Trumpet Tuner

Trumpet tuning notes

Tuning note	B♭ trumpet / cornet / flugelhorn reads	E♭ trumpet reads	Concert pitch	Frequency (A4 = 440)
Band tuning note (3rd-space C on B♭ trumpet)	C5	G4	B♭4	466.16 Hz
Second check (open G)	G4	D4	F4	349.23 Hz
Orchestra tuning note	B4	F♯4	A4	440.00 Hz
Low C	C4	G3	B♭3	233.08 Hz

Concert pitch vs written pitch

The standard trumpet is pitched in B♭: when you play a written C, the note that sounds is a concert B♭, one whole step lower. Most tuners only show concert pitch, which is why a trumpet player's "C" shows up as B♭. This tuner defaults to written pitch for B♭ trumpet, so the note it shows matches your music. Cornet and flugelhorn are also in B♭. If your band director asks you to tune to "concert B♭", that is your C.

How to tune a trumpet with this tuner

Warm up for a few minutes — brass instruments play flat when cold and rise as your breath warms them.
Press Start tuner and allow the microphone. Point the bell a little to the side of the phone or laptop, about a metre away, so it is not overloaded.
Play a steady, open (no valves) third-space C at mezzo-forte. The tuner should show C.
If you are flat, push the main tuning slide in. If you are sharp, pull it out. Move it a few millimetres at a time.
Check an open G as well. Then check 1st+3rd valve notes (low D, low C♯) and use your third-valve slide to bring them down.

Trumpet tuning tips

Use the main tuning slide

Leave the slide pulled out about 1–2 cm as a starting point; most trumpets are sharp with it all the way in.

Valve slides

Low D and C♯ (1st+3rd valves) are naturally sharp. Kick out the third-valve slide for them; that is what the ring is for.

Don't bend the note

Play with your normal, relaxed sound. If you lip the note up or down to match the tuner, the slide position will be wrong once you stop thinking about it.

Mutes change pitch

Straight mutes usually make a trumpet slightly sharp. Check your tuning with the mute in if you use one for a long passage.

Tune by ear with reference notes

No microphone? Press a reference note above to hear it for three seconds and match it, listening for the "beats" (a wobble) to slow down and disappear. The buttons are labelled with the note you read in the selected setting, with the concert pitch underneath.

FAQ

Why does the tuner say B♭ when I play C on my trumpet?

Because the trumpet is a B♭ transposing instrument: a written C sounds as concert B♭. This tuner shows the written note by default, so you will see C. Switch to "Concert pitch" to see the sounding note.

What note should I tune my trumpet to?

In a band, concert B♭ (your third-space C) and often concert F (your open G). In an orchestra, concert A (your B). All are available as reference tones above.

Does this work for cornet and flugelhorn?

Yes. Both are B♭ instruments that read the same as a B♭ trumpet. Keep the default setting.

Is my trumpet supposed to be in tune with the slide all the way in?

Usually not. Most trumpets are designed to play in tune with the main slide pulled out about a centimetre or two, so there is room to adjust both ways.