Every fingering for every note, why they multiply as you climb, and the 1st- and 3rd-valve slide rules advanced players live by.
why alternates multiply as you climb
Every valve combination gives the same ladder of harmonics, just lower. Low down the rungs are far apart — harmonic 2 to 3 is a fifth (7 semitones), 3 to 4 a fourth (5). The three valves can only lower the horn 6 semitones, so each low note is reachable from just one rung: one fingering.
Higher up the rungs crowd together: 4→5 is 4 semitones, 5→6 is 3, then 8→9 and 9→10 are only 2. Now one written note can be reached from two, three, even four different rungs — and each rung needs a different fingering. That is where alternate fingerings come from.
one note, every fingering
E
written · sounds D on your B♭ trumpet
the chart fingering
harmonic 5 · a little flat (-13.7¢ ideal)
13.7¢ flat — this harmonic sits low; lift it with air and lip, or use a better-tuned alternate.
alternate
harmonic 6 · a little sharp (+12.6¢ ideal)
Use it for: trills, fast runs and awkward finger changes.
12.6¢ sharp — push the 1st-valve slide out with the left thumb (about 6 mm).
alternate
harmonic 6 · in tune (+2¢ ideal)
Use it for: better in tune than the chart fingering.
alternate
harmonic 7 · sharp (+22.4¢ ideal)
Use it for: trills and fast passages only — the 7th harmonic sits a third of a semitone low.
22.4¢ sharp — kick the 3rd-valve slide out with the left ring finger (about 14 mm on an ideal horn; less on most real ones).
the complete chart
Written pitch. Tap a row to study it above.
| Note | Chart | Alternates (harmonic · tendency) | Slide / tuning |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | open | 1 h9 · in tune 2+3 h10 · in tune | |
| B | 2 | 1+2 h9 · a little sharp 3 h9 · in tune 1+3 h10 · a little sharp | |
| A♯/B♭ | 1 | 2+3 h9 · a little sharp 1+2+3 h10 · sharp open h7 · flat | |
| A | 1+2 | 3 h8 · in tune 1+3 h9 · sharp 2 h7 · flat | 1st slide out |
| G♯/A♭ | 2+3 | 1+2+3 h9 · very sharp 1 h7 · flat | 3rd slide out |
| G | open | 1+3 h8 · sharp 1+2 h7 · flat 3 h7 · flat | |
| F♯/G♭ | 2 | 1+2+3 h8 · very sharp 2+3 h7 · a little flat | |
| F | 1 | 1+3 h7 · in tune | |
| E | open | 1+2 h6 · a little sharp 3 h6 · in tune 1+2+3 h7 · sharp | sits flat — lift it |
| D♯/E♭ | 2 | 2+3 h6 · a little sharp | sits flat — lift it |
| D | 1 | 1+3 h6 · sharp | sits flat — lift it |
| C♯/D♭ | 1+2 | 3 h5 · a little flat 1+2+3 h6 · very sharp | |
| C | open | 2+3 h5 · in tune | |
| B | 2 | 1+3 h5 · a little sharp | |
| A♯/B♭ | 1 | 1+2+3 h5 · sharp | |
| A | 1+2 | 3 h4 · in tune | 1st slide out |
| G♯/A♭ | 2+3 | — | 3rd slide out |
| G | open | 1+3 h4 · sharp | |
| F♯/G♭ | 2 | 1+2+3 h4 · very sharp | |
| F | 1 | — | |
| E | 1+2 | 3 h3 · in tune | 1st slide out |
| D♯/E♭ | 2+3 | — | 3rd slide out |
| D | 1+3 | — | 3rd slide out |
| C♯/D♭ | 1+2+3 | — | 3rd slide out |
| C | open | — | |
| B | 2 | — | |
| A♯/B♭ | 1 | — | |
| A | 1+2 | 3 h2 · in tune | 1st slide out |
| G♯/A♭ | 2+3 | — | 3rd slide out |
| G | 1+3 | — | 3rd slide out |
| F♯/G♭ | 1+2+3 | — | 3rd slide out |
the slide rules (for advanced players)
3rd-valve slide · ring finger
Any fingering with 1+3 or 1+2+3 runs well sharp: kick the slide out. Lightly for 2+3.
Chart notes: F♯/G♭ (1+2+3), G (1+3), G♯/A♭ (2+3), C♯/D♭ (1+2+3), D (1+3), D♯/E♭ (2+3), G♯/A♭ (2+3), G♯/A♭ (2+3).
1st-valve slide · thumb
1+2 lands a little sharp: a small push of the thumb. The 1st slide can also stand in for the 3rd on 1+3.
Chart notes: A (1+2), E (1+2), A (1+2), A (1+2).
No slide can help · lip
The 5th harmonic sits about 14¢ flat, so the notes on it want lifting — or an alternate on the 6th harmonic. Never use the 7th harmonic for a held note.
Chart notes: D (1), D♯/E♭ (2), E (open).
The cents figures are for a horn whose valves are each tuned exactly — the cleanest way to see the arithmetic (see the science room). Makers build the 3rd slide a little long, so real horns are less sharp than this; trust your ear and a tuner for the exact throw. The rule of which slide, and which way, holds on every trumpet.
trills where an alternate wins
A trill is cleanest when both notes sit on the same harmonic — the lips hold still and one finger flutters. These are the trills (written C4 – D6) where the chart fingerings make you change harmonic or move several fingers, and an alternate fixes it.
chart: 1+3 ~ 1+2
1+3~ 3
both on harmonic 3 — the lips stay put, one finger moves
chart: 2+3 ~ 1+2
2+3~ 3
both on harmonic 3 — the lips stay put, one finger moves
chart: open ~ 2+3
1+3~ 2+3
both on harmonic 4 — the lips stay put, only the fingers move
chart: open ~ 1+2
1+3~ 3
both on harmonic 4 — the lips stay put, one finger moves
chart: 2+3 ~ 1+2
2+3~ 3
both on harmonic 4 — the lips stay put, one finger moves
chart: 2 ~ 1+2
1+3~ 3
both on harmonic 5 — the lips stay put, one finger moves
chart: open ~ 1+2
2+3~ 3
both on harmonic 5 — the lips stay put, one finger moves
chart: 2 ~ 1
2+3~ 1
both on harmonic 6 — the lips stay put, only the fingers move
chart: open ~ 1
1+2~ 1
both on harmonic 6 — the lips stay put, one finger moves
chart: open ~ 2
1+2~ 2
both on harmonic 6 — the lips stay put, one finger moves
chart: open ~ 2+3
1+3~ 2+3
both on harmonic 8 — the lips stay put, only the fingers move
chart: open ~ 1+2
1+3~ 3
both on harmonic 8 — the lips stay put, one finger moves
chart: 2+3 ~ 1+2
2+3~ 3
both on harmonic 8 — the lips stay put, one finger moves
chart: 2+3 ~ 1
2+3~ 2+3
a lip trill — same valves, the lips flip between harmonics 8 and 9 (advanced)
chart: 1 ~ 2
2+3~ 3
both on harmonic 9 — the lips stay put, one finger moves
chart: 2 ~ 2
1+2~ 2
both on harmonic 9 — the lips stay put, one finger moves
chart: open ~ 2
2+3~ 3
both on harmonic 10 — the lips stay put, one finger moves
chart: open ~ open
1~ open
both on harmonic 9 — the lips stay put, one finger moves
chart: 2 ~ 2
1+2~ 2
both on harmonic 10 — the lips stay put, one finger moves