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B♭ to F transposition chart

Up a perfect fourth

From a B♭ part to a F part, every note moves 5 semitones up, and C major becomes F major.

B♭ instrument → F instrument: every note moves up 5 semitones.

becomes F major · 1 flat

F4 G4 A4 B♭4 C5 D5 E5 F5

Spelled in F major.

Who reads which part

B♭: clarinet, soprano saxophone, trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn, bass clarinet (sounds a major ninth lower) and tenor saxophone (sounds a major ninth lower).

F: english horn and french horn.

Every major key

B♭FKey signature
C major (0)F major1♭
D♭ major (5♭)F♯ major6♯
D major (2♯)G major1♯
E♭ major (3♭)A♭ major4♭
E major (4♯)A major3♯
F major (1♭)B♭ major2♭
F♯ major (6♯)B major5♯
G major (1♯)C major0
A♭ major (4♭)D♭ major5♭
A major (3♯)D major2♯
B♭ major (2♭)E♭ major3♭
B major (5♯)E major4♯

Every minor key

B♭FKey signature
A minor (0)D minor1♭
B♭ minor (5♭)E♭ minor6♭
B minor (2♯)E minor1♯
C minor (3♭)F minor4♭
C♯ minor (4♯)F♯ minor3♯
D minor (1♭)G minor2♭
E♭ minor (6♭)G♯ minor5♯
E minor (1♯)A minor0
F minor (4♭)B♭ minor5♭
F♯ minor (3♯)B minor2♯
G minor (2♭)C minor3♭
G♯ minor (5♯)C♯ minor4♯

Every note

Each note is moved by letter as well as by pitch, so a sharp stays a sharp and a flat a flat — B becomes E, not its enharmonic twin.

B♭CC♯D♭DE♭EFF♯G♭GA♭AB♭B
FFF♯G♭GA♭AB♭BC♭CD♭DE♭E

Frequently asked questions

How do I transpose from B♭ instrument to F instrument?

Move every note up a perfect fourth — 5 semitones, 3 letter names up. Change the key signature the same way: music in C major becomes F major.

What concert key is B♭ music written in C major?

B♭ major: B♭ instrument sounds a major second lower than the page.

Why does the chart choose D♭ major instead of C♯ major?

Where a key could be written two ways, the chart picks the one with fewer sharps or flats, the way band and orchestral parts are printed: D♭ major has five flats, C♯ major seven sharps. The notes are the same.

Other transpositions