Free tool · Orchestration

Trumpet range

The trumpet's range is E3 to B♭5 at sounding pitch, written F♯3 to C6. For a section you have not worked with, write inside F3 to A♭5 sounding, which is G3 to B♭5 on the part.

BrassSounds a major second lower than written

Red notes: practical range. Black: full range only. Middle C = C4.

Sounding pitch
E3F3A♭5B♭5
Written pitch, as on the part
F♯3G3B♭5C6

On the piano

C1C2C3C4C5C6C7C8
Sounding Written In Cubase/Logic MIDI Hz
Lowest (full) E3 F♯3 E2 52 164.81
Practical low F3 G3 F2 53 174.61
Practical high A♭5 B♭5 A♭4 80 830.6
Highest (full) B♭5 C6 B♭4 82 932.3

Type a note or click a key on the piano above.

Runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you play, sing or open here is uploaded anywhere. Music glyphs from Bravura, SIL Open Font License. Published 23 October 2026

The B♭ trumpet sounds a major second lower than written and carries over anything. Its range is moderate, but its endurance limits matter more than its top note.

Trumpet registers

Register Range How it sounds
Low Sounding E3 to B♭3 Darker and less brilliant, and hard to project in a tutti.
Middle Sounding B♭3 to F5 The core trumpet sound, from a soft cantabile to a fanfare.
High Sounding F5 to A♭5 Brilliant and exciting, and tiring. Save it for climaxes.
Top Above sounding A♭5 Strong players reach it, but not for long lines and not quietly.

Writing for the trumpet

  • Write a major second above the sound. Orchestral players may choose a C trumpet, which reads at concert pitch.
  • A trumpet can play a high C, but not forty of them followed by a soft entrance. Plan where the player rests.
  • Mutes change the colour completely. Straight, cup and harmon mutes are the common ones.

The trumpet in sample libraries

Brass libraries make the top fifth of the range cost exactly what the middle costs, at every dynamic. A quiet, exposed trumpet line above written G5 sounds fine in a mockup and is one of the hardest things to ask of a player.

The full range is every note a professional can produce. The practical range is narrower on purpose, leaving out the notes only strong players produce reliably. The figures here are cross-checked between orchestration references, and where they disagree the practical range takes the more conservative one.

Other brass ranges

See every instrument on one chart, or check a whole MIDI file against these ranges, in the instrument range chart.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the range of the trumpet?

A B♭ trumpet is written from F♯3 to C6 and sounds a major second lower, from E3 to B♭5. The safe written range is G3 to B♭5, sounding F3 to A♭5.

Do I write for trumpet in B♭ or in C?

Either. Bands and most commercial sessions use B♭ parts. Orchestral players often play C trumpet and are used to reading both, so follow the orchestra's preference.

Is this the trumpet range at written or sounding pitch?

Both are given. Ranges are stated at sounding pitch, which is what a sample library plays, and the written pitch for the part is shown alongside. Sounds a major second lower than written.

More free tools

All tools

New reviews, no noise

Occasional email when we publish something worth your time. No daily digest, no vendor press releases.

We store only your address, never sell it, and delete it as soon as you unsubscribe. See our privacy policy.