Reference Books for Teaching Brass Instruments

Note: This list was compiled in 1986.

General
Applied Music Curricula, Gale L. Sperry, University of South Florida
Art of Brass Playing, Philip Parkas, Wind Music not for students too
analytical and detailed in physical processes
Art of Musicianship, Philip Parkas, Musical Publications
Brass Anthology, Instrumentalist, 1984
Brass Book, Moore, G. Leblanc Company
Brass Ensemble Method for Teacher Education, Norman J. Hunt, William C.
Brown Publishers, 1963
Brass Ensemble Music Guide, Paul C. Anderson, Instrumentalist, 1978
Brass Facts, Bellamah, Southern Music
The Brass Instruments, James H. Winter, Allyn and Bacon, 1964
Brass Instruments in Church Services, Ode, Augsburg Publishing
Brass in Your School, Lawrence, Oxford University Press
Brass Music for the Church, John Devol, Harold Branch Publications, 1974
Brass Performance, Robert Weast, McGinnis and Marx, 1965 good
The Brass Player, Charles Cohn, Charles Cohn
Brass Players Guide, Robert King Music Sales
Brass Solo and Study Material Music Guide, Paul G. Anderson, Instrumentalist,
1976
Brass Wind Artistry, Severson and McDunn, Accura Music
Contemporary Brass Technique, Leidig, Highland Music
The Embouchure, Maurice Porter, Boosey and Hawkes, 1967 dont
recommend
Embouchure and Mouthpiece Manual, Vincent Bach
Essentials of Brass Playing, Fox, Columbia Pictures Publications
Guide to Teaching Brass, Norman J. Hunt, 3rd edition, William C. Brown
Publishers (care of instrument, embouchure, breathing, tonguing, vibrato,
methods and solo literature lists for all brass, fingering charts, intonation
problems, mutes rather physical approach to methodology) basic
reference source

Instrumental Music Guide, A. Harold Goodman, Brigham Young University

Press, 1979
Keys to Natural Performance, Robert Weast, McGinnis and Marx
Materials for Miscellaneous Instrumental Ensembles, Music Educators National
Conference, 1960
Music for Three Brasses, Richard G. Decker, Swift-Dorr Publications, 1976
Playing and Teaching Brass Instruments, Robert Winslow and John Green,
Prentice-Hall, 1961 (for ensemble playing; assumes musical training)
Practice Methods for Brass Players, Belfrage, Wilhelm Hansen Musikforlag
Preventive Maintenance for Piston Instruments, Weisshaar, Belwin-Mills
Selected Wind and Percussion Materials, University of Iowa (solos, methods,
ensembles: graded)
Survey of Modern Brass Teaching Philosophies, Bellamah, Southern Music
A Teachers Guide to the Literature of Brass Instruments, Mary Rasmussen,
Cabinet Press (Brass Quarterly), 1968 good
Teaching the Successful High School Brass Section, Merrill Brown, Parker
Publications, 1981
Vital Brass Notes, Charles Cohn, Charles Cohn
Wind and Percussion Literature Performed in College Student Recitals (197172), Merrill E. Brown, Instrumentalist, 1974
Trumpet
Advanced Method. Roger Grocock, Argee Music Press
The Art of Trumpet Playing, Vincent Bach, Vincent Bach Corporation, 1969
The Art of Trumpet Playing, Keith Johnson, Iowa State University Press, 1981
very articulate, well thought out, trained in Chicago
methodology
Artistic Trumpet Technique and Study, Bush, Highland Music
Basic Guide to Trumpet Playing, Autrey, M. M. Cole Publishing
Brass Playing, Faye Hanson, Carl Fischer analytical
Comparative Mouthpiece Guide, Gerald Endsley, Tromba Publications
Cornet Playing, DAth, Boosey and Hawkes
Embouchure Enlightenment, Young, Tromba Publications
Solo Literature for the Trumpet, Thomas Hohstadt, F. E. Olds Music Education
Library

Textbook for Trumpet, Daryl Gibson (repertoire list)

The Trumpet, Wilfredo Cardoso, Wilfredo Cardoso, (Vol. 1 & 2: High Trumpets,
Vol. 3 & 4: Ascending [valve] Trumpets, Vol. 58: How To
Play In A Symphony Orchestra)
A Trumpet Players Guide to Orchestral Excerpts, Linda Anne Farr, The Brass
Press, 1978, revised
Trumpet Profiles, Louis Davidson, Louis Davidson questionnaires
Trumpet Teachers Guide, Gordon Mathie, Queen City Brass Publications
(indexes 144 trumpet method books by technical and musical
problems) good
Trumpet Technique, Delbert A. Dale, Oxford Press (?), 1965
Trumpeters Handbook, Roger Sherman, Accura Music
Trumpeters Supplemental Guide, William Pfund, William Pfund
Trumpeters Treasury of Information, Bellamah, Southern Music
Twentieth-Century Music for Trumpet and Orchestra, Norbert Carnovale, The
Brass Press, 1975
Twentieth-Century Music for Trumpet and Organ, Cansler, The Brass Press
Horn
Art of French Horn Playing, Philip Farkas, Wind Music, 1962 good
A Creative Approach to the French Horn, Harry Berv, 1977
The French Horn, Birchard Coar, Coar, 1947 (some pedagogy)
The French Horn, Morley-Pegge, Ernest Benn Limited
The Horn, A Comprehensive Guide, Robin Gregory, Praeger, 1969
The Horn, The Horn,. Merewether, Paxman of Covent Garden
Horn Bibliographie, Bernhard Bruechle, three volumes, Heinrichshofer
Wilhelmsharen, 1970 and 1975 (in German)
A Horn Players Guide to Orchestral Excerpts, Linda Anne Farr, The Brass
Press, 1978
Horn Technique, Gunther Shuller, Oxford University Press, 1962
Index of French Horn Music, Wayne Wilkins, The Music Register, 1978
Photographic Study of Horn Players Embouchures, Philip Farkas, Wind Music
Playing the Horn, Barry Tuckwell, Oxford University Press, 1978
A Practical Guide to French Horn Playing, Yancich, Wind Music
Trombone

Annotated Guide to Bass Trombone Literature, Thomas G. Everett, The Brass

Press, 1978
Annotated Guide to Trombone Solos with Band and Orchestra, Verne Kagarice,
Studio P/R, 1974
Art of Trombone Playing, Edward Kleinhammer, Summy-Birchard, 1963 very
good
Modern Trombone, Dempster, University of California Press
Solos for the Student Trombonist: An Annotated Bibliography, Verne Kagarice,
et. al., The Brass Press, 1979
The Trombone, Robin Gregory, Praeger, 1973
Trombone Chamber Music: An Annotated Bibliography, Harry J. Arling, The
Brass Press, 1978
Trombone Teaching Technique, Donald Knaub, Accura Music
Trombone Technique, Denis Wick, Oxford University Press, 1971
The Trombonists Handbook, Reginald H. Fink, Accura Music, 1977
Euphonium and Tuba
The Art of Euphonium Playing, Art Lehman (with recordings)
The Contemporary Tuba, Cummings, Whaling Music
Encyclopedia of Tuba Literature, William Bell
Euphonium Music Guide, Earle L. Louder and David R. Corbin, Jr.,
Instrumentalist, 1978
Euphonium Music Guide, Winter, Whaling Music
The Low Brass Guide, John R. Griffiths, Jerona Music, 1980
Studio Class Manual For Tuba and Euphonium, Rose, Iola Publications
The Tuba Family, Clifford Bevan, Faber and Faber, 1978
Tuba Handbook, J. Kent Mason (repertoire list)
Tuba Music Guide, R. Winston Morris, Instrumentalist, 1973
Source: http://fac.hsu.edu/bucknej/Resources/Reference_Books.htm

Tips for beginners

Introduction Tips for beginners

Fold
Table of Contents

Embouchure
Fingerings
Mouthpiece placement
Wet vs. dry lips
Breathing
Posture
How to hold the instrument
Valves
Practising
The main focus of this site are the exercises but here is a quick glance of things that are related to
trumpet playing. This section is not intended to tell what's absolutely right or wrong but to bring out
few points to beginners for consideration. Everyone has to seek the best way to play the instrument,
preferably with a teacher. This applies especially to embouchure issues; if you have obtained a
wrong habit, it's extremely difficult to unlearn. The main purpose of this site is to be an exercise
material bank, not an online substitute of a teacher.

Embouchure
Because everybody has individual teeth and lip shape, there are a number of embouchures
developed. None of them are right or wrong, you'll have to find the way that feels best for you.
There are some general rules though that apply to most of them. You must keep the corners of your
mouth firm so the air won't leak from there. When going up, it's generally a better idea to push the
lips a bit more center than to stretch them. Stretching will thinner the lip tissue which will expose it
to damage and will make the sound thinner.
In the most used embochure (Farkas), you should keep the lips even (pushing your jaw out a bit
helps to get teeth more in the same level) but some embouchures require rolling/curling the lips in
(Stevens) or out (Maggio) but they shouldn't overlap. You can find a more comprehensive list of
embouchures from here with more specific explanations.
When you get a decent sound from the instrument, a good way to get familiar with the instrument is
to play long tones. That way your lips and facial muscles (embouchure, "chops") get used to the
vibration and learn how to get the desired note. You can use the fingering chart below for guidance.

Fingerings

Mouthpiece placement
It's usually recommended to have as much lower lip as the upper one in the mouthpiece. There are
individual differencies in teeth, lips and skull so place the mouthpiece to the most comfortable and
natural spot for you. If the mouthpiece is significantly more on either lip, it's recommended to adjust
it a little bit more center. Sometimes it's advised to have a little more upper than lower lip in the
mouthpiece (based on the idea that the mouthpiece "sits" on the lower lip so there is minimum
pressure applied to the upper lip, allowing it to vibrate more freely).

Wet vs. dry lips

Both ways are correct. Dry lips will stick to the mouthpiece and therefore won't slip. On the other
hand wet lips will slide under the mouthpiece and are allowed to adjust to current dynamics and

register more freely. Just experiment which one feels better for you.

Breathing
Always take a full, deep breath. Don't lift shoulders when inhaling; try to relax while taking air
instead of tensing yourself. Imagining the air getting way deep and down will help you to avoid lifting
your shoulders (this is generally easier when breathing through the mouth). Do not hold the air in,
inhale in tempo and blow instantly.

Posture
Don't point the bell to the floor (it's natural to have the trumpet slightly pointing downwards but not
too much). Don't lock your knees, try to be relaxed but do not slouch. Keep your arms a little away
from your body. Good physical condition will help you with your posture, as well as breathing issues.
It's easier to get a full inhale and power to the blow when standing but if you'll have to sit while
playing, sit up, keep your feet on the floor and sit on the edge of the chair (don't lean to the back of
the chair).
At a gig, an important thing to remember is not to play to the music stand. Opposite thing with a microphone, remember to
point your trumpet towards it and set the microhone stand height best for you.

How to hold the instrument

Right hand
Thumb in between 1st and 2nd valve casings or
in front of 1st valve casing.
Index-, middle- and ring-fingers to the valves
(finger buttons).
Little finger on the hook (it's preferred not to
hold the little finger in the hook to prevent
excessive pressure).

Left hand
Thumb on the 1st valve slide (most trumpets
have a hook for the thumb).
Index-, and middle fingers behind the 3rd valve
casing.
Ring finger in the 3rd valve slide ring.
Little finger under the 3rd valve slide.

Do not hold the instrument too tightly. Support the weight of the instrument only with the left hand,
that allows you to push the valves more efficiently with your right hand.

Valves
It's recommended to press the the valve straight down with the "cushions" of your fingers. If you
repeatedly press them diagonally, it's possible that they will eventually start jamming. Your nails
shouldn't touch the finger button and neither should the joints of your fingers. Snap the valves down
vigorously to get the note changes as clean as possible.

Practising
It's better to practice a little every day than a lot once or twice a week. Remember to rest when you
feel your chops tired. As a general rule, rest as much as you play. Avoid excessive mouthpiece
pressure, altough some is needed for proper tone and to avoid air leaking under the mouthpiece.

