How to Play a Bb Scale on Trumpet
The Bb scale is one of the most basic scales on a trumpet. When referring to a Bb scale, most trumpet players refer to "concert pitch." This means that the actual scale performed on the trumpet will be a C scale (the basic scale of the standard Bb trumpet, transposed up a full step). In music, almost everything is performed in concert pitch, especially at the professional level. It is wise to start thinking and speaking in concert pitch while performing in a transposed pitch, if your instrument requires it.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Take out your trumpet and connect your mouthpiece, preferably a 7C. Begin by playing a C4 and sustaining the pitch for at least five seconds. The fingering for this pitch is open valve. Play this pitch several times, tonguing it with a legato articulation.
-
2
Play the next pitch in the scale, which is D natural. The fingering for this pitch is first and third valve. Kick out your third valve slide whenever you play this pitch. This will adjust the pitch downward, helping to avoid the sharp tendencies of the harmonic series.
-
-
3
Proceed to play E natural. The third pitch in the Bb trumpet scale is fingered first and second valve. There should be no pitch issues on this note. Depending on your embouchure placement, the pitch could be a bit flat. If you hear this, tighten up your lip muscles until the pitch comes back up.
-
4
Play F natural. This pitch is only a half step above the preceding one. First valve is the fingering. This is one of the most natural pitches on a Bb trumpet, and it should feel physically very easy to play.
-
5
Perform G natural. This pitch is fingered open valve. Any pitch with an open valve fingering on Bb trumpet will allow you to be more naturally in tune than any fingered pitches on the instrument.
-
6
Play A natural. This is fingered first and second valve. Now that you are slowly getting higher on the scale, you need to focus on keeping a tight embouchure.
-
7
Play B natural. This is the last and seventh note in the scale and is referred to as the leading tone. B natural is fingered second valve.
-
8
Play another C, the pitch class you started on but an octave higher.
-
9
Play the scale backward, so you end on the same note you started.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Slowly increase the tempo as you practice. This will increase the flexibility of your fingers, allowing you to develop better technique. While ascending and descending the Bb trumpet scale, always tongue until you learn to play effective and clean slurs.
