Trumpets and Trumpet Accessories

The trumpet has a long, storied history. Originally used for military purposes, the instrument has found a home in nearly every genre of modern music. Each year, thousands of music students around the world take their first steps into the world of the trumpet. Many of them will continue playing throughout the course of their lives.

Trumpetamerica.org is devoted to preaching the gospel of the trumpet. Our site is designed to provide a variety of information relating to all aspects of this wonderful instrument. From design and construction to care and maintenance, we want our site to be a resource for trumpet players of all ages and abilities.

Trumpets have been around for several millennia. The first known examples of the trumpet have been dated to around 2000 B.C. Rudimentary versions of these instruments have been found through archeological digs in Egypt, Scandinavia and even China. It is believed that these early examples were used primarily for military and religious activities, and were not “musical instruments” in the modern sense.

The Renaissance period of Europe is where trumpet instruments became “musical”. Since that time, improvements in metallurgy and the invention of valves have made trumpet players a staple in everything from orchestras to rock bands. During the era of the big band, trumpet players became the equivalent to today’s rock stars. Jazz trumpet is still a primary influence on today’s players.

At about the same time that New Orleans was giving birth to jazz, an Austrian immigrant to the United States was perfecting what most people consider to be one of the greatest trumpets ever designed. The Bach Trumpet, courtesy of Vincent Bach, was first marketed in the 1920’s. Many modern trumpet manufacturers still look to his original design for inspiration.

Brass horns like the trumpet and the French horn are defined by how the sound of the instrument is produced. A trumpet mouthpiece is the resonator that takes the vibration produced by the player’s lips and transfers it through the horn. While there are woodwind instruments that are made from metal, only “brass” instruments produce sound in this manner.

Modern trumpets can be found in a number of different colored lacquers and platings. A raw brass trumpet often uses these protective coatings to prevent tarnishing, however, a silver trumpet (usually plated, not lacquered) is often preferred due to the greater resonance they produce when compared to a lacquered version. This is especially true for lead players in both jazz and orchestra settings.

Trumpet accessories are important for every trumpet player. Many music stores, online and locally, will sell maintenance kits that are highly recommended. These usually include a series of brushes used to clean the inside of the tubing, as well as polishing cloths and of course, valve oil. Other common accessories include a variety of different mutes, each producing its own unique sound. There are a few companies that make practice mutes, which are electronic nature and transfer all the sound of the trumpet into a set of headphones. These are often recommended as a means of keeping your neighbors happy during your daily practice sessions.

 

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