Source: http://www.trumpetexercises.net/en:for-beginners

Are you a new music teacher looking for some teaching

tips?
Teaching music lessons is one of the most common ways that freelance musicians create income. The
irony is that current college curriculum has a very meager amount of instrumental pedagogy, so many
musicians are thrown into a profession that they have almost no experience in.
I know that when I first started teaching trumpet lessons that I had no clue what I was doing. Looking
back on the first couple of years that I taught, I am a little embarrassed by the teaching that I did.
However, you CAN learn to be a great teacher. Here are some teaching tips to help you with your
private studio.
1. John Maxwell, one of the greatest leadership and success authors of all time, said, All things being
equal, people follow people that they like. All things not equal, they still will. One of the top
things that you can do as a teacher is to learn to connect with your students personally. If they like and
trust you, they will work for you.
2. Many times, it is easy to find a thousand things that you can fix about your students playing.
However, if you overload them with all of their playing problems, they may not return for another
lesson (this is one of the teaching tips spoken from experience!). Find one, two, or three concepts to
focus on at a time. Ask yourself, What is the most important topic to cover right now?
3. Even though all students are different from each other, have a predetermined curriculum that
you take your students through. Know ahead of time the books that you will use, and have a road
map to get your student to improve. Sometimes, you will need to deviate from your curriculum, and
that is fine.
4. Continually focus on the basics. It is VERY easy to get distracted by all of the different auditions
or contests in which a student may take part. Make sure that there is time in every lesson to focus on
what is important.
5. For beginning woodwind and brass students, take more time than you think that you need to
get their embouchure correct. Over time, any bad habits in this area will only get worse, and you can
prevent this problem by getting the embouchure correct from the beginning.
6. Sometimes, it can be beneficial to use various tools to help with playing an instrument. Many
teachers have their bag of toys, and many of them work really well to fix problems. Take this teaching

tip to heartdo NOT overdo this. Students can get addicted to these tools, and the goal is to be able to
play an instrument well without them.
7. Understand the calendar that the student lives by. Many band, orchestra, or choir programs have
contests, auditions, and performances throughout the year. Embrace these different events, and be sure
to help your student navigate through them effectively. Know what is coming up as far ahead of time
as possible.
8. As students get older, their music will get progressively more challenging. Your job as a teacher is
to help break these challenges into bite size pieces. By doing this, you can help minimize your students
feeling of being overwhelmed.
9. Occasionally, play something to wow the student. This tip may sound like narcissism, but it can
really help excite the student about taking lessons. Just make sure not to overdo this tip, and you will
avoid looking arrogant.
10. If you have any questions about teaching, be humble enough to ask other teachers for advice.
Whether it is from colleagues or internet forums, the answers are probably out there.

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a thread to a couple of brass forums to get a few teaching tips, and I
received literally hundreds of ideas. I know that many of you have some great insights, so please
comment below and share the wealth!
Source: http://www.providencebrass.com/2013/08/20/10-teaching-tips-for-new-music-teachers/

10 Tips For Teaching Beginner Brass Students

By Kelvin Joe Brown - Editor of Art of Brass

Without going into specifics of the many various schools of brass

playing that exist today, here are 10 tips for teaching beginner brass
students:

1. Keep it simple.
Rather than using a barrage of words to go deep into the theory of how a brass instrument
works, use simple verbal instructions, backed up with demonstrations.

2. Demonstrate.
Demonstrate good posture, hand position, and mouthpiece placement, and reinforce these
good habits often in early lessons.

3. A relaxed atmosphere
Help your student to feel relaxed. Some beginners can become quite nervous before, and
during their first lessons. Smile, make them feel welcome, and encourage them with positive
reinforcement. In other words, instead of screaming Not like that!, you could say O.K. Try
to make it sound a bit more like this (demonstrate). Plenty of laughter and humour in
lessons can help set a nervous student at ease.

4. Stretch
Use simple stretches as a gentle physical warm up. During the stretches, explain why they are
important (in as few words as possible!)

5. and breathe
Get your students used to taking full, relaxed breaths by showing them simple breathing
exercises.

6. Free buzzing
The majority of students will (after some practise) be able to create a rudimentary buzz in
their first lesson. There are many ideas out there as to the best way to do this. Here is one
suggestion: Have your student moisten their lips with their tongue, form the lips as if saying
Mmm. When this feels comfortable, have them blow air through the lips to create a buzz.

7. Mouthpiece buzzing
Have the student try the same thing, this time with the mouthpiece placed lightly on the lips.
Have them breathe, and then produce the buzz on the top of the breath, using the tongue to
articulate with the syllable T

8. And now
Repeat the process with the mouthpiece in the horn have the student play any note that
comes easily.

9. Show and tell

If the student is unfamiliar with musical notation, show them what their note looks like on
paper. eg. If they played a C, show them the position of a C on the stave.

10. Lesson journal

Have your student keep a lesson journal! Get them to write down some simple reminders of
their first lesson, so that they can more easily recall the lesson when they practise at home.
Source: http://artofbrass.co.uk/2013/08/29/10-tips-for-teaching-beginner-brass-students/

Return to Tips for Trumpet

Clean Your Horn!

A few years ago a student of mine was struggling uncharacteristically during a lesson. After
some discussion I decided he might need to clean his instrument out. The discussion went
like this:
Teacher: Your sound is real stuffy. Whens the last time you cleaned your horn?
Student: Clean my horn? Youre supposed to clean your horn?
When I attempted to look through the mouthpipe, I couldnt see any light. He was a
high school senior and had gotten the horn as a sixth grader.
You should have heard his sound ten minutes lateror better yet, his volume. He
sounded like a foghorn. Im surprised he had not given himself an aneurysm trying
to blow through that horn. It turns out that blowing against all that resistance had
really developed his ability to blow. From that time on the band director was
constantly yelling at him to quit playing so loudly. The above story really happened.
The names have not been used, and there was no one innocent to protect.
One of my former professors told me that twice in his life he has seen worms crawl
out of a students instrument. Neither of those times was I the student, by the way.
Clean your horn! Nobody hates to clean a trumpet more than I do. Since I have a

by Dr. G
Associa
Trumpe
SFA Sch
gwurtz@

room full of them, it is truly an all day affair. I dont do it often enough, but when I
do, here is how I do it.
1. Fill a bathtub with luke warm water. Dont make it too hot. Add a little greasecutting dish washing liquid. While the tub is filling, remove the valves from
the instrument and lay them on a soft cloth somewhere. Except for the
valves, everything else can go in the tub. Fill it enough that you can
submerge the entire instrument.
2. Take all of your slides out and lay them in the tub. Remove the bottom valve
caps and put them in as well. For good measure, stick your mouthpiece(s) in
there and wash them while you are at it. Let everything soak for a good thirty
or forty-five minutes.
3. Use a wire snake to scrub out the inside of all of your slides and the inside
of the main instrument. I never push the snake through the valve casings,
however. I consider them too fragile to mess with. Ill address cleaning them
a little later. When I have a slide that is especially cruddy on the inside, I
either clean it out with a soap that contains pumice (Lava, for example,) or I
stop one end with a cork and pour vinegar in it and let it sit there for about
fifteen minutes. It might be safe to leave the vinegar in longer, but Im afraid
to try it. If youre not certain of the safety of using vinegar, dont use it. Use a
mouthpiece brush to clean out the inside of the mouthpieces.
4. Drain the tub, rinse all of the pieces of the horn with clean water (inside and
out,) and lay them on a clean dry towel. Clean the tub with a good tub
cleaner. By the time youre done with it its going to be pretty nasty, and
there will be a dark ring of oil and grease. I dont know who in your life it will
be, but someone is going to be upset with you if you leave the tub in that
condition.
5. Clean all of the slides with Brasso. It only takes a small amount of it, but
Brasso can make all of your slides as clean as the day it was made. They
are actually still brass colored under all of that muck. Wipe all of the Brasso
residue off before proceeding.
6. Use a valve cleaning tool to push a clean, dry, lint-free cloth through the
valve casings until that are shiny and smooth. Be careful not to let the metal
tool come in contact with the valve casings. You do not want to scratch
them. If one of these tools is not available, I use an unsharpened pencil to
guide my cleaning rag through the casings. I also use the pencil rig to clean
out the inside of the bottom valve caps.
7. Use a clean, dry, lint-free cloth to clean the valves. I use the eraser end of a
pencil to push the cloth into all of the valve ports. Its often stunning how
much gunk comes out of them (especially the third valve ports, which are
the ones closest to the mouthpipe.) Most of the stuff you get out of your horn
is moldy food that has escaped your mouth, stuck to the inside of the horn,

and sat there in a damp environment. Thats why its gray, and thats why it
stinks.
8. Now that the inside of the instrument, the brass slides and the valves and
valve casings are clean, it is time to lubricate and reassemble everything. I
use a lot of valve oil when I first insert the valves. This is not the time to be
cheappour it on. Watch out that a bunch of it doesnt leak out on your
clothes, although the oil-stained shirt and pants are almost my trademark at
this point in my career. I rub the slides that need a lot of mobility (first and
third) with an even, thin coat of Vaseline Petroleum Jelly followed by a
squirt of WD-40. I first started doing this upon the recommendation of a
horn repairmen for whom I have a great deal of respect. It truly makes the
slides slick. You can use valve oil instead of the WD-40, but it is not quite
as effective. For the other slides (those I dont want to slip out too easily
second valve, tuning slide, third valve water slide,) I use a thick slide grease
like the Selmer pink grease, or a similar product.
9. For those of us with silver-plated instruments, the final step is to polish the
silver plating with a commercial silver polish. For lacquer coated instruments
it is possible to shine them up with a good furniture polish, believe it or not.
Keep all cleaners and polishes, and their residues, away from the valves.
This is one way to get your trumpet back to like new condition. Im sure others out
there have their own way, and thats fine. This is the way I do it, and it makes my
horns play better without damaging them in the process. Realistically, this should
probably happen about once a month, although I only do it about twice a year. So
far, no worms!
Source: http://www.tsmp.org/band/trumpet/wurtz_clean_horn.html

o Tips for Trumpet

t Intonation

(Some of the concepts addressed below are trumpet specific, some relate to all brass
instruments, and yet others are applicable to all musicians.)

Two important steps to playing in tune:

by Dr. G
Associa
Trumpe
SFA Sch
gwurtz@

1. Know if you're out of tune. Listen. If pitch is bad, assume it could be you.
Being first chair does not mean you cannot be out of tune, just as having
perfect pitch does not mean you have perfect intonation. Everyone must
take responsibility for adjusting intonation to fit the group of musicians with
whom they are playing.
2. Adjust. Don't just sit there. If you don't know which way to go, try up or
down. If it gets worse, go the other way.
Knowing your pitch tendencies will allow you to make an educated guess as to which direction you
are probably out of tune.

Pitch Tendencies:
Valve
1
+
2
=
sharp
2
+
3
=
flat
(lip
up,
1
+
3
=
sharp
1 + 2 + 3 = very sharp (use first and third slide).
The
harmonic

combinations:
(use
first
absolutely
no
(use
third

slide).
slide).
slide).
series:

Fifth harmonics are flat (lip up 4th line D, 4th space E-flat, and E).
Sixth harmonics are sharp (lip down high G and F-sharp, thumb slide on F).
Seventh harmonics are unusuably flat.
Environmental temperature:
cold = flat; hot = sharp.
The colder or hotter, the flatter or sharper.
Condition
of
the
trumpet:
Very dirty = smaller bore = sharp.
Immovable slides = inability to adjust =
sharp.
Sound quality, dynamic level, and
distance:
It is only possible to play in tune with a good, centered sound.
Loud playing tends to go flat, or is at least perceived as flat.
Soft playing tends to go sharp, or is at least perceived as sharp.
Playing at a distance makes the pitch go flatter to the listener, therefore if you are
playing from backstage you must push in.

Miscellaneous

equipment

issues:

Mutes make you go sharp, so pull out. Each type of mute will differ, so check yours
with a tuner. Filing the corks can adjust a mute's pitch to a degree.
Tuners only work as a reference. You can be in tune with a tuner and out of tune with
everyone
else.
The shallower the mouthpiece, the sharper you will play.
Embouchure
and
tongue

position:

The tighter your embouchure, the sharper you will play, and the looser the flatter.
The higher your tongue is arched in your mouth, the sharper you will play ( a good
means of "lipping up"), and the lower the flatter. The concept of adjusting your tongue
arch in order to change pitch and tone quality is often referred to as "voicing."
Equal versus Just intonation:
Equal temperament is playing 100 cents per half step, like with a tuner. This is the
way
a
piano
is
tuned.
Just intonation is adjusting to make intervals and chords "beatless." As wind
instrumentalists we have the ability to accomplish this.

