About trumpets, flugelhorns, and cornets
The trumpet is the star of the brass instruments in classical music as well as in jazz. The trumpet is a bright and glamorous instrument, but some cousins of the trumpet, such as the flugelhorn and the cornet, produce a mellower tone.
The trumpet – A sacred instrument?
In ancient Egypt, the trumpet was used in important occasions, such as during magic rituals, ceremonies, and warfare, and only males were allowed to touch the instrument. In medieval Europe, the trumpet was an instrument only for eminent people like aristocrats, and was later used to signal and raise the morale in the cavalry. The trumpets of those days were about twice as long as their modern counterparts. They did not have valves, so a trumpet player changed notes by changing the shape of his lips or the strength of his blowing. In the 19th century, trumpets in their modern form, with valves, appeared, allowing a player to make chromatic semitones with ease. The tube length gradually shortened to improve the ease of playing, and the trumpet eventually reached its present length.
Characteristics of the trumpet
The trumpet can produce a bright, clear, and powerful sound. The secret of the timbre lies in the long section of the tube with a constant diameter, from the mouthpiece to near the bell. To alter the sound, trumpet players use a damper called a 'mute'. Different types of mutes have different shapes, and they produce different sounds.
If you are planning to learn the trumpet, you may want to start with a commonly-used B-flat trumpet. It is best to choose one you do not have to try hard to blow. You may not be able to make a good sound at first, but as the muscles around your lips develop, you will gradually make progress. So do not get frustrated, and keep practising.
Cousins of the trumpet
The trumpet has cousins that have similar forms and structures.
The cornet looks very similar to the trumpet, but the diameter of its tube gets larger toward the bell. That is the reason why the cornet has a fatter and mellower tone quality. In an orchestra or wind band, a trumpeter often doubles as a cornet player as well.
The flugelhorn has the same length as the trumpet and cornet, but it is a notch larger than them, and hence produces a richer and mellower sound. The flugelhorn is a popular instrument, often used in the brass band and jazz, and often plays the melodies.
Range of the trumpet, the flugelhorn, and the cornet
