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Music Theory

Online Trumpet Tuner

This trumpet tuner works in your browser with your device’s microphone. It is set up for the B♭ trumpet, the most common one: it shows the note that actually sounds and, next to it, the note you read in your part.

Play a steady note, hold it for a second or two, and watch the cents meter. If the needle is left of center, the note is flat. If it is right of center, the note is sharp.

Tuner
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Tuning
Sounding note
—
Written note
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— ¢
−50¢−25¢0+25¢+50¢
A4 reference
A4 = 440 Hz
Transposing instrument
0 st
Reference notes — tap to listen
Info
—Note
—Hz
—Cents

The trumpet is a B♭ transposing instrument

When a trumpet player reads and plays a written C, the pitch that sounds is B♭, a major second lower. The tuner shows the sounding note (concert pitch) in large letters and the written note beside it. Here are some pairs:

Written note (your part) Sounding note (concert pitch)
C4 (middle C)B♭3 (233.1 Hz)
D4C4 (261.6 Hz)
G4F4 (349.2 Hz)
A4G4 (392.0 Hz)
B4 ← common tuning noteA4 (440 Hz)
C5B♭4 (466.2 Hz)

To tune to A4 = 440 Hz, play a written B4 and bring the needle to 0¢. Most bands and orchestras tune to a concert B♭ or A, so play the written C or the written B that matches the note your group is using.

A C trumpet is not transposing: what you read is what sounds. If you play one, choose “C (concert)” in the Transposing instrument box, and the written and sounding notes will match.

How to adjust the pitch of your trumpet

  • Main tuning slide: it sets the overall pitch. Pushing it in makes the tube shorter and the pitch higher. Pulling it out makes the tube longer and the pitch lower.
  • First and third valve slides: notes played with valve combinations (such as 1+3 or 2+3) tend to sound sharp, because the added tubing is proportionally too short. Pull the first and third valve slides out slightly to correct this, and use the slide ring or saddle on notes that need it.
  • Open fifth partial: the open E5 (written) is about 14 cents flat compared with equal temperament, so a player must lip it up. Watch the meter on this note and correct it with your embouchure.
  • Warm up first: a cold trumpet plays flat, and the pitch rises as warm air fills the tubing. Blow warm air through the horn for a few minutes, empty the water key, and tune only after that.
  • Transposition in the tuner: the transposing box is already set to B♭ (+2 semitones). The written note is the sounding note raised by a major second.

Frequently asked questions: trumpet tuner

Why does the tuner show B♭ when I play a C on my trumpet?
The trumpet is a B♭ transposing instrument. When you read and play a C, the sound that comes out is a B♭, a major second lower. The large note on the tuner is the sounding note (concert pitch). The written note, the one in your part, is shown beside it.
How do I use the tuning slide and the valve slides?
The main tuning slide sets the overall pitch: pull it out to lower the pitch and push it in to raise it. The first and third valve slides correct the sharp tendency of valve combinations. Pull them out slightly for notes that use those valves together.
Should I warm up the trumpet before tuning?
Yes. A cold instrument plays flat. Blow warm air through it for a few minutes and empty the water key before you tune. Check again after a long rest.
Does the tuner work with a C trumpet, a piccolo trumpet or a flugelhorn?
Yes. The tuner reads any pitch from about 40 Hz to 4200 Hz. A C trumpet sounds as written, so set the transposing box to “C (concert)”. A flugelhorn is also in B♭ and uses the same setting as the B♭ trumpet. Piccolo trumpets are pitched higher, in B♭ or A: choose the transposition that matches your instrument.

Once your trumpet is in tune, practice your articulation and your sense of time with the online metronome. Slow, steady tempos are the best way to train clean attacks and even sound.

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