Here are the places where you should begin to do this (with relation to the root):
Narrow by 14 cents
Widen by 16 cents
Narrow by 2 cents
Widen by 2 cents
Narrow by 4 cents
You must know your place in the chord to accomplish this task.

Source: http://www.tsmp.org/band/trumpet/wurtz_trumpet_intonation.html

The idea of creating a list of well-known trumpeters was generated by a casual

conversation with my college trumpet students some years back in which I found
that they knew of only 2 or 3 modern trumpeters. I sat down and began listing

every trumpeter I could think of, or had on a recording, and placed them in
categories that reflected the area of trumpet playing with which they are most
commonly associated. I came up with most of the names currently on the list,
submitted it to a few of my good friends around the country who in turn added a
few names to the list, and the result is what you see posted here. I make no claims
that this is a complete list, and welcome any additions those of you who see it may
want to recommend.
Soloists
Chamber
Old Cornetists
University
Orchestral
Various
Jazz: Main Association

Soloists:
Niklas Eklund - Sweden
Terry Everson - USA
Eugen Fomeen - Russia
Reinhold Friedrich - Germany
Gyrgy Geiger - Hungary
Richard Giangiulio - USA
Ludwig Gttler - Germany
Hkan Hardenberger- Sweden
Jouko Harjanne - Finland
Hector Herzog - Germany
Knud Hovaldt - Denmark
Friedemann Immer - Germany
Michael Laird - England
Paul Lindsey - USA
Rafael Mendez' - Mexico (USA)
Sergei Nakariakov - Russia
Bo Nilsson - Sweden
Geoffrey Payne - Australia

Chamber:

Old Cornetists:

Anthon
Paul Pl
Rolf Qu
Otto Sa
Adolph
Ilia Sch
Gerard
Yeh Sh
Max So
Bernar
Crispia
Markus
Edward
Pierre T
Guy To
John W
John W
Helmut

Emil Keneke
Bohumir Kryl
Jules Levy
Alessandro Liberati
Jack Macintosh

Alice R
Walter
Frank S
Leonar
Delawa

University:

retired) U. of Alabama-Birmingham

Mark Gould - Julliard (NYMO)

David Greenhoe - Iowa
John Haynie - UNT (retired)
David Hickman - Arizona S.U.
Gil Johnson - Miami (Phil. Orch.)
Keith Johnson - UNT
Gordon Mathie - Crane School
Carole Reinhart - Vienna
John Rommel - Indiana University
Ray Sasaki - University of Texas
Fred Sautter - Oregon State
Alan Siebert - Cincinnati Conservatory
Marie Speziale - Rice University
James Thompson - Eastman (Atlanta & Montreal Symph
Allen Vizzutti - University of Washington

Orchestral:

phony (ex. Israel Princ.)

stra

eceased)

ony Orchestra
onic Orchestra
d)
geles Philharmonic

mphony Orchestra

Paul Merkelo - Montreal SO

Craig Morris - formerly Chicago SO
Maurice Murphy - principal trumpet, London Symphony O
Nick Norton - Utah S.O.
Raymon Parcells - Detroit S.O.
Vince Penzarella - NYPO
Pasi Pirinen - Finnish Radio Symphony
Roy Poper - former principal trumpet, Los Angeles Cham
Louis Ranger - formerly NYPO
Leon Rapier - Louisville S.O. (deceased)
Mark Ridenour - Chicago Symphony, acting principal
Michael Sachs - Cleveland Orch.
Will Scarlett - formerly Chicago SO
Charles Schlueter - Boston Symphony O.
Susan Slaughter - St. Louis
Philip Smith - NYPO
Marie Speziale - formerly Cincinnati SO
Thomas Stevens - LAPO (retired)
Gbor Tarkvi - Hungary - Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

et.)

William Vacchiano - NYPO (deceased)

Tams Velenczei - Hungary - Berlin Philharmonic Orches
Roger Voisin - Boston (retired)
George Vosburgh - Pittsburgh
John Ware - formerly NYPO
David Washburn - principal trumpet, Los Angeles Chamb

armonic

Various:

H.M. Lewis - historian

Raymond Mase - USA
Malcolm McNabb - Hollywood Studios
Ron Modell - Dallas Symphony, Northern Illinois Universit
David Monette - manufacturer
Timothy Morrison - Hollywood Studios
Donald Smithers - historian
James Stamp - Hollywood; teaching guru
Carl Saunders - LA session trumpeter and leader
Derek Watkins - eminent London studio

Jazz: Main Association:

w Band (deceased)

peter
current)

ng onThe Jetsons - deceased)

awrence Welk)

s
rumpeter

Mark Isham - contemporary

Harry James - Big Band leader
Ingrid Jensen - contemporary
Thad Jones - leader, writer
Warren Leuning - Top call Hollywood artist
Booker Little
Lloyd Luhman - Former Las Vegas lead trumpeter
Chuck Mangione - flugelhorn, leader
Sal Marquez - contemporary
Wynton Marsalis - contemporary
Hugh Masakela - S. African
Dmitri Matheny - SF trumpeter and flugelhornist
Mike Metheny - Kansas City trumpeter, leader
Blue Mitchell
George Mitchell (Jelly Roll and Kid Ory)
Lee Morgan - 60's bop and cool
James Morrison (Australia)
Mike Mosiello -1920's - 40's
Fats Navarro - bebop
Red Nichols - Big Band leader
Sam Noto - Kenton; Boss Brass
Nicholas Payton - contemporary
Mark Pender - "Late Night With Conan O'Brian"
Louis Prima - Big Band
Marcus Printup - contemporary

nd trumpeter

oloist (deceased)

Herd/Berklee College

rman and many others

bebop

Al Porcino - highly respected lead player

Uan Rasey - respected studio trumpeter
George Rock - Former trumpeter for Spike Jones
Claudio Roditi - Brazil
Red Rodney
Shorty Rogers - 50's and 60's LA
Wallace Roney - contemporary
Jim Rotundi - New York
Arturo Sandoval - contemporary
Maria Schneider - contemporary
Carl "Doc" Severinson - Tonight Show
Charlie Shavers
Woody Shaw - short-lived influential bebopper
Jack Sheldon - LA
Bobby Shew - contemporary
Louis Smith
John Sneider - contemporary
Jay Sollenberger - Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, Chase
Lew Soloff - NY jazz;Blood, Sweat &Tears
Muggsy Spanier
Marvin Stamm - contemporary bebop
Byron Stripling - contemporary
Joey Tartell - Maynard Ferguson lead trumpet
Tony Terran - Studio trumpeter
Clark Terry - Basie soloist
Lee Thornburg - Tower of Power
Charlie Turner - Former lead, Frank Sinatra
Jeff Tyzik - Mangione orchestra (80's)
Warren Vache' Jr. - NY cornetist
Mike Vax - lead, Kenton band
Allen Vizzutti - contemporary, versatile
Scott Wendholt
Cootie Williams - soloist, Ellington Orch.
Mike Williams - lead, Count Basie Orch.
Snooky Young - Tonight Show

Source: http://www.tsmp.org/band/trumpet/wurtz_trumpeters.html

Why Practice?
As a musician at any level (professional, amateur, student), everyone should have
specific goals for improvement and performance ability. Most immediately, as
college music majors, you have certain goals imposed upon you such as lessons,
auditions, ensemble and solo performance requirements, juries, upper level

examinations, and finally your senior recitals. The only way to be successful in all
of these endeavors is to practice correctly and frequently.

Practice

How

Much?

As stated in the syllabus for trumpet lessons, you should practice as much as it
takes to accomplish all of the performance goals in your musical life. While a
requirement of two hours is cited for a lesson grade (90), realistically no amount
can be exactly specified. How much to practice is a personal matter, and is
effected by the endurance considerations caused by the rehearsal and
performance schedule of the ensembles in which you participate. Nonetheless,
now is the time in your life that you should find the time to practice at all costs. If
you have to get up earlier, and/or stay up later to get it done, then so be it. Your
practice time is your investment in the future successes you will have as a
performer.

What

to

Practice

If you were to compile a list of skills and abilities necessary to play college and
professional level music, it would include (but not necessarily be limited to) the
ability to function at a high level in these areas:

ynamics, etc.)
On a daily basis you should practice exercises, method books, etudes, solos, etc. that will
allow you to address all of these pertinent issues. Additionally, you have to practice your
ensemble music enough to be able to play it at a high level in rehearsals (as well as on the
performance).

How

to

Practice

Practice things slowly enough to play them perfectly, then increase the speed
gradually. Repeat difficult passages over and over until you can play them multiple
times in succession without mistakes. Reduce the music to smaller cells of difficult
material that you master before continuing to the next thing. Don't expect to make
great improvements over night in most cases. Utilize the technology available to
you such as portable tuners and metronomes, stereos (listen to available
recordings when possible), recorders (the tape doesn't lie), and computer
programs that may help (such as Vivace or Band-in-a-Box.)

When

to

Practice

Practice at times that work with your ensemble rehearsal schedule. In order to be
ahead of the game, I recommend a practice session before your first class in the
morning. By putting in a practice session early, you are not forced to cram heavy
practice in between heavy rehearsals. Additionally, the early warm-up will allow
you to function at a higher, more efficient level during your rehearsals, lessons and
performances. A best case scenario would be the early morning session of about
45 minutes, a mid-afternoon session (prior to marching band if possible), and a late
evening session (between 9:00 and 11:00). Practicing three times a day will allow
you to break up your practice and avoid becoming fatigued.

Where

to

Practice

First of all, there are ALWAYS empty practice rooms upstairs. There are always
more people in the lounge than in the practice rooms. I would like to see everyone
else at this university complaining that they can never get into the practice rooms
because the trumpet studio is hogging them. Secondly, it is a good idea to practice
in a variety of venues. Look for unlocked classrooms, rehearsal halls, etc. to
occasionally hear yourself in a different environment. Sit under a tree and practice
outside sometimes. If you live in a situation where you can practice at home,
great...but don't only practice at home. Sometimes the familiarity of being at home,
combined with the availability of a TV, makes home a less than ideal place to
practice.
Source: http://www.tsmp.org/band/trumpet/wurtz_essential_trumpeter.html

Sooner or later all trumpet players have to learn how to play in the upper register. It is the
nature of the beast since the trumpet is the soprano of the brass instruments. Many books
have been written with the intention of aiding in the development of the upper register, but no

single book is the favorite of the masses. While I have had much personal success by
applying the techniques taught by James Stamp in his Warm-ups and Studies, I generally
practice and teach range through the use of scales, arpeggios and other range development
exercises. The great thing about using scales (and arpeggios) is that there is always another
one once you have mastered the current one.
In my experience as a teacher and player, there is a common misconception about the high
register. I have heard many teachers tell their students to "blow harder" when the students
are struggling to play high, but simply blowing harder will never produce a higher note.
Anyone can test my theory. Play (or have a student play) a second-line G, then start to blow
harder. Make no other adjustment beyond blowing harder. The result of blowing harder is
that the volume grows louder, but the range will not increase.
In order to play higher notes, the vibrating surface (in our case the lips) must produce a higher
pitch. For the lips to produce a higher pitch they must be tighter in the middle. The very
reason a smaller mouthpiece makes playing high easier is that it stretches a section of the
lips tighter, which allows them to buzz a higher pitch. In order to play high on the everyday
mouthpiece, the player must learn to make the lips tighter. Specifically, tightening the bottom
lip will begin to produce the desired effect.
Once the lips are tight, it will take a lot of fast-moving
air traveling between the lips to set them in motion.
This is where the "blow harder" concept comes into
play. I generally try to think of blowing "faster" rather
than harder, and it seems to help. Also, to aid in
moving the air faster, the back of the tongue should be
raised, as in saying the vowel sound "EE". This
shrinks the passage through which the air travels in
the mouth on its way to the lips, and funnels the air faster.
The role of mouthpiece pressure in playing high cannot be ignored. Without a doubt, it takes
more mouthpiece pressure to play high than it does to play low. It is harder to use too much
mouthpiece pressure than one may think. The problem with mouthpiece pressure is that
some of us appear to be using more pressure than others are, when in fact our bodies just
react differently due to our individuality. I once heard the world-class trumpeter Chris Gekker
say that "it is impossible to use too much mouthpiece pressure. We use as much as it takes.
Our bodies just give the audience the impression that we are using too much." I have since
come to believe he is right. Just like some of us have skin that turns red at the slightest
touch, some of us have a deeper depression on the lip after playing than others. It's not that
the deeper depression means more pressure was used, but simply that that person's skin or
lip tissue reacts differently to the pressure of the mouthpiece rim.
Source: http://www.tsmp.org/band/trumpet/wurtz_play_higher.html

