 shows as |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarinet, trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn, soprano sax | B♭ | +2 | B♭3 · 233.08 Hz | B4 |
| A clarinet | A | +3 | A3 · 220.00 Hz | C5 |
| Tenor sax, bass clarinet, treble-clef euphonium | B♭ (+ octave) | +14 | B♭2 · 116.54 Hz | B5 |
| Alto sax, E♭ alto horn | E♭ | +9 | E♭3 · 155.56 Hz | G♭5 |
| Baritone sax | E♭ (+ octave) | +21 | E♭2 · 77.78 Hz | G♭6 |
| French horn, cor anglais | F | +7 | F3 · 174.61 Hz | E5 |
| Alto flute | G | +5 | G3 · 196.00 Hz | D5 |
| D trumpet | D | −2 | D4 · 293.66 Hz | G4 |
| E♭ trumpet, E♭ clarinet | High E♭ | −3 | E♭4 · 311.13 Hz | G♭4 |
| Piccolo | C (octave above) | −12 | C5 · 523.25 Hz | A3 |
| Guitar, double bass, bass | C (octave below) | +12 | C3 · 130.81 Hz | A5 |
B♭, C, D, E♭: reading the right note
Trumpets come in several keys. The player keeps the same fingerings and reads a transposed part, so the written note is not the note you hear. The tuner shows the written note in large type, the one on your sheet music, and the concert pitch in small type.
The rule it applies is: written note = concert note + offset in semitones.
- B♭ trumpet, cornet and flugelhorn: +2. Written C4 sounds B♭3, at 233.08 Hz.
- C trumpet: no offset, the written note is the concert note. Choose “C (concert pitch)”.
- D trumpet: −2. It sounds a whole step above the written note.
- E♭ trumpet: −3. It sounds a minor third above; choose “High E♭”.
Worked examples
In scientific pitch notation, the tuning A is A4 = 440 Hz.
On a B♭ trumpet, a concert A at 440 Hz is displayed as a written B4. The band's concert B♭, at 466.16 Hz, is displayed as a written C5: that is the usual tuning note for trumpet players.
On a C trumpet, the same concert A is simply displayed as A4. If you switch between trumpets during a concert, change the transposition at the same time as the instrument.
The main tuning slide and valve slides
The main tuning slide sets the pitch of the whole instrument. Pulling it out lengthens the tubing and lowers every note; pushing it in raises them. Move it in small steps and play the same note each time.
Valve combinations are never perfectly in tune. Notes played with valves 1 and 3, or 1, 2 and 3, come out sharp: that is why the trumpet has a ring on the third valve slide and often a hook or saddle on the first. Extending them slightly on those fingerings corrects the pitch.
The intonation chart in the Pitch tab lets you measure this: play a slow chromatic scale and the grid shows the average deviation of each written note, which you can export as an image.
French horn, trombone and tuba
The French horn in F has an offset of +7: written C4 sounds F3, at 174.61 Hz. Use the “Horn in F” preset. On a double horn, tune the F side first with the main slide, then the B♭ side with its own slide. The hand in the bell also has a strong effect on pitch, so keep the same hand position while tuning.
Trombone usually reads bass clef at concert pitch: choose “C (concert pitch)”. In some bands, trombone parts are written in treble clef in B♭; the “B♭ (+ octave)” transposition then shows the written note. The tuning slide is on the back bow of the bell section; keep first position fully closed while tuning.
Tuba parts are usually at concert pitch, so “C (concert pitch)” works whatever key the instrument is in. Euphonium written in treble clef uses “B♭ (+ octave)”.
Tips for stable intonation
- Tune at the dynamic you will play most, without forcing the attack.
- Don't fix a badly set slide with your lips: you will tire quickly and your pitch will wander.
- Retune after a long break: the instrument cools down and goes flat.
- Practice long tones with the “Hold a note” exercise to measure pitch drift.
Frequently asked questions
What note do you tune a B♭ trumpet to?
Most often to written C5, which matches the concert B♭ given by the band. Then check another open note, such as written G.
My trumpet is flat, what should I do?
Push the main tuning slide in a little, then play the note again. If the instrument is cold, play for a few minutes first.
Why are low D and low C♯ sharp?
The 1-3 and 1-2-3 fingerings are naturally sharp on trumpet. Extend the third valve slide, and the first valve slide if needed, on those notes.
Which transposition should I use for a C trumpet?
None: choose “C (concert pitch)”. The note displayed is the note you hear.
Which transposition should I use for French horn?
The “Horn in F” preset, an offset of 7 semitones: the written note is a perfect fifth above the concert note.
Is the trombone a transposing instrument?
In bass clef it usually reads at concert pitch. Only some treble clef parts are written in B♭; in that case use “B♭ (+ octave)”.
Does the tuner work with a mute?
Detection is based on pitch, but a mute often changes the instrument's intonation. Tune without the mute, then check with it to know the difference.