Brass Trombone question.

[Colin the Bear]

Looking through some big band charts I noticed an odd thing with the trombone chart. The song is in Eb. Trumpets have an F key signature. Saxophones have F and C key signatures.

However trombones in bass clef have a three flats key signature. I enquired but didn't understand the answer.

I know trombone is in bass clef but are these guys transposing a concert sheet or am I missing something?

 

[lydian]

Trombones read and play concert pitch as is. They are Bb instruments, but they also sound the same note as they read. First position is Bb on the horn and on the page.

 

[Tuppertn]

Trombones are concert pitch instruments. When they say "Bb trombone" they refer to the fact that the lowest note on the horn is Bb. It's a weird way to think of it as most instruments aren't named according to their lowest fundamental pitch. For example, the lowest note on a C trumpet is F#, but we don't call it an "F# trumpet". The lowest note a violin is G, but we don't call it a "G violin". The lowest note on a alto sax is concert Db, but...you get the picture.

Well, a Bb trombone is really in C, so Eb = 3 flats.

 

[ghostler]

The beauty of the trombone part in bass clef is that if one is missing and they need a part filled, say 4th 'bone: I can fill in on my bari sax by reading the bass clef as though it was treble and add 3 sharps to the key signature.

 

[Colin the Bear]

Trombones are concert pitch instruments. When they say "Bb trombone" they refer to the fact that the lowest note on the horn is Bb. It's a weird way to think of it as most instruments aren't named according to their lowest fundamental pitch. For example, the lowest note on a C trumpet is F#, but we don't call it an "F# trumpet". The lowest note a violin is G, but we don't call it a "G violin". The lowest note on a alto sax is concert Db, but...you get the picture.

Well, a Bb trombone is really in C, so Eb = 3 flats.

I had no idea.

 

[Colin the Bear]

That'll be a big help if I start arranging. Imagine the cacophony if the trombone part was a tone out. 🙉