From the first day of beginner band, getting the embouchure right may be the
biggest concern for the future of each young trumpet player. The proper initial
embouchure combined with frequent reinforcement will best assure that a young
player will be successful in the future. A poor embouchure might allow a young
player to succeed at the earliest stages, but sooner or later it will cause the student
to hit a wall. I have had to re-teach embouchure to high school and college
students whose bad embouchure habits have raised insurmountable barriers, and
the frustration with which they deal is almost overwhelming for them. In fact for
some of them it is overwhelming to the point that they decide to quit playing
altogether rather then start over.
By high school, the results of a bad embouchure will be a deficient tone quality,
poor intonation, lack of endurance, weak range (both low and high) and no
flexibility. With the proper embouchure all of these aspects of trumpet playing are
almost guaranteed to be at least pretty good, and they certainly all have the
potential to be great. Naturally, there is more to good trumpet playing than just a
good embouchure. A constantly moving air stream is essential to good playing, but
sufficient air cannot overcome a bad embouchure.
Here is a 7-step embouchure checklist that teachers of beginners should
reinforce daily.
1. Flat chin. (I sometimes tell students to think of pointing their chins toward
the ground.)
2. Firm corners.
3. Teeth apart (about the same as the width of a mouthpiece shank. Inverting
the mouthpiece and placing it between the teeth makes for a good way to
check the distance.)
4. Bottom lip slightly curled in (make the bottom lip shiny.)
5. Wet the lips. (The lips need moisture as lubrication to allow them to vibrate
more consistently. A dry embouchure tends to provide a drier, raspier tone
quality.)
6. Dont puff the cheeks.
7. Keep all of the red of the lips inside the cup of the mouthpiece.
Number seven is the deal breaker for the
students future. If your student takes
his/her horn down and you see a semicircle on the red of their upper lip (see
figure A), their days are numbered. The
inside rim of the mouthpiece must rest no
lower than the line that divides lip from
skin (see figure B). I have seen some

students play with the mouthpiece so low that some red of the top lip is actually
above the outside rim. In this case it may be worth considering switching to an
instrument with a larger mouthpiece, such as the euphonium or tuba if the student
is only in the sixth or seventh grade. This is less of an option by high school. Also,
a little deviation to the right or left of center is of no major consequence, and is
generally the result of the student's teeth formation.
When all is set properly, the students face should have a natural look. There
should be no excess tightening, twisting, etc. The band director should spend five
to ten seconds of every class period reinforcing the above checklist on an
individual basis. Have each student play something short (perhaps even a single
pitch), then give them one or two points to address for improvement. One might
even have chair tests based on embouchure formation on occasion, since nothing
seems to motivate young players more than a good, old-fashioned chair test. The
total time should take only a couple of minutes, but there is no better way to spend
part of your class time.
Finally, the reinforcement of a good embouchure should continue every year.
Some of the worst embouchures I have seen in those ninth grade and up are on
students who had satisfactory embouchures earlier in their band career.
Sometimes embouchure placement begins to migrate as students grow physically,
or as more demands are placed on them. When younger students start to do well
and are asked to play in a fairly high register, they frequently start pulling the
mouthpiece down further on their upper lip. The smaller surface area of the upper
lip within the mouthpiece cup often allows students to play higher a little easier at
first, but there will be consequences later if they are allowed to continue in this
manner. Reinforce the idea of learning to play high on a properly formed
embouchure. They can do it, and the future remains unlimited for them if they do
so.
Figure A. Diagram of the ring resulting from an improperly placed mouthpiece.

Figure B. Diagram of the ring resulting from a properly placed mouthpiece.

Source: http://www.tsmp.org/band/trumpet/wurtz_embouchure_beginners.html

Transposition is an inherent part of being a trumpet player. As orchestra members

we rarely play a piece that does not require us to transpose, either because we
don't own a trumpet in the specified key, or because we choose to play on a
trumpet other than the one specified. The desire for a particular tone quality, better
dynamic projection, more accessible high or low register, or even the opportunity to
play in an easier key signature are some of the factors that we might use in
determining which trumpet to use: B-flat, C, D, E-flat, cornet, flugelhorn or piccolo.
In the chart below are the transpositions encountered in orchestral music in the
various languages, and the transposition intervals from either B-flat or C trumpets.

French

German

Trompette

Trompete

UT

RE

MI b

Es

MI

FA

SOL

La b

As

LA

SI b

SI

majeur

Dur

mineur

Moll

bmol

ces

dise cis
On occasion (Shostakovich Sym. No. 1, for example,) the transposition to Falta appears. The term alta means down to F instead of up. From B-flat

trumpet the transposition is down a P4, from C trumpet down a P5.

If a part is designated Cornet in G (German: Ventil-Kornett in G, French:
Cornet-a-Pistons en Sol, Italian: Cornetto in Sol,) the transposition is down
to G. That will be down a m3 from B-flat trumpet, or down a P4 from the C
trumpet.
Transpositions up a 3rd may be accomplished by reading the line as bass
clef and applying the appropriate key signature (add 3 flats when
transposing up a m3 and 4 sharps when transposing up a M3).
Transpositions of up a P4 may be played as bass clef up a step and adding
one flat to the key signature.
Transpositions to trumpet in B, G and A-flat are extremely rare, so if you
have limited time to practice transposition, focus on the others.
Piccolo trumpet in A playing a part for D trumpet can be played by reading
the line in bass clef, up one step, and adding one flat. Playing a part for C
trumpet you can read bass clef and add 3 flats to the key signature.

Transposition Specifically for Band Directors

The trumpet world is full of great players and teachers, and I humbly
bow before them all. Generally speaking, those of us who post articles
on the Texas School Music Project web site think of them as geared for
band directors looking for helpful hints for themselves or their students.
For that reason I want to address transposition from the position of the
band director whose major instrument is the trumpet. First of all, I think
it is a great idea for band directors to play for their students. Some of
the band directors I have respected the most have been great players
who demonstrated for the students regularly. In order to play the line for
every instrument on the band score, the following transpositions must be
employed when using a B-flat trumpet:
For piccolos, flutes and oboes in C: up a M2.
For clarinets, bass clarinets, and tenor saxes in B-flat: play
as written.
For E-flat alto saxes, bari saxes, and E-flat clarinets: play up
P4 (or as bass clef up a step, add 1 flat).
For horn and English horn in F: play up a P5.
For all bass clef instruments: play bass clef up a step, add one
flat.
Notice that if one can master the transposition of bass clef up a step, he
or she can use that to transpose for the majority of the band instruments
(E-flat clarinet, alto sax, bari sax, bassoon, trombone, euphonium, and

tuba).
Source: http://www.tsmp.org/band/trumpet/wurtz_transposition_issues.html

Practice a lot! It may seem silly to say this, but do you really do it?
Practice the right kind of stuff. Fundamentals create the player. Why do you think
Arban is still the most popular practice method, in so many countries, yet it was written
around 1860?
Be diverse. It's more fun to play trumpet when you can play anything you want. I tell
my students to be prepared to be able to accept an invitation to play anywhere at
anytime. I play in (or have played in) orchestras (any chair), jazz bands (as lead,
section or jazz chair), brass quintets, bands and wind ensembles, studio recording
sessions, weddings, as a soloist with bands and orchestras, rock, R & B, salsa,
merengue and mariachi bands, contemporary Christian bands, etc. The only reason to
say no to an opportunity should be that you're already busy (or it just doesn't pay
enough- that is, at least eventually.)
Be a GOOD trumpet player. Once again, this should go without saying, but years of
experience as a player and teacher have shown me that some players don't
necessarily strive to play their best, or even believe they can! To a large degree, being
a good player is a conscious decision one makes. I remember clearly the day I decided
that from that point forward I was going to be a "good player." It was in 10th grade.

Address these aspects of your playing every day:

Sound
Air Flow
Low and high range
Articulation (speed, clarity, style and multiple tonguing)
Finger technique
Flexibility
Intonation
Endurance
Take lessons (and over the course of your lifetime take a lot of them-- and with
different people.)
Play duets. It doesn't have to be with another trumpet player, either.
Listen to recordings. Nothing motivates more than listening to great music played by

great musicians. My first record ever was Maynard Ferguson's "Conquistador" album. I
can still sing every note of it (in fact, I still have it.) My next one was a recording of
Maurice Andre' playing the Haydn and Hummel concerti. I still have that one too!
Go to live performances.
Take a chance. (At whatever- a high note, playing fast, playing a harder piece, playing
an improvised solo-- WHATEVER! In order to get the fruit you might have to go out on
a limb!)
Keep your equipment in good condition. For one thing it's only fair to everybody
else you play with.
Play equipment that's of a high quality. (Including mutes)
If you are in school, pass your classes. Be a generally good student. This keeps
you "eligible," if that's an issue. It gives you the freedom to go on tour without
jeopardizing your standing with a teacher. Being the best student you can be has many
ramifications regarding your trumpet playing.
Play at church. (If you go to church.)
Own a metronome and a tuner. Use them every day. Here
is something you will likely NEVER hear"I think you've been
practicing too much with a metronome."
Play solos that you can play well. Give yourself a
legitimate shot at succeeding. You'll get to play the Arutunian
or the Tomasi someday, but first you have to play stuff by
Balay and Barat.
Use Vibrato (but just the right amount-- don't let it interfere
with the music.)
Keep your shoulders back, sit up straight and take a deep breath.You'll be
surprised how many of your playing issues are resolved just through doing these
things.
Know all of your major and minor scales, and their arpeggios.
Practicing only your tryout or performance music will most likely keep you from
having a successful tryout or performance. Be sure to spend time every day on
your fundamentals, even when a big audition or performance is coming.
Have fun! This is music, not differential calculus.
Be polite and respectful to your teachers. No matter what you think, they know
more than you do.

Take your hat off indoors. There are still a lot of people out there who are offended
by the practice of wearing a hat indoors. I'll wager that if you go to watch the New York
Philharmonic rehearse, there won't be a single member of the orchestra wearing a hat
in rehearsal.
Don't be cocky with your teachers. Again, they know more than you do.
Seek perfection. You'll probably never reach it, but you'll get close if you try.
Admit your mistakes. It's not always the other guy.
Do it again, only better. Practice may not make perfect, but good practice helps you
improve.
Pop your valves-- in rhythm!

Source: http://www.tsmp.org/band/trumpet/wurtz_successful_playing.html

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Warm-up Technique: pp. 11-36, 2 or 3 daily in key of the day

Flexibility: pp. 42--, play one a day
Scales: pp. 59-75, 2 or 3 daily in key of the day
Chromatic: pp. 76-86, play a different one daily
Accuracy: pp. 91--, key of the day
Intervals: pp. 125--, key of the day
Arpeggios: pp. 142, 143, 144, 145, 147, 149, key of the day
Double Tongue: pp. 155-174, 2 or 3 daily
Triple Tongue: pp. 175--, 2 or 3 daily

Source: http://www.tsmp.org/band/trumpet/wurtz_arban_practice_routine.html

A trumpet is a musical instrument. It has the highest register in the brass family. As a
signaling device in battle or hunting, trumpets have a very long history, dating back to at
least 1500 BC; they have been used as musical instruments since the 15th century.
[1]Trumpets are used in art music styles, where they are an instrument in the orchestra and
in concert bands, and in popular musicstyles such as jazz. They are played by blowing air
through almost-closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound that starts a standing wave vibration
in the air column inside the instrument. Since the late 15th century they have primarily been
constructed of brasstubing, usually bent twice into a rounded oblong shape.

There are several types of trumpet. The most common is a transposing instrument pitched in
B with a tubing length of about 1.48 m (4 ft 10 in). Earlier trumpets did not have valves, but
modern instruments generally have either three piston valves or, more rarely, three rotary
valves. The use of rotary valve trumpets is more commonly seen in European countries,
particularly Germany andAustria.[citation needed] Each valve increases the length of tubing
when engaged, thereby lowering the pitch.
A musician who plays the trumpet is called a trumpet player or trumpeter.

