c trumpets and transitions?

[camel lips]

This is more of a music question I guess than a horn discussion but.

I don't play in a church group or a orchestra but I was wondering why you need a c trumpet to play in these venues?

I am kind of oblivious to this thing.It seems like the times I did play in church(twenty years ago) I didn't have to transpose anything I was given.What does it mean to transpose exactly?

I am guessing that you a reading piano music in one key and then having to transpose it to the key of b flat?

Can you give me a short example such as If I am reading church music and I see the note c on the staff,how would I play that on my b flat trumpet ect ?

Thanks for your continued patience and help.You guys are the best in my continuing education.

[ This Message was edited by: camel lips on 2004-05-03 08:52 ]

[orchestraltrpt]

You don't need a C trumpet to play in church.

For written note 'C' on the music/hymnal page, you'll play a 'D' on your Bb trumpet. One step higher. You'll get the hang of it quickly. Good luck!

Scott

[jophst]

Church music usually isn't that difficult and I transpose 95% of it on my Bb. It's really not that hard. You get a feel for the key you're playing in and the notes seem to fall where they need to.

It's good transposition practice also. I wouldn't purchase a C trumpet just for the church services.
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[camel lips]

So a b flat would become a c# ?Thanks for the quick answers.I was having a mental block on this one.

[ This Message was edited by: camel lips on 2004-05-03 09:25 ]

[fuzzyjon79]

No... a Bb would be a C natural. The easiest way to transpose (playing a C part on a Bb horn) is to transpose the key signature up a Major 2nd.

I would highly recommend reading this article by Eddie Lewis:

http://www.eddielewis.com/trumpet/essays/formula.htm


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[ This Message was edited by: fuzzyjon79 on 2004-05-03 09:49 ]

[pedaltonekid]

You don't need a C trumpet for church music, but it is nice to have one. If you are not adept at transposing you can think of taking the note up a major second. Generally the next higher note and add two sharps (or take away two flats).
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[_Don Herman]

Disclaimer: I'm an amateur CP and not a pro. Take comments with a block of salt.

I play in church. A lot. Reading from the hymnal isn't usually an issue, though I like having the option of choosing which horn to play. Every now and then I don't want to worry about accidentals, and sometimes I want the slightly brighter C sound for descants. For me, sight transposing isn't my greatest strength, and I simply don't (need to) do it often enough to justify spending much of my limited practice time on it. I do well enough for most hymns, and a run-through or two before the service generally gets me through.

However, our Praise Team fairly frequently gets handed new music with not a whole lot of time to work on it, and quite often they expect me to be able to provide the melody line and play the tricky rythyms for our (amateur, again) singers. With all the, uh, interesting rythyms transcribed, numerous accidentals, and "guitar" key of concert E, more often than not I reach for my C rather than trying to sight-transpose some fast new song's melody line and then improv around it on the last verse. Before anybody yells about the sound, I'm lucky to have a C that makes it very easy for me to match my Bb sound. It's (my sound's) pretty much all mental for me anyway. If I've the time, I will sometimes work these songs up on my Bb, or simply transcribe it into Finale and change keys. Cheating? Maybe, but the congregation doesn't care what's in front of me, just how I sound. So far, the band, my teacher, and other folk have said they like my sound irrespective of which horn I'm playing. Most can't tell. Given that, I choose to make my life a little easier, and focus on the music.

I usually catch flack for my "wimping out" on transposing skills, but life's too short, or maybe I'm just too stupid...

FWIWFM, YMMV, etc. - Don
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[rebelatheart]

Don Herman hit the nail on the head. Our praise band plays at least half of the music in the key of E. I don't know about the rest of you, but the key of F# Maj isn't exactly intuitive for me.

[Getzenguy]

Mr. Lips,

Everybody is right, all the above posts make sense. If you would like a little of the theory behind why I will take a rookie stab at it. Also by the way sometimes I play my Bb if I know the melody and that way I won't need music, I play by ear that way, if I play my C I do much better with music in front of me.
In transposing you need to know what key instruments are. You play the Bb trumpet so that means when you play a C scale on your instrument it sounds like a Bb scale on the piano. This means that your music needs to be taken up one whole step to be able to play with the piano or other C instruments like flute, oboe, violin etc. If you see a written C in the piano part you would play a D, if a written E you would play an F #. If for some wierd reason found some D trumpet music with a written C on it you would need to play an F#.... Definition of D trumpet means the D trumpet plays a C scale and the piano needs to play a D scale to sound the same so if the piano plays a D scale you, on your Bb trumpet would have to play an E scale which is a major third above the C on the D trumpet music so if you see an E you would on your Bb trumpet play a G#. Did I garble this up too much? Sorry!

Good luck and get a C trumpet I hate to play in the key of F# too,


Mark
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