Taps Trumpet Music
For Piano Players

Taps trumpet music for piano, free sheet music - and now lead sheets as well, in five keys!.

The piano version is an easy but full-sounding arrangement of this military melody, also known as the taps bugle song or Day is Done.

Please scroll down the page for the download links.

While the taps trumpet music is traditionally played by a trumpet or bugle, I was asked by a reader for a piano-only version that could be played in church to honor our veterans. I hope this easy piano arrangement will be satisfactory.

Because of the rhythmic use of the left hand chords, it can potentially sound more martial than restful. Play it slowly and quietly, though, and the inherent dignity of the melody will still be felt.

Wikipedia has a very good page about the origin of Taps, plus the Taps sheet music for trumpet written in the key of C, an octave higher than I have it here for piano players. There are also more Taps lyrics at Wikipedia.

Here is the new lead sheet, in 5 keys:

Please scroll down the page for the download links.

You may notice I haven't placed any chords on the lead sheets.  That's because this melody is a true trumpet or cornet melody, and the melody notes themselves form a chord that does not change.  

Whenever I teach this melody to students, I talk to them about the natural bugle, and how, in the "olden days," before there were valves or buttons to open up the different lengths of tubing, the bugle-like instruments were stuck with just a handful of notes, spaced apart, like a major chord.

Here is a very informative video about the history of taps:

This music means a lot to military families.

When my father, a former Marine who fought in Korea, died several years ago, a young military trumpet player was flown in to our little Alaskan town to play Taps at his graveside service, courtesy of the U.S. military.

We really appreciated that gesture, and will never forget those moments.

The links for the piano sheet music:

Download Taps Bugle Music for Piano in Key of A

Download Music for Piano in Key of Bb

Download Taps Trumpet Music for Piano in Key of C

Download Printable Sheet Music for piano in Key of D

Bugle Music for Piano in Key of Eb

Printable Piano Music in Key of F

Taps Sheet Music for Piano in Key of G

The links for the lead sheets:

Download Taps lead sheet in key of A

Download Taps lead sheet in key of Bb

Download Taps lead sheet in key of C

Download Taps lead sheet in D

Download Taps lead sheet in key of G

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About the Author

Dana Thynes

Hi, I'm Dana!  (Say that like "Anna".)  I'm the owner of Music-for-Music-Teachers.com, and a newer site, SingTheBibleStory.com.

Like some of you, I've been playing the piano since early childhood, and have added a few other instruments along the way, plus an interest in arranging and composing music.

You can find out more about me and the reason for this website at my About Me page.