Contents
[hide]

1History
2Construction
3Types
4Playing
4.1Fingering
5Range
5.1Extended technique
5.2Instruction and method books
6Players
7Musical pieces
7.1Solos
8Trumpets in art
9See also
10References
10.1Notes
10.2Bibliography
11External links

History[edit]

Ceramic trumpet. 300 AD Larco Museum Collection Lima, Peru.

Main article: History of primitive and non-Western trumpets

The earliest trumpets date back to 1500 BC and earlier. The bronze and silver trumpets
from Tutankhamun's grave in Egypt, bronze lurs from Scandinavia, and metal trumpets from
China date back to this period.[2]Trumpets from the Oxus civilization (3rd millennium BC) of
Central Asia have decorated swellings in the middle, yet are made out of one sheet of metal,
which is considered a technical wonder.[3] The Moche people of ancientPeru depicted
trumpets in their art going back to 300 AD.[4] The earliest trumpets were signaling
instruments used for military or religious purposes, rather than music in the modern sense;
[5] and the modern buglecontinues this signaling tradition.
In medieval times, trumpet playing was a guarded craft, its instruction occurring only within
highly selectiveguilds. The trumpet players were often among the most heavily guarded
members of a troop, as they were relied upon to relay instructions to other sections of
the army.[citation needed]

Reproduction baroque trumpet byMichael Laird

Improvements to instrument design and metal making in the late Middle Ages and
Renaissance led to an increased usefulness of the trumpet as a musical instrument.
The natural trumpets of this era consisted of a single coiled tube without valves and therefore
could only produce the notes of a single overtone series. Changing keys required the player to
change crooks of the instrument. The development of the upper, "clarino" register by
specialist trumpetersnotably Cesare Bendinelliwould lend itself well to the Baroque era,
also known as the "Golden Age of the natural trumpet." During this period, a vast body of
music was written for virtuoso trumpeters. The art was revived in the mid-20th century and
natural trumpet playing is again a thriving art around the world. Many modern players who
perform Baroque music use a version of the natural trumpet dubbed the baroque trumpet,
which is fitted with one or more vent holes to aid in correcting out-of-tune notes in the
harmonic series. Most professional orchestra trumpeters use a valved trumpet.

The melody-dominated homophony of the classical and romantic periods relegated the
trumpet to a secondary role by most major composers owing to the limitations of the natural
trumpet. Berlioz wrote in 1844:
Notwithstanding the real loftiness and distinguished nature of its quality of tone,
there are few instruments that have been more degraded (than the trumpet).
Down to Beethoven and Weber, every composer not excepting Mozart persisted
in confining it to the unworthy function of filling up, or in causing it to sound two or
three commonplace rhythmical formulae.[6]
The attempt to give the trumpet more chromatic freedom in its range saw the development of
the keyed trumpet, but this was a largely unsuccessful venture due to the poor quality of its
sound.
Although the impetus for a tubular valve began as early as 1793, it was not until 1818 that
Friedrich Bluhmel and Heinrich Stlzel made a joint patent application for the box valve as
manufactured by W. Schuster. The symphonies of Mozart, Beethoven, and as late as Brahms,
were still played on natural trumpets. Crooks and shanks (removable tubing of various
lengths) as opposed to keys or valves were standard, notably in France, into the first part of
the 20th century. As a consequence of this late development of the instrument's chromatic
ability, the repertoire for the instrument is relatively small compared to other instruments.
The 20th century saw an explosion in the amount and variety of music written for the
trumpet.

Construction[edit]

Trumpet valve bypass (depressed)

The trumpet is constructed of brass tubing bent twice into a rounded oblong shape.[7]

As with all brass instruments, sound is produced by blowing air through closed lips, producing
a "buzzing" sound into the mouthpiece and starting a standing wave vibration in the air
column inside the trumpet. The player can select the pitch from a range
of overtones orharmonics by changing the lip aperture and tension (known as
the embouchure). The mouthpiece has a circular rim, which provides a comfortable
environment for the lips' vibration. Directly behind the rim is the cup, which channels the air
into a much smaller opening (the back bore or shank) that tapers out slightly to match the
diameter of the trumpet's lead pipe. The dimensions of these parts of the mouthpiece affect
the timbre or quality of sound, the ease of playability, and player comfort. Generally, the
wider and deeper the cup, the darker the sound and timbre.

B trumpet disassembled

Modern trumpets have three (or infrequently four) piston valves, each of which increases the
length of tubing when engaged, thereby lowering the pitch. The first valve lowers the
instrument's pitch by a whole step (2 semitones), the second valve by a half step (1
semitone), and the third valve by one-and-a-half steps (3 semitones). When a fourth valve is
present, as with some piccolo trumpets, it usually lowers the pitch a perfect fourth (5
semitones). Used singly and in combination these valves make the instrument fully chromatic,
i.e., able to play all twelve pitches of classical music. For more information about the different
types of valves, see Brass instrument valves.
The pitch of the trumpet can be raised or lowered by the use of the tuning slide. Pulling the
slide out lowers the pitch; pushing the slide in raises it. To overcome the problems of
intonation and reduce the use of the slide, Renold Schilke designed the tuning-bell trumpet.
Removing the usual brace between the bell and a valve body allows the use of a sliding bell;
the player may then tune the horn with the bell while leaving the slide pushed in, or nearly so,
thereby improving intonation and overall response.[8]
A trumpet becomes a closed tube when the player presses it to the lips; therefore, the
instrument only naturally produces every other overtone of the harmonic series. The shape of
the bell makes the missing overtones audible.[9] Most notes in the series are slightly out of
tune and modern trumpets have slide mechanisms for the first and third valves with which
the player can compensate by throwing (extending) or retracting one or both slides, using the
left thumb and ring finger for the first and third valve slides respectively.

Types[edit]
The most common type is the B trumpet, but A, C, D, E, E, low F, and G trumpets are also
available. The C trumpet is most common in American orchestral playing, where it is used

alongside the B trumpet. Its slightly smaller size gives it a brighter sound and crisper
articulation. Orchestra trumpet players are generally adept at transposing music at sight,
sometimes playing music written for the A, B, D, E, E, or F trumpet on the C trumpet or
B trumpet.

Piccolo trumpet in B, with swappable leadpipes to tune the instrument to B (shorter) or A (longer)

The smallest trumpets are referred to as piccolo trumpets. The most common of these are
built to play in both B and A, with separate leadpipes for each key. The tubing in the
B piccolo trumpet is one-half the length of that in a standard B trumpet. Piccolo trumpets in
G, F and C are also manufactured, but are rarer. Many players use a smaller mouthpiece on
the piccolo trumpet, which requires a different sound production technique from the
B trumpet and can limit endurance. Almost all piccolo trumpets have four valves instead of
the usual three the fourth valve lowers the pitch, usually by a fourth, to assist in the
playing of lower notes and to create alternate fingerings that facilitate certain trills. Maurice
Andr, Hkan Hardenberger, David Mason, and Wynton Marsalis are some well-known
trumpet players known for their additional virtuosity on the piccolo trumpet.

Trumpet in C with rotary valves

Trumpets pitched in the key of low G are also called sopranos, or soprano bugles, after their
adaptation from military bugles. Traditionally used in drum and bugle corps, sopranos have
featured both rotary valves and piston valves.
The bass trumpet is usually played by a trombone player, being at the same pitch. Bass
trumpet is played with a shallower trombone mouthpiece, and music for it is written in treble
clef. The most common keys for bass trumpets are C and B. Both C and B bass trumpets
are transposing instruments sounding an octave (C) or a major ninth (B) lower than written.
The modern slide trumpet is a B trumpet that has a slide instead of valves. It is similar to
a soprano trombone. The first slide trumpets emerged during the Renaissance, predating the
modern trombone, and are the first attempts to increase chromaticism on the instrument.
Slide trumpets were the first trumpets allowed in the Christian church.[10]
The historical slide trumpet was probably first developed in the late 14th century for use
in alta capella wind bands. Deriving from early straight trumpets, the Renaissance slide
trumpet was essentially a natural trumpet with a sliding leadpipe. This single slide was rather
awkward, as the entire corpus of the instrument moved, and the range of the slide was
probably no more than a major third. Originals were probably pitched in D, to fit
with shawms in D and G, probably at a typical pitch standard near A=466 Hz. As no known
instruments from this period survive, the detailsand even the existenceof a Renaissance
slide trumpet is a matter of conjecture and debate among scholars.[11]

Some slide trumpet designs saw use in England in the 18th century. [12]
The pocket trumpet is a compact B trumpet. The bell is usually smaller than a standard
trumpet and the tubing is more tightly wound to reduce the instrument size without reducing
the total tube length. Its design is not standardized, and the quality of various models varies
greatly. It can have a tone quality and projection unique in the trumpet world: a warm sound
and a voice-like articulation. Unfortunately, since many pocket trumpet models suffer from
poor design as well as cheap and sloppy manufacturing, the intonation, tone color and
dynamic range of such instruments are severely hindered. Professional-standard instruments
are, however, available. While they are not a substitute for the full-sized instrument, they can
be useful in certain contexts. The jazz musician Don Cherry was renowned for his playing of
the pocket instrument.
The herald trumpet is a B trumpet with an elongated bell extending far in front of the player.
Due to its showy appearance, this type of trumpet is mostly used for ceremonial events such
as parades and fanfares.
The 20th century saw some experimentation with the layout and construction of the trumpet,
notably with the introduction of balanced action instruments (with forward set valves)
by Selmer, Olds and King in the 1930s and 40s, and heavy reinforcements and geometry
changes by Monette beginning in 1983.[citation needed]
There are also rotary-valve, or German, trumpets, (which are commonly used in professional
European orchestras) as well as alto and Baroque trumpets.
The trumpet is often confused with its close relative the cornet, which has a
more conical tubing shape compared to the trumpet's more cylindrical tube. This, along with
additional bends in the cornet's tubing, gives the cornet a slightly mellower tone, but the
instruments are otherwise nearly identical. They have the same length of tubing and,
therefore, the same pitch, so music written for cornet and trumpet is interchangeable.
Another relative, the flugelhorn, has tubing that is even more conical than that of the cornet,
and an even richer tone. It is sometimes augmented with a fourth valve to improve the
intonation of some lower notes.

Playing[edit]
See also: Embouchure

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reliab

Fingering[edit]
On any modern trumpet, cornet, or flugelhorn, pressing the valves indicated by the numbers
below produces the written notes shown. "OPEN" means all valves up, "1" means first valve,
"1-2" means first and second valve simultaneously, and so on. The concert pitch that sounds
depends on the transposition of the instrument. Engaging the fourth valve, if present, drops

any of these pitches by a perfect fourth as well. Within each overtone series, the different
pitches are attained by changing the embouchure. Standard fingerings above high C are the
same as for the notes an octave below (C is 1-2, D is 1, etc.)

A step = a tone; a half step = a semitone

Each overtone series on the trumpet begins with the first overtonethe fundamental of each
overtone series cannot be produced except as a pedal tone. Notes in parentheses are the
sixth overtone, representing a pitch with a frequency of seven times that of the fundamental;
while this pitch is close to the note shown, it is slightly flat relative to equal temperament, and
use of those fingerings is generally avoided.
The fingering schema arises from the length of each valve's tubing (a longer tube produces a
lower pitch). Valve "1" increases the tubing length enough to lower the pitch by one whole
step, valve "2" by one half step, and valve "3" by one and a half steps. This scheme and the
nature of the overtone series create the possibility of alternate fingerings for certain notes.
For example, third-space "C" can be produced with no valves engaged (standard fingering) or
with valves 2-3. Also, any note produced with 1-2 as its standard fingering can also be
produced with valve 3 - each drops the pitch by 1-1/2 steps. Alternate fingerings may be used
to improve facility in certain passages, or to aid in intonation. Extending the third valve slide
when using the fingerings 1-3 or 1-2-3 further lowers the pitch slightly to improve intonation.

Range[edit]
Sound of a trumpet - Warsaw Castle, Poland.

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The standard trumpet range extends from the written F immediately below Middle C up to
about three octaves higher. Traditional trumpet repertoire rarely calls for notes beyond this
range, and the fingering tables of most method books peak at the high C, two octaves above
middle C. Several trumpeters have achieved fame for their proficiency in the extreme high
register, among them Maynard Ferguson, Cat Anderson, Dizzy Gillespie, Doc Severinsen, and
more recently Wayne Bergeron, Thomas Gansch, James Morrison, Jon Faddis andArturo
Sandoval. It is also possible to produce pedal tones below the low F, which is a device
commonly employed in contemporary repertoire for the instrument.

