Introduction to the Trumpet, pt 1
December 27th, 2009 | Acoustic Musical Instruments, Instrument History, trumpet
The trumpet has proven itself to be one of the most ancient of all musical instruments that is still being played today. Many clear depictions of the trumpet instrument have survived in paintings from Egypt, and there are two trumpets that were found in Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt that date back to at least 1350 BC if not earlier. One of these trumpets is made from silver and the other is a combination between gold and brass. There are many different examples of roman trumpets as well as Greek trumpets, which like the instruments found in Egypt were made using a single straight conical tube that flared to a bell at the end.
Trumpet Pitch
At the fifteenth century's beginning, instrument makers were just beginning to experiment with the idea of bending the trumpet instrument. By creating an S shape out of the instrument, they found that the instrument suddenly became significantly more manageable without compromising the quality of the sound in any way. Surprisingly, the first ever slide trumpet was actually invented somewhere around the 1400s. This offered an elongated mouth piece section that slid along the inside of the main length of tubing, allowing the player to alter the length of the tubing, and as a result, alter the pitch sound as well.
All instruments have been reliant on the harmonic series in order to allow for them to play in tune. The brass family of instruments happens to rely on the harmonic series more seriously than most other instruments. During this period, the trumpet was a continuous tube that did not possess any finger holes or any keys. The only pitches that were available to the trumpet at the time were those that the harmonic series offered. The distance between the pitches is much larger at the lower end of the harmonic series. It is only when you reach the eighth partial that the movement is capable of being achieved by step.
By the middle of the 16th century, the trumpet was capable of playing up to the 13th partial rather than the 8th. This means that a half scale was available, and this high register took the clarion name after the small and high trumpet that had the same name at the time.
Design and Development
During the 16th century, the trumpet instrument found itself being revered among all other instruments and many royal courts at the time were employing as many as 20 trumpeters at a time. The aesthetics of the trumpet received a considerable amount of attention during this time, though this is not a surprise considering the royal status that the instrument received during this period of time. The S shaped trumpet's mouth piece section underwent a design change so that the mouthpiece section was brought to be alongside the bell section. This created the familiar elongated spiral. The parallel lengths of the tube were then bound together in order to create strength, and ornaments like colored tassels were often added as well.
 |
|
US $4.99 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $.98 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $19.30 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $5.99 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $9.95 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $18.00 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $190.00 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $9.50 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $925.00 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $.99 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $.97 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $5.99 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $28.77 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $52.93 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $31.00 |
Sale |
Photo Credits: Steve Wampler
Originally posted 2009-08-28 03:16:27. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts -
Triangle 101 There are a range of different metal percussion instruments that can be found in the modern western orchestra, even though many of them have origins that are not only ancient in nature, but also global as well. The Triangle - The triangle is a two piece instrument that is comprised...... -
Learning to Play the Acoustic Guitar When it comes to learning how to play the acoustic guitar and its associated cords, there are a myriad of different places that you can turn to in order to get the help you need. Although there may be a myriad of different sites out there that will help you...... -
Oboe 101 The oboe has a larger relative, which is the Cor Anglais, and both of these instruments are capable of producing a sound that has been described as being sweet, beautiful and even haunting. When they are used as solo instruments, the sound that these instruments are capable of producing has...... -
Fiddle or Violin? The violin is traditionally associated with western style Classical music. Musicians who learn the violin do so by reading printed music, playing exactly what is written from one note to the next. The music associated with playing the violin is often regarded as being complex and challenging. One example of...... -
A Look at the Saxhorn The saxhorn is an instrument that belongs to the brass family of instruments. It is a valved instrument. The saxhorn is a brass instrument that features a tapered bore and a mouthpiece that is shaped like a deep cup. The sound that the saxhorn creates has a quality that is......
Related Websites -
Primer for Bass Drums The essential driving force behind a completed drum set is the bass drums. These are the heart of the drum set because all of the additional equipment is attached to them. The bass also provides what is essentially the underlying beat to your drumming rhythm. Your drum set needs to...... -
Fountain Pen Collectables -> Pens-and-Writing-Instruments -> Pens You can walk into almost any store today and purchase a fountain pen. Technically, the modern ballpoint pen is a fountain pen, at least by definition. But the type of fountain pen most people think of is a vintage pen that's refillable and has...... -
The Legacy of Jaco Pastorius - Joe Sinaguglia For over twenty years now, the planet has been without the presence of Jaco Pastorius, the revolutionary electric bass player of the 70s. He was a member of the group Weather Report and later led his own bands. Sadly, the lifestyle caught up to him in 1987. Despite his death,...... -
Save Time, Money and Space in Over 80 Ways If you're looking for handy gadgets, tools and various items that can save you time, money or space (or all three!) this list of more than 80 top products is just what you need. Everyone's got saving money on their minds these days. Some of us are always looking to...... -
The History of the Bass Guitar The electric bass guitar is a staple of the music scene today. It provides the bass spectrum of sound to the likes of rock, jazz, metal, blues and numerous other musical acts. The bass may provide one part of the larger melody, or be featured as the primary instrument. Over......
Online Stores
If you liked this article, vote for it on del.icio.us and stumbleupon.
Categories:
Tags:
0 comments ↓
There are no comments yet...Kick things off by filling out the form below.
Leave a Comment