Trumpet Fingering Chart: Written Notes and Jazz Practice

A trumpet fingering chart can tell you which valves to press, but it can't stop that open G from coming out as C. I want you to separate those two problems. Your fingers choose a tube length. Your air and embouchure help select the note that speaks.

That's why I treat a chart as a map, not a complete playing lesson. Below, you'll find standard written-pitch fingerings, a few trouble spots, and a practical way to turn the information into music.

How to read this trumpet fingering chart

Everything here is written pitch for B-flat trumpet, not concert pitch. When you play written C, the sounding pitch is concert B-flat, a whole step lower.

If you're reading a trumpet part, use its written notes directly. Don't transpose them again before looking up the fingering.

Here's the valve numbering:

• 1: the valve nearest your mouthpiece.
• 2: the middle valve.
• 3: the valve nearest your bell.
• Open: no valves pressed.
• 1-3: press the first and third valves together.

The octave labels remove guesswork. C4 is written middle C, on the ledger line below the treble staff. C5 is third-space C. C6 is high C, two ledger lines above the staff.

For this chart, enharmonic names share a fingering. C♯ and D♭ are two spellings of the same pitch in equal temperament. The spelling still matters when you read a chord or scale.

Standard fingerings from middle C to high C

I start this trumpet fingering chart at middle C because it gives you a useful reference point. These are standard fingerings, not an exhaustive list of alternate fingerings.

| Written note | Valves | |---|---| | C4 | Open | | C♯4 / D♭4 | 1-2-3 | | D4 | 1-3 | | D♯4 / E♭4 | 2-3 | | E4 | 1-2 | | F4 | 1 | | F♯4 / G♭4 | 2 | | G4 | Open | | G♯4 / A♭4 | 2-3 | | A4 | 1-2 | | A♯4 / B♭4 | 1 | | B4 | 2 | | C5 | Open | | C♯5 / D♭5 | 1-2 | | D5 | 1 | | D♯5 / E♭5 | 2 | | E5 | Open | | F5 | 1 | | F♯5 / G♭5 | 2 | | G5 | Open | | G♯5 / A♭5 | 2-3 | | A5 | 1-2 | | A♯5 / B♭5 | 1 | | B5 | 2 | | C6 | Open |

Notice that D4 uses 1-3, while D5 uses 1. E4 uses 1-2, while E5 is open. An octave changes more than the height of the note on the page.

You don't need to play this whole range today. If G4 is your comfortable ceiling, stop there. High C isn't an admission ticket to jazz.

Why the right valves can produce the wrong note

Open C4, G4, C5, and E5 belong to the same harmonic series. The tubing hasn't changed, but the vibration has.

So, if you finger C5 correctly and get G4, checking the valve chart again won't solve it. I would first sing the target pitch, listen to a reference, and try a gentle attack.

Keep the volume moderate. Avoid clamping down or forcing extra mouthpiece pressure to chase the note. If it won't speak comfortably, return to a nearby note that does.

Next, try a slow open C4–G4–C4 slur. Keep your fingers still. That makes the distinction clear: changing pitch doesn't always mean changing valves.

Intonation is a separate job, too. Written low D4 and C♯4 tend sharp with 1-3 and 1-2-3. Use your third-valve slide as needed, guided by your ear and a tuner. There's no universal slide distance.

Get the fingers moving together

The transition I want you to watch is E4 to F4. You move from 1-2 to 1. Only the second valve should rise.

Then try D4 to E4: 1-3 to 1-2. Keep the first valve down while the second and third trade places. A late valve can put a little unwanted note between the intended ones. Very efficient sabotage.

Start with this written C-major fragment:

C4–D4–E4–F4–G4–F4–E4–D4–C4

Play quarter notes at 60 beats per minute. Tongue each note lightly. Then slur pairs. Listen for clean changes rather than trying to win an argument with the metronome.

I use three checks:

1. Keep your fingertips close to the valve buttons. 2. Press each valve fully, without hammering it. 3. Let each valve return fully before the next change needs it.

If the rhythm falls apart, shorten the pattern to two notes. You can organize that focused work on the JazzValve practice screen.

Put the chart inside a jazz phrase

Once the basic changes feel steady, give your fingers something worth saying. Start with the written C-major triad: C4–E4–G4–E4–C4. The fingerings are open–1-2–open–1-2–open.

Use the C major triad practice page to connect those notes with their chord shape. First play evenly. Then leave a beat of space before the final C.

Next, try the written C blues scale: C–E♭–F–G♭–G–B♭–C. The C blues scale page gives you that next practice target.

G♭ is the note to watch here. Between F and G, its second-valve fingering needs to land cleanly. Practice F4–G♭4–G4, using 1–2–open, before running the whole scale.

Finally, close the trumpet fingering chart and play one short phrase from memory. I want the chart to answer a question, then get out of your way. Your ears still get the last word.

Where to go next

• Trumpet Fingering Chart for Beginners: Notes That Settle
• Trumpet Valve Chart: Written Notes and Fingerings
• Note Chart for Trumpet: Fingerings You Can Use