Extended technique[edit]
Contemporary music for the trumpet makes wide uses of extended trumpet techniques.
Flutter tonguing: The trumpeter rolls the tip of the tongue to produce a 'growling like' tone.
It is achieved as if one were rolling an R in the Spanish language. This technique is widely
employed by composers like Berio and Stockhausen.
Growling: Simultaneously humming while playing a note creates two sets of vibrations that
interfere with each other and create a characteristic 'growling' sound. Many jazz players use
the techniquewhich is different from flutter-tonguing, where the tongue modifies the sound.
Double tonguing: The player articulates using the syllables ta-ka ta-ka ta-ka
Triple tonguing: The same as double tonguing, but with the syllables ta-ta-ka ta-ta-ka ta-taka or ta-ka-ta ta-ka-ta.
Doodle tongue: The trumpeter tongues as if saying the word doodle. This is a very faint
tonguing similar in sound to a valve tremolo.
Glissando: Trumpeters can slide between notes by depressing the valves halfway and
changing the lip tension. Modern repertoire makes extensive use of this technique.
Vibrato: It is often regulated in contemporary repertoire through specific notation.
Composers can call for everything from fast, slow or no vibrato to actual rhythmic patterns
played with vibrato.
Pedal tone: Composers have written for two-and-a-half octaves below the low F, which is at
the bottom of the standard range. Extreme low pedals are produced by slipping the lower lip
out of the mouthpiece. Claude Gordon assigned pedals as part of his trumpet practice
routines, that were a systematic expansion on his lessons with Herbert L. Clarke. The
technique was pioneered by Bohumir Kryl.[13]
Microtones: Composers such as Scelsi and Stockhausen have made wide use of the
trumpet's ability to play microtonally. Some instruments feature a fourth valve that provides a
quarter-tone step between each note.
Mute belt: Karlheinz Stockhausen pioneered the use of a mute belt, worn around the player's
waist, to enable rapid mute changes during pieces. The belt allows the performer to make
faster and quieter mute changes, as well as enabling the performer to move around the
stage.
Valve tremolo: Many notes on the trumpet can be played in several different valve
combinations. By alternating between valve combinations on the same note, a tremolo effect
can be created. Berio makes extended use of this technique in his Sequenza X.
Noises: By hissing, clicking, or breathing through the instrument, the trumpet can be made
to resonate in ways that do not sound at all like a trumpet. Noises may require amplification.
Preparation: Composers have called for trumpeters to play under water, or with certain

slides removed. It is increasingly common for composers to specify all sorts of preparations
for trumpet. Extreme preparations involve alternate constructions, such as double bells and
extra valves.
Split tone: Trumpeters can produce more than one tone simultaneously by vibrating the two
lips at different speeds. The interval produced is usually an octave or a fifth.
Lip Trill or Shake: By rapidly varying air speed, but not changing the depressed valves, the
pitch varies quickly between adjacent harmonics. These are very common, and are more
straightforward to execute in the upper register.
Multi-phonics: Playing a note and "humming" a different note simultaneously. For example,
sustaining a middle C and humming a major 3rd "E" at the same time.
Circular-Breathing: A technique wind players use to avoid having "breaks" in the music.
During playing, the player must insert air to their cheeks. Then, using the cheek power to
push the air outwards and the same time using their nose to breathe in rapidly.

Instruction and method books[edit]

One trumpet method publication of long-standing popularity is Jean-Baptiste
Arban's Complete Conservatory Method for Trumpet (Cornet).[14] Other well-known method
books include Technical Studies by Herbert L. Clarke,[15] Grand Method by Louis SaintJacome,Daily Drills and Technical Studies by Max Schlossberg, and methods by Ernest S.
Williams, Claude Gordon, Charles Colin, James Stamp, and Louis Davidson.[16] Vassily
Brandt's Orchestral Etudes and Last Etudes[17] is used in many college and conservatory
trumpet studios,[citation needed] containing drills on permutations of standard
orchestral trumpet repertoire, transpositions, and other advanced material. A common
method book for beginners is the Walter Beeler's Method for the Cornet, and there have been
several instruction books written by virtuoso Allen
Vizzutti.http://www.vizzutti.com/AllenBio.html

Players[edit]

Gottfried Reiche, chief trumpeter forJohann Sebastian Bach in Leipzig

Main article: List of trumpeters

In early jazz, Louis Armstrong was well known for his virtuosity and his improvisations on
the Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings. Miles Davis is widely considered one of the most
influential musicians of the 20th centuryhis style was distinctive and widely imitated. Davis'
phrasing and sense of space in his solos have been models for generations of jazz musicians.
[18] Dizzy Gillespie was a gifted improviserwith an extremely high range, building on the style
of Roy Eldridge but adding new layers of harmonic complexity. Gillespie had an enormous
impact on virtually every subsequent trumpeter, both by the example of his playing and as a
mentor to younger musicians.Maynard Ferguson came to prominence playing in Stan Kenton's
orchestra, before forming his own band in 1957. He was noted for being able to play
accurately in a remarkably high register.[19]
Some other notable jazz trumpet players include Roy Eldridge, Nat Adderley, Bud
Brisbois, Randy Brecker, Chet Baker, Clifford Brown,Chris Botti, Allan Botschinsky, Donald
Byrd, Bill Chase, Doc Cheatham, Don Cherry, Kenny Dorham, Dave Douglas, Don Ellis, Ziggy
Elman, Jon Faddis, Thomas Gansch, Tim Hagans, Roy Hargrove, Tom Harrell, Erskine
Hawkins, Al Hirt, Freddie Hubbard, Roger Ingram,Harry James, Ibrahim Maalouf, Chuck
Mangione, Wynton Marsalis, Billy May, Blue Mitchell, Lee Morgan, Fats Navarro, Nicholas
Payton,Louis Prima, Uan Rasey, Claudio Roditi, Wallace Roney, Arturo Sandoval, Manfred
Schoof, Bobby Shew, Doc Severinsen, Woody Shaw,Tomasz Stako, Markus
Stockhausen, Clark Terry, Allen Vizzutti, Cootie Williams, and Snooky Young.
Notable classical trumpeters include Maurice Andr, Armando Ghitalla, Alison Balsom, Hakan
Hardenberger, Tine Thing Helseth, Adolph "Bud" Herseth, Malcolm McNab, Rafael
Mndez, Maurice Murphy, Sergei Nakariakov, Uan Rasey, Charles Schlueter, Philip
Smith, William Vacchiano, Allen Vizzutti, and Roger Voisin.
Notable natural trumpet players include Valentine Snow, for whom Handel wrote several
pieces, and Gottfried Reiche, who was Bach's chief trumpeter.
The American orchestral trumpet sound is largely attributable to Adolph "Bud" Herseth's 53year tenure with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Though he was not as prolific a teacher as
some of his peers, his widely recorded sound became the standard for American orchestras.
[citation needed]

Musical pieces[edit]
Solos[edit]
The repertoire for the natural trumpet and cornetto is extensive. This music is commonly
played on modern piccolo trumpets, although there are many highly proficient performers of
the original instruments. This vast body of repertoire includes the music of Gabrieli,
Monteverdi, Bach, Vivaldi, and countless other composers. Because the overtone series does
not allow stepwise movement until the upper register, the tessitura for this repertoire is very
high.
Joseph Haydn's Trumpet Concerto was one of the first for a chromatic trumpet,[20] a fact
shown off by some stepwise melodies played low in the instrument's range. Johann

Hummel wrote the other great Trumpet Concerto of the Classical period, and these two pieces
are the cornerstone of the instrument's repertoire. Written as they were in the infancy of
the chromatic trumpet, they reflect only a minor advancement of the trumpet's musical
language, with Hummel's being the more adventurous piece by far. Both concerti were written
for the Austrian virtuoso Anton Weidinger.[citation needed]
In 1827, Franois Dauvern became the first musician to use the new F three-valved trumpet
in public performance.[citation needed]
In the 20th century, trumpet repertoire expanded rapidly as composers embraced the almost
completely untapped potential of the modern trumpet.[citation needed]

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trumpet

A Short History On the Trumpet

The trumpet is much more than a musical instrument. In fact, the trumpet is a
part of world history. For thousands of years, the trumpet has played an essential
role in almost every civilization on the planet.
The first known metal trumpets can be traced back to around 1500BC. Silver and
bronze trumpets were discovered in the grave of King Tut in Egypt, and other
ancient versions of the instrument were found in China, South America,
Scandinavia, and Asia. Since most inventions spawn from earlier forms, there's
also good reason to assume that people have been blowing into objects to create
sounds for even longer than that. For example, some civilizations blew into an
animal horn or conch shell to produce a sound.
Many of these earlier examples were not used to make music as we know it today.
Typically, they were used for religious and military purposes, which historians
have pointed out in major religious writings and other historical records. In
medieval times, for example, trumpeters were highly guarded by military units,
since they were crucial to relaying instructions over great distances. In modern
times, the "bugle" is still used by militaries, but mainly for paying respect to its
past use.
Instrument design, as well as metal making, improved tremendously over the

Middle Ages and the Renaissance, which made these "natural trumpets" more
suitable for creating actual music. However, these trumpets did not have valves
and could only produce a small amount of notes. Also, changing the key meant
that you had to change different pipes on the horn. The natural trumpets peak of
popularity was during the Baroque area; but in recent years it has seen somewhat
of a resurgence. In fact, many examples of the "natural trumpet" can be found
easily on You Tube.
Due to its limited amount of notes, usage of the natural trumpet started to fade
during the Classical and Romantic periods. By the 1800's, instrument
improvements, such as keys and valves, led to its chromatic use. Following its
capability of playing any note needed by the composer, it redeemed its rightful
place as a dominant musical instrument.
During the twentieth century, the concept of "Pop Music" emerged, and although
popular music has always existed in one shape or another, this area of sound
recordings meant that songs could become "hits" by reaching many people at
once. Early on, many instruments did not translate well to tape. However, the
trumpet proved to be an exception, and quickly became a standout favorite,
thanks to its clear focused sound. Virtuosos like Louis Armstrong brought the
trumpet to the forefront of popular music during the 1930's, and its popularity
continued for decades, from Dizzy Gillespie to Miles Davis.
The trumpet has soldiered on throughout history, and today it can be heard in all
kinds of musical styles, from rock to classical. Remember, your trumpet is much
more than a musical instrument. It's been a clarion call to humanity for centuries.

Source: http://www.wwbw.com/A-Brief-History-of-the-Trumpet-g26396t0.wwbw

History of the Trumpet

(According to The New Harvard Dictionary of Music)
Trumpet [Fr. trompette; Ger. Trompete, It. tromba, Sp. trompeta]. A soprano brass instrument commonly
about 1.4 m. (4 1/2 ft.) in tube length, folded twice to a narrow rectangular shape about 35 cm. (14 in.)

