I'm a rookie so I'll just tell you what a rookie does. I have to deal mostly in "concert" keys because my wife plays the flute which is in C. Here's an easy way for the OP, aside from learning the circle of 5ths, etc. and transposing on the fly--not that I think you shouldn't attempt to learn those things.

Let's say that I use a C fakebook and input the chords and melody in C. This is fine for my wife, but I play Bb trumpet. All I do is save the song and print out the notation for my wife. Then I transpose to Bb and print out the notation for me. Very simple. You always add 2 sharps or deduct 2 flats from the concert key and play all the notes up 2 intervals (1 note)---IF you want to manually transpose the score for yourself. If it's concert Eb, you play in F and one note up. No, I cannot transpose Flight of The Bumble Bee on the fly.----

As Mac and Matt say, the problem with the brass instruments is the length's of the tubing. Even on the very best Bb trumpets you still have to "kick out" the 3rd valve slide to play low D and C# in tune. This is relative to the particular horn also. You may also have to "kick out" the 1st valve slide for A above the staff. These gyrations are unique to Bb trumpets, but other brass instruments (and trumpets, too) may have to "lip' certain notes up or down to play the pitch in tune with the rest of the group. I'm sure that woodwinds may have similar gyrations to address.

If you have a notation program, such as Sibelius, Finale, etc.. transposing is very easy. Just enter the notes in a concert key, add an instrument such as a Bb sax, copy and paste the notes you entered on the sax staff lines, click on sax in the drop down list of instruments, and you will see the sax part by itself transposed. Pretty slick!

You can accomplish transposing very simply (works for me) or do it the way the pros do (wish I was there, but I'm an old guy now). I'm glad I had a simple choice or I would never have gotten this far. Good luck!

Stan

Last edited by Shastastan; 01/02/10 08:04 PM.
Cornet Curmudgeon