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Originally Posted by misty.sj  I never played trumpet past high school. When I was in college playing French horn, we had to transpose viola parts, and walk uphill barefoot in the snow to school. (haha) I never understood why the trumpeters had like 4 - 5 instruments that they lugged around with them all the time! So please explain:
1. Cornet - I think this sounds like a trumpet but mellow-er, right? Or is that flugelhorn, a la Chuck Mangione?
2. C Trumpet - This one totally confuses me. What is that 2-step transposition going to get you?? Is this so you can play flute parts without transposing? :) Or is there some harmonic reason?
3. Piccolo vs Pocket Trumpet - OK as far as I can tell, a pocket trumpet looks almost like a normal trumpet, only compressed. A piccolo trumpet is 'mini.' I tried playing one once and could not get a sound out, even after having played French horn. I've never played or really been near a 'pocket trumpet'.
So please tell me what all these different horns are about! Oh, and what is the 4th valve on the 4-valve trumpets? Is this like the Bb key on a F/Bf horn?
That's all the stupid questions (for now!) :) |
1. I can't help you, I've never played a cornet
2. C-trumpets allow for the top of the staff to be a little easier, they have a different (to me brighter). Also, most american orchestras seem to prefer it
(someone should give a better answer for this)
3. Pocket trumpet is just that, a smaller trumpet with a tighter wrap. A piccolo trumpet i 1/2 the length of a normal trumpet and helps with the upper register (Maurice Andre is the first person that comes to mind). Going there from french horn is in the opposite direction of piccolo, except possibly bore size.
4. 4th valve allows for alternate fingering to help with intonnation (i guess that's like french horn) and also can allow for playing lower (such as for piccolo trumpets)
hope that helps