long. A mouth pipe with mouthpiece protrudes from one end of the rectangle, and an expanded opening
or bell extends from the other. The center of the rectangle is occupied by three valves and associated
extra tubing. The bore of the trumpet is mostly cylindrical, though like the *cornet it expands just before
the bell. Most trumpets are now made of brass, either lacquered or plated with silver, nickel, or more
rarely gold. Other materials occasionally used besides brass include German silver, copper, silver, and
very rarely gold.
Trumpets are commonly available in several sizes named according to the pitch class of their
fundamental. Instruments in Bb, C, D, Eb, F, and piccolo Bb or A have actual fundamentals Bb, C, D, Eb,
F, and Bb or A. The Bb instrument is used mostly in school bands and popular music. The C trumpet is
the favorite among professional orchestra players. The higher trumpets are becoming more common and
find use in certain segments of the repertory written for instruments in those keys or demanding an
extremely high register. For the latter use, piccolo trumpets are made in a variety of shapes, some
(occasionally called Bach trumpets) straight except for the valves and their associated tubing, and some
with four rather than three valves. American trumpets are now almost invariably equipped with Perinet
piston valves for the right hand, though orchestra players some times use instruments with rotary
valves. Better-quality instruments also have levers or rings for adjusting the length of the first and third
valve tubes [see also Valve].
The trumpet mouthpiece is generally a shallow cupped shape with formerly rather pronounced but
recently more rounded corners surrounding the bore or throat. The sound of the instrument is brilliant
and commanding in its most characteristic range from written c' to c", gradually less brilliant on the
increasingly difficult notes above this range, and more and more dark and grainy on the lower tones to
f#. Special timbres and effects can be produced by using various kinds of *mutes in the trumpet bell
[see ill, under Brass instruments]. Most trumpet parts since about 1900 are written either for Bb
trumpet, sounding one tone lower, or for C trumpet at concert pitch. Orchestral parts from earlier periods
were written for trumpets that could be put in the appropriate key for the composition to be played by
means of crooks (small loops of extra tubing). These parts were commonly in Bb, C, D, Eb, and F,
sounding from a tone lower to a fourth higher than written. Some late 19th-century parts were written
for trumpets with an extra valve or slide to put them in A, sounding a minor third lower. Orchestra
players today usually play all of these parts on Bb or C instruments, making the necessary transposition
as they play.
The trumpet has a very long history, having been used in ancient Egypt, the Near East, and Greece.
During much of that time, however, it was a signaling device sounding only one or two tones. Even in the
Roman era, trumpet-like instruments, though prominent in art and literature, are not known to have
been used in music. They remained instruments of only a few tones for signaling, announcing,
commanding, and ceremonial purposes. It was not until the 14th and 15th centuries that the more
musical possibilities of the long trumpet began to be recognized and used, and the instrument acquired
its characteristic folded form. The instruments of this period were natural trumpets, on which only the
tones of the *harmonic series were available.
Evidence exists that toward the end of this period, however, some instruments may have been fitted
with a single slide at the mouth pipe, theoretically providing a chromatic scale, except for one pitch, from
the fourth harmonic upward. Such an instrument was called a tromba da tirarsi.
The 16th century saw increasing use of the trumpet in a variety of more musical situations in addition to
court ceremony and military communication. Craftsmen in Nuremberg, Germany, began to excel in
trumpet making during this period and supplied instruments to most of Europe. At the end of this
century and the beginning of the next, the first written accounts of trumpet playing occur. In these works
are found trumpet calls, fanfares, toccatas, and sonatas using mostly the low register of the instrument.
Among the later of these writings are the first illustrations of melodic playing on the higher pitches of the
harmonic series.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the natural trumpet reached its peak of development and was used
with brilliant effect by Each, Handel, and many other composers. The instruments were from about 1.8 to
2.5 m. (6 to 8 ft.) in total length, folded to traditional form, and pitched usually in D and C for court use
and in Eb and F for the military. Players specialized in different registers, allowing the clarino or highrange players to concentrate on the top dozen or so tones where melodic playing is possible. This type of
playing reached its zenith in the mid-1700s and gradually declined toward the end of the century. The
lower range was called theprincipale. The orchestral trumpet of the late 18th and the early 19th century
was in F, with crooks for lower keys down to C or Bb to match the key of the composition played. Its
sound was not as loud as the moderntrumpet's, and it balanced well with other instruments in smaller
ensembles. The limitations of an instrument that could play only the tones of the natural harmonic
series, however, became gradually more perplexing toward the end of the 1 8th century and led to a
number of attempts to improve the instrument mechanically.
Hand stopping, used on horns since about 1750, was tried on specially constructed trumpets
[Ger. Inventions trompete] beginning in the 1770s. The keyed trumpet was tried with limited success by
several makers and players in the last 30 years of the century. Four or five keys like those on clarinets of
the time provided pitches missing in the natural harmonic series. Concertos by Haydn and Hummel
exploited the capabilities of these instruments. The slide trumpet, never completely forgotten since the
16th century, was revived again in England about 1800. The improved slide mechanism was fairly
successful in that country throughout the 19th century, and such instruments continued to be made into
the 20th century in the U.S. as well. The most important mechanical improvement, however, was the
invention of the *valve for brass instruments about 1814. Valves were very quickly applied to the
trumpet, and, although crude at first, were gradually refined until they provided the trumpet with a fairly
even chromatic scale. By the mid-19th century, the orchestral trumpet in F had two or three valves
instead of the crooks used earlier in the century. Late in the 19th century, as larger orchestras played
for larger audiences, the long F trumpet was finally given up in favor of shorter-valved trumpets in Bb
and C. The new instruments were louder, more brilliant, and somewhat easier to play accurately. After
the mid-1920s, the trumpet also replaced the comet in dance bands.

Source: http://www.virtualtrumpetstudio.com/historyoftrumpet.htm

Trumpet

Background
A trumpet is a brass wind instrument noted for its powerful tone sounded by lip
vibration against its cup-shaped mouthpiece. A trumpet consists of a cylindrical
tube, shaped in a primary oblong loop that flares into a bell. Modern trumpets also
have three piston valves as well as small, secondary tubing that act as tuning
slides to adjust the tone. Almost all trumpets played today are B-flat. This is the
tone naturally played when the trumpet is blown. They have a range between the
F-sharp below middle C to two and a half octaves above (ending at B), and are
comparatively easier to play than other brass instruments.

The first trumpets were probably sticks that had been hollowed out by insects.
Numerous early cultures, such as those in Africa and Australia, developed hollow,
straight tubes for use as megaphones in religious rites. These early "trumpets"
were made from the horns or tusks of animals, or cane. By 1400 b.c. the
Egyptians had developed trumpets made from bronze and silver, with a wide bell.
People in India, China, and Tibet also created trumpets, which were usually long
and telescoped. Some, like Alpine horns, rested their bells on the ground.
Assyrians, Israelites, Greeks, Etruscans, Romans, Celts, and Teutonic tribes all had
some form of horn, and many were decorated. These instruments, which
produced low, powerful notes, were mainly used in battle or during ceremonies.
They were not usually considered to be musical instruments. To make these
trumpets, the lost-wax method was used. In this process, wax was placed in a
cavity that was in the shape of a trumpet. This mold was then heated so that the
wax melted away, and in its place molten bronze was poured, producing a thickwalled instrument.
The Crusades of the late Middle Ages (A.D. 1095-1270) caused most of Europe to
come into contact with Arabic cultures, and it is believed that these
introduced trumpas made from hammered sheets of metal. To make the tube of
the trumpet, a sheet of metal was wrapped around a pole and soldered. To make
the bell, a curved piece of metal shaped somewhat like an arc of a phonograph
record was dovetailed. One side was cut to form teeth. These teeth were then
splayed alternately, and the other side of the piece of metal was brought around
and stuck between the teeth. Hammering the seam smoothed it down. Around
A.D. 1400 the long, straight trumpets were bent, thus providing the same sound in
a smaller, more convenient instrument. Molten lead was poured into the tube and
allowed to solidify. This was then beaten to form a nearly perfect curve. The tube
was next heated and the lead was poured out. The first bent trumpets were Sshaped, but rapidly the shape evolved to become a more convenient oblong loop.
A variety of trumpets were developed during the last half of the eighteenth
century, as both musicians and trumpet makers searched for ways to make the
trumpet more versatile. One limitation of the contemporary trumpet was that it
could not be played chromatically; that is, it could not play the half-step range
called the chromatic scale. In 1750 Anton Joseph Hampel of Dresden suggested
placing the hand in the bell to solve the problem, and Michael Woggel and Johann
Andreas Stein around 1777 bent the trumpet to make it easier for the player's

hand to reach the bell. The consensus was that this created more problems than it
solved. The keyed trumpet followed, but it never caught on, and was replaced
rapidly by valve trumpets. The English created a slide trumpet, yet many thought
the effort to control the slide wasn't worth it.
The first attempt to invent a valve mechanism was tried by Charles Clagget, who
took out a patent in 1788. The first practical one, however, was the box tubular
valve invented by Heinrich Stoelzel and Friedrich Bluhmel in 1818. Joseph Riedlin
in 1832 invented the rotary valve, a form now only popular in Eastern Europe. It
was Francois Perinet in 1839 who improved upon the tubular valve to invent the
piston valved trumpet, the most preferred trumpet of today. The valves ensured a
trumpet that was fully chromatic because they effectively changed the tube
length. An open valve lets the air go through the tube fully. A closed valve diverts
the air through its short, subsidiary tubing before returning it to the main tube,
lengthening its path. A combination of three valves provides all the variation a
chromatic trumpet needs.
The first trumpet factory was founded in 1842 by Adolphe Sax in Paris, and it was
quickly followed by large-scale manufacturers in England and the United States.
Standardized parts, developed by Gustave Auguste Besson, became available in
1856. In 1875 C. G. Conn founded a factory in Elkhart, Indiana, and to this day
most brass instruments from the United States are manufactured in this city.
Today some orchestras are not satisfied with only using B-flat trumpets. There has
been a revival of natural trumpets, rotary trumpets, and trumpets that sound
higher than the standard B-flat. Overall, however, modern trumpets produce high,
brilliant, chromatic musical tones in contrast with the low, powerful, inaccurate
trumpets of the past.

Raw Materials
Brass instruments are almost universally made from brass, but a solid gold or
silver trumpet might be created for special occasions. The most common type of
brass used is yellow brass, which is 70 percent copper and 30 percent zinc. Other
types include gold brass (80 percent copper and 20 percent zinc), and silver brass
(made from copper, zinc, and nickel). The relatively small amount of zinc present
in the alloy is necessary to make brass that is workable when cold. Some small
manufacturers will use such special brasses as Ambronze (85 percent copper, 2

percent tin, and 13 percent zinc) for making certain parts of the trumpet (such as
the bell) because such alloys produce a sonorous, ringing sound when struck.
Some manufacturers will silver- or goldplate the basic brass instrument.
Very little of the trumpet is not made of brass. Any screws are usually steel; the
water key is usually lined with cork; the rubbing surfaces in the valves and slides
might be electroplated with chromium or a stainless nickel alloy such as monel;
the valves may be lined with felt; and the valve keys may be decorated with
mother-of-pearl.

Design
Most trumpets are intended for beginning students and are mass produced to
provide fairly high quality instruments for a reasonable price. The procedure
commonly used is to produce replicas of excellent trumpets that are as exact as
possible. Professional trumpeters, on the other hand, demand a higher priced,
superior instrument, while trumpets for special events are almost universally
decorated, engraved with ornate designs. To meet the demand for custom-made
trumpets, the manufacturer first asks the musician such questions as: What style
of music will be played? What type of orchestra or ensemble will the trumpet be
played in? How loud or rich should the trumpet be? The manufacturer can then
provide a unique bell, specific shapes of the tuning slides, or different alloys or
plating. Once the trumpet is created, the musician plays it and requests any minor
adjustments that might need to be made. The trumpet's main pipe can then be
tapered slightly. The professional trumpet player will usually have a favorite
mouthpiece that the ordered trumpet must be designed to accommodate.

The Manufacturing
Process
The main tube
1 The main tube of the trumpet is manufactured from standard machinable brass
that is first put on a pole-shaped, tapered mandrel and lubricated. A die that looks
like a doughnut is then drawn down its entire length, thus tapering and shaping it
properly. Next, the shaped tube is annealedheated (to around 1,000 degrees
Fahrenheit or 538 degrees Celsius) to make it workable. This causes an oxide to

form on the surface of the brass. To remove the oxidized residue, the tube must
be bathed in diluted sulfuric acid before being bent.
2 The main tube may be bent using one of three different methods. Some large
manufacturers use hydraulic systems to push high pressure water (at
approximately 27,580 kilopascals) through slightly bent tubing that has been
placed in a die. The water presses the sides of the tubing to fit the mold exactly.
Other large manufacturers send ball bearings of exact size through the tubing.
Smaller manufacturers pour pitch into the tube, let it cool, then use a lever to
bend the tube in a standard curve before hammering it into shape.

The bell
3 The bell is cut from sheet brass using an exact pattern. The flat dress-shaped
sheet is then hammered around a pole. Where the tube is cylindrical, the ends are
brought together into a butt joint. Where the tube begins to flare, the ends are
overlapped to form a lap joint. The entire joint is then brazed with a propane
oxygen flame at 1,500 to 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit (816 to 871 degrees Celsius)
to seal it. To make a rough bell shape, one end is hammered around the horn of a
blacksmith anvil. The entire tube is then drawn on a mandrel exactly like the main
tube, while the bell is spun on the mandrel. A thin wire is placed around the bell's
rim, and metal is crimped around it to give the edge its crisp appearance. The bell
is then soldered to the main tube.

