One duet, many instruments: playing brass duets with what you have

One of my trumpet duets, an arrangement of Ed Sheeran's Visiting Hours, carries a note: it can be played by any B flat or E flat brass instruments, as long as both players are on instruments of the same pitch. People ask what that means in practice, so here is the longer answer.

Why the pitch of the instrument matters

Most brass instruments are transposing instruments. A B flat trumpet sounds a tone lower than the note written on the page. An E flat instrument, like a tenor horn or a soprano cornet, sounds a different distance away again. Each part is written so the player reads familiar notes and fingerings, and the right sound comes out.

So a part written for a B flat trumpet sounds right on any other B flat instrument that reads treble clef. On the bigger ones it simply sounds an octave lower.

Pairs that work

• Two B flat instruments: trumpet and cornet, cornet and flugelhorn, or a cornet with a euphonium or baritone reading treble clef. The lower instrument plays an octave down, which can make a lovely sound in a duet.
• Two E flat instruments: two tenor horns, or a tenor horn with a soprano cornet.

Pairs that do not

Put a B flat instrument with an E flat one and the two parts come out in different keys. It will not work, however good the players are. Trombonists who read bass clef read at concert pitch, so they cannot play from a B flat treble part without transposing as they go.

Check the range

Swapping instruments changes what feels comfortable. A part that sits well on a trumpet can be hard work high up on a flugelhorn, and a euphonium playing an octave down needs the lower part to stay clear of the very bottom of the instrument. Play it through slowly first and listen to the balance.

Where to find duets

My duets and small-group arrangements of songs in copyright are sold as downloads by other publishers. My own pieces for one player or a few are in the shop here.

If you have an unusual pair of instruments and want to know whether something will work, ask me.