Once in Royal David's City Trumpet Notes
Letters and valve numbers for B♭ trumpet, with the words under each note. Starts C E F F F E F G.
The notes and words
Key: F major for B♭ trumpet (written pitch). It sounds in E♭ major, so it plays along with a piano in E♭.
C0OnceE12inF1roy-F1alF1Da-E12F1vid'sG0G0ci-F1tyF1StoodA12aC0low-A12lyA12cat-G0F1tleE12F1shed,
C0WhereE12aF1Mo-F1therF1laidE12F1herG0G0Ba-F1byF1InA12aC0man-A12gerA12forG0F1hisE12F1bed:
D1Ma-D1ryC0wasF1thatB♭1Mo-B♭1therA12mild,
D1Je-D1susC0ChristA12herA12lit-G0F1tleE12F1Child.
- Copen
- Evalves 1 + 2
- Fvalves 1
- Gopen
- Avalves 1 + 2
- B♭valves 1
- Copen
- Dvalves 1
Key: G major for B♭ trumpet (written pitch). It sounds in F major, so it plays along with a piano in F.
D13OnceF♯2inG0roy-G0alG0Da-F♯2G0vid'sA12A12ci-G0tyG0StoodB2aD1low-B2lyB2cat-A12G0tleF♯2G0shed,
D13WhereF♯2aG0Mo-G0therG0laidF♯2G0herA12A12Ba-G0byG0InB2aD1man-B2gerB2forA12G0hisF♯2G0bed:
E0Ma-E0ryD1wasG0thatC0Mo-C0therB2mild,
E0Je-E0susD1ChristB2herB2lit-A12G0tleF♯2G0Child.
- Dvalves 1 + 3
- F♯valves 2
- Gopen
- Avalves 1 + 2
- Bvalves 2
- Copen
- Dvalves 1
- Eopen
Trumpet fingering chart: every note, tap to hear it
Key: F♯ major for B♭ trumpet (written pitch). It sounds in E major, so it plays along with a piano in E.
C♯123OnceE♯1inF♯2roy-F♯2alF♯2Da-E♯1F♯2vid'sG♯23G♯23ci-F♯2tyF♯2StoodA♯1aC♯12low-A♯1lyA♯1cat-G♯23F♯2tleE♯1F♯2shed,
C♯123WhereE♯1aF♯2Mo-F♯2therF♯2laidE♯1F♯2herG♯23G♯23Ba-F♯2byF♯2InA♯1aC♯12man-A♯1gerA♯1forG♯23F♯2hisE♯1F♯2bed:
D♯2Ma-D♯2ryC♯12wasF♯2thatB2Mo-B2therA♯1mild,
D♯2Je-D♯2susC♯12ChristA♯1herA♯1lit-G♯23F♯2tleE♯1F♯2Child.
- C♯valves 1 + 2 + 3
- E♯valves 1
- F♯valves 2
- G♯valves 2 + 3
- A♯valves 1
- Bvalves 2
- C♯valves 1 + 2
- D♯valves 2
Trumpet fingering chart: every note, tap to hear it
Key: A♭ major for B♭ trumpet (written pitch). It sounds in F♯ major, so it plays along with a piano in F♯.
E♭23OnceG0inA♭23roy-A♭23alA♭23Da-G0A♭23vid'sB♭1B♭1ci-A♭23tyA♭23StoodC0aE♭2low-C0lyC0cat-B♭1A♭23tleG0A♭23shed,
E♭23WhereG0aA♭23Mo-A♭23therA♭23laidG0A♭23herB♭1B♭1Ba-A♭23byA♭23InC0aE♭2man-C0gerC0forB♭1A♭23hisG0A♭23bed:
F1Ma-F1ryE♭2wasA♭23thatD♭12Mo-D♭12therC0mild,
F1Je-F1susE♭2ChristC0herC0lit-B♭1A♭23tleG0A♭23Child.
- E♭valves 2 + 3
- Gopen
- A♭valves 2 + 3
- B♭valves 1
- Copen
- D♭valves 1 + 2
- E♭valves 2
- Fvalves 1
Trumpet fingering chart: every note, tap to hear it
Staff notation
Play-along guide: the melody played by your browser’s trumpet sound, at concert pitch. The lit note follows the music. Print large notes
About this song
- Melody
- Tune IRBY, Henry J. Gauntlett, 1849
- Words
- Cecil Frances Alexander (1818–1895), 1848 (first verse shown; all verses on HymnKeys)
- Public domain
- Melody 1849, words 1848: first published before 1931.
- Source
- Open Hymnal Project file marked public domain, via HymnKeys
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