The valves
4 The knuckles and accessory tubing are first drawn on a mandrel as were the
tube and bell. The knuckles are bent into 30-, 45-, 60-, and 90-degree angles, and
the smaller tubes are bent (using either the hydraulic or ball bearing methods
used to bend the main tubing), annealed, and washed in acid to remove oxides
and flux from soldering. The valve cases are cut to length from heavy tubing and
threaded at the ends. They then need to have holes cut into them that match
those of the pistons. Even small manufacturers now have available computer
programs that precisely measure where the holes should be drawn. The valve
cases can be cut with drills whose heads are either pinpoint or rotary saws that
cut the holes, after which pins prick out the scrap disk of metal. The knuckles,
tubes and valve cases are then placed in jigs that hold them precisely, and their
joints are painted with a solder and flux mixture using a blow torch. After an acid
bath, the assembly is polished on a buffing machine, using wax of varying

grittiness and muslin discs of varying roughness that rotate at high speeds (2,500
rpm is typical).

Assembly
5 The entire trumpet can now be assembled. The side tubes for the valve slides
are joined to the knuckles and the main tubing is united end to end by
overlapping their ferrules and soldering. Next, the pistons are then inserted, and
the entire valve assembly is screwed onto the main tubing. The mouthpiece is
then inserted.
6 The trumpet is cleaned, polished, and lacquered, or it is sent to be
electroplated. The finishing touch is to engrave the name of the company on a
prominent piece of tubing. The lettering is transferred to the metal with carbon
paper, and a skilled engraver then carves the metal to match the etching.
7 Trumpets are shipped either separately for special orders or in mass quantities
for high school bands. They are wrapped carefully in thick plastic bubble
packaging or other insulating material, placed in heavy boxes full of insulation
(such as packaging peanuts) then mailed or sent as freight to the customer.

Quality Control
The most important feature of a trumpet is sound quality. Besides meeting
exacting tolerances of approximately 1 x 105 meters, every trumpet that is
manufactured is tested by professional musicians who check the tone and pitch of
the instrument while listening to see if it is in tune within its desired dynamic
range. The musicians test-play in different acoustical set-ups, ranging from small
studios to large concert halls, depending on the eventual use of the trumpet.
Large trumpet manufacturers hire professional musicians as full-time testers,
while small manufacturers rely on themselves or the customer to test their
product.
At least half the work involved in creating and maintaining a clear-sounding
trumpet is done by the customer. The delicate instruments require special
handling, and, because of their inherent asymmetry, they are prone to imbalance.
Therefore, great care must be taken so as not to carelessly damage the
instrument. To prevent dents, trumpets are kept in cases, where they are held in
place by trumpet-shaped cavities that are lined with velvet. The trumpet needs to
be lubricated once a day or whenever it is played. The lubricant is usually a

petroleum derivative similar to kerosene for inside the valves, mineral oil for the
key mechanism, and axle grease for the slides. The grime in the mouthpiece and
main pipe should be cleaned every month, and every three months the entire
trumpet should soak in soapy water for 15 minutes. It should then be scrubbed
throughout with special small brushes, rinsed, and dried.
To maintain the life of the trumpet, it must occasionally undergo repairs. Large
dents can be removed by locally annealing and hammering, small dents can be
hammered out and balls passed through to test the final size, fissures can be
patched, and worn pistons can be replated and ground back to their former size.

Source: http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/trumpet.aspx

TYPES OF TRUMPETS
Trumpets are made in many keys, including low F, Bb, C, D, Eb, E, F, G and A.
The Bb trumpet is the most common type used. This is the type of trumpet that
most students begin on and that most profressional situations call for. The C
trumpet is also commonly used. This trumpet uses shorter tuning slides and has
a slightly brighter sound than the Bb trumpet, making it the trumpet of choice for
many orchestral performers. The differences between these instruments are
subtle and to most ears hard to recognize. The next time youre watching an
orchestra, see if you can notice a trumpet whose tuning slide doesnt extend as
far.
Take a look at a Bb Trumpet
Take a look at a C Trumpet

THE CORNET
The cornet is a very close relative of the trumpet. Sometimes students will begin
on this instrument rather than the Bb trumpet due to its being slightly
compressed in appearance and thus being easier to hold. Some musicians

prefer the cornet over the trumpet as it produces a slightly mellower sound.
Take a look at a CORNET

THE FLUGELHORN
The flugelhorn is another relative of the trumpet. It looks like a very puffed out
version of the trumpet and is played in the same manner. It has a naturally softer
tone (and, from personal experience, a much more forgiving sound). It tends to
be most often found in jazz-related settings. The most well-known flugelhorn
player is Chuck Mangione, who had a hit during the 1970s with Feels So
Good.
Take a look at a FLUGELHORN

THE PICCOLO TRUMPET

The piccolo trumpet is the smallest trumpet available. Becauseh this trumpet
uses much less tubing, its pitch is much higher than the conventional. They are
most commonly made as Bb instruments, but are also available in other keys.
Another distinguishing characteristic is that most piccolo trumpets have 4 valves
instead of 3, the 4th being used to lower the pitch. Today, piccolo trumpets are
most commonly found in religious settings.
Take a look at a PICCOLO TRUMPET

THE POCKET TRUMPET

The pocket trumpet is a Bb trumpet that is much shorter. Its compressed
construction affords it a very unique sound. These trumpets are used relatively
rarely. Probably the most popular performer on pocket trumpet was the jazz
musician Don Cherry.
Take a look at a POCKET TRUMPET

THE BUGLE
The bugle is a valveless trumpet derived from the early trumpets. It was, and
continues to be used primarily in the military. (and the racetrack!)
Take a look at a BUGLE

OTHER TRUMPETS
Trumpets pitched in the key of low G are also called sopranos, or soprano
bugles, after their adaptation from military bugles. Traditionally used in drum and
bugle corps, sopranos have featured both rotary valves and piston valves.
Among other trumpets that are rarely seen are the slide trumpet, which uses a
slide instead of valves. There is also such a thing as a bass trumpet, which
sounds more like a trombone. There are also rotary-valve, or German, trumpets,
as well as alto and Baroque trumpets.

Source: http://www.helpful-trumpet-guide.com/Trumpet-Types.shtml

Trumpet MouthPiece Guide

Mouthpiece Selection is Critical for Success
Most musicians are playing on the wrong mouthpiece or choosing incorrectly when it
comes to playing a specific job. Ultimately, it is a personal choice! My current setup
consists of many different mouthpieces. These allow me to effectively play many styles
of music. I've bought over 60+ different mouthpieces over the years - here are some that
I've selected that will help you play different styles of music. They are not in any
particular order - different mouthpieces for different jobs.
Yamaha 14B4 Trumpet Mouthpiece This is a great everyday mouthpiece that you would
use for 60-80% of your playing. It has a nice tone, the flatter cushion rim (size 4),
combined with the medium smaller cup (size B) allow versatility between the octaves

without sacrificing sound on the low notes. Nice flexibility capability. This might be
your end-all mouthpiece, or at least a nice place to start your exploration. Order this
mouthpiece

Bobby Shew Lead Trumpet Mouthpiece Bobby Shew is one of the greatest
jazz trumpeters of all time. Equally at home in a variety of genres, he has played a
powerful lead in many of the world's top bands, but is equally revered for his expressive
solos. This mouthpiece gives that extra sizzle and high note clarity for playing lead
parts. It features enough air compression for high range playing, but still allows a big
open sound. Characteristics: Inner Diameter 16.54mm - Semi Round Rim - Shallow Cup
- Throat 3.65mm and Narrow backbore. Bobby is a great guy and I got to meet him in
Chicago at one of 'Tooth's (Frank Mantooth) recording sessions. Great player - great
mouthpiece. This is also a fine mouthpiece for 2nd part player in a jazz/rock
group. Order this mouthpiece

ALLEN VIZZUTTI is one of the most amazing trumpet soloists of our

time. Equally at home in a multitude of musical idioms, he has traveled the world
performing with a rainbow of artists and ensembles, ranging from Chick Corea to the
Royal Philharmonic. In addition, for many years he was one of Hollywood's leading
studio artists; he can be heard on more than 100 movie soundtracks. His extended
playing range and incredible technique require a perfectly balanced mouthpiece. The
Vizzutti mouthpiece offers a warm focused sound, accurate and centered intonation, and
incredible flexibility. This is a PRO level mouthpiece. I really like this one. It is one of
my favorites. Mr. Vizzutti is known for his amazing technical abilities. He clearly

practices in a methodical fashion with goals and benchmarks that he sets for himself.
This is a good idea for anyone! Order this mouthpiece
Bach 1c - This is also a mouthpiece that more refined and practiced players gravitate
towards. It is has bigger cup and bigger sound. Order this mouthpiece
Yamaha 14a4a Lead Trumpet Mouthpiece This is a standard mouthpiece to explore stage
work, lead playing, rock music, pop or jazz band or any kind of music where you want
the trumpet to cut through a group. It has a VERY bright sound and is designed to play
in the upper register. The smallest size cup (size a) makes playing in the upper register
much easier, it has the nice cushion rim for the lips (size 4) and the smaller tight (size
a) backbore will give you that extra push needed for the upper register. This is also a
fine mouthpiece for 2nd part player in a jazz/rock group. Order this mouthpiece
'Standard 7c' Trumpet Mouthpiece This is the mouthpiece that came with your trumpet.
If you are looking to replace your first mouthpiece with a newer, non dented, non
tarnished or scratched version :) this is the one you want. (see 3c also) Order this
mouthpiece
3c Trumpet Mouthpiece I often play a 3c - just a nice all round mouthpiece, sharper rim
than the 14B4, and a bit bigger cup than a 'standard 7c' this is a very nice mouthpiece those returning to the horn might want to consider the 3c over the 7c. Order this
mouthpiece
Trying different mouthpieces is an educational experience. It is also a necessary step for
discovering how you can sound your best. Have fun!
Source: http://www.trumpetstudio.com/mouthpieces.html

How To Select A Trumpet Mouthpiece

October 27, 2013Articles trumpet mouthpiece 1 comment.

The trumpet mouthpiece is a significant part of your instrument and you cannot

choose a wrong size or shape. There is no standard rule that says certain types of
trumpet mouthpieces would suit all and sundry. Quite to the contrary, a certain
trumpet mouthpiece that is being hailed by veterans and beginners may not be
suitable for you at all.
There are two things that you should know. First, the trumpet mouthpiece needs
to complement your playing ability. Second, trumpet mouthpieces should be
conducive to the type of music you wish to play.
You cannot select a trumpet mouthpiece based on which brand makes it or by
simply endorsing someones suggestion. You need to take the common types of
trumpet mouthpieces in your hand, play them and then decide which one would
be ideal for you.
Here is quick guide to judge the four most important attributes
of a trumpet mouthpiece the rim, the cup, the throat and the
backbore.

Trumpet Mouthpiece Rim

The rim (1) is the first attribute of a trumpet mouthpiece that
you should check out. The inner rim diameter should fit your
mouth perfectly. People with larger mouths can opt for larger
diameters but if you have a smaller mouth then you should
opt for a smaller diameter. Larger diameters require a lot more
air and can be tiring for any musician.
The width of the rim (2) and the bite (4) should also be chosen
based on your comfort level. A soft inner bite may be more
desirable. When considering rim width keep in mind that wide
rims tend to stretch your lips and very narrow rims often do not produce the best
sound.

Trumpet Mouthpiece Cup

The cup (5) can be very deep or very shallow. You have to choose one that is good
for the type of music you will play. Deeper cups are great for orchestras, bands
and symphonies while shallow cups are good for playing the upper registries. You
should strike a balance if you have to play both types of music.

Trumpet Mouthpiece Throat

The throat (6) diameter, also referred to as bore, should be chosen in accordance

to your ability to generate air pressure. A throat bore has a range of 1 to 60 and
27 is considered to be the standard. You should try different throat sizes to see
what works best for you. Start out around 27 and climb up or down depending on
how comfortable you feel and how much air pressure you can normally exert.

Trumpet Mouthpiece Backbore

The backbore (7) can have various shapes and sizes but you should boil that down
to how large or tight it is. Larger ones are good if you can blow out a lot of air and
the tighter ones are good for those who may not blow a lot of air but can generate
adequate air pressure.
For beginning students, its important to use a trumpet mouthpiece that is of
medium cup depth, rim width and bore (throat). A Bach 7C mouthpiece is a good
size to start with.
Source: http://www.topratedtrumpets.com/trumpet-mouthpiece-selection/