Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Trumpet Malfunctions: Stuffy or Airy Sounds on a Trumpet or other Brass Instrument

A band director friend of mine recently e-mailed me and asked me about a problem that one of his students was having with their trumpet. I decided to post that response to him here, because I thought that other trumpet players and band directors might also find this information helpful when trying to solve problems with trumpets, cornets, and other valved brass instruments that are not working right and are getting a bad sound.

My friend's original e-mail about this was:

One of my trumpet students came to me with a problem with her instrument. I tried it myself, and it sounds like there is something misaligned. The sound is stuffy and fuzzy-sounding. When I play it, I can hear the correct notes, but it sounds like the horn has a mute on it. I am completely mystified. All of the valves seem to be in place, and nothing seems to be broken. It almost sounds like the sound you get when you press down the valves halfway and play. Please help! I don't want to have to send this trumpet to a repair shop for something that might be an easy fix.

My reply to this e-mail was:

Assuming that you have already checked to make sure that each of the valve's valve-guide notches is locked in its place in the groove inside of its corresponding valve casing, there are five other possible causes of this problem:

1. Check the valves to make sure that none of the felts/corks/synthetic-rubber spacer-bumpers on the valves are missing. (These spacer-bumpers are made of different materials on different brands and models of trumpets and other piston-valved brass instruments.) There are two of these on each valve: One on the outside of the instrument that makes the valve quieter when the valve is pressed down, AND one on the inside of the instrument that makes the valve quieter when the valve is released and pops back up.
Check also to make sure that these felts/corks/spacer-bumpers are not worn too thin (a common problem with older instruments.) These bumpers not only make the valves quieter, but also act as spacers that make sure that the ports in the valves line up evenly with the valve slide ports. If the valve is out of alignment due to missing or worn spacer-bumpers, the result will be a stuffy, almost half-valved type of sound. This can be quickly and easily repaired by simply replacing the spacer bumpers.

2. Check for water key leaks. If a water key cork is missing or broken or otherwise not sealing well, then the result will be an airy or stuffy sound. Check also to make sure that the water key spring is not broken or missing, and check to make sure that the water key is not bent, which would also prevent it from sealing completely. At any rate, any of these water key problems are usually easily and quickly fixed.

3. Check to see if the valves have been taken out and mixed up. (Valves 1, 2, and 3 should each be inserted in the correct valve casing. The valve numbers are always stamped somewhere on the vavles, usually near the spring.) Sometimes, when the valves get mixed up and out of place, you can't blow any air through the instrument at all. Other times, you can blow air through the instrument, but it is very stuffy and half-valved sounding. (This depends on the particular valve mix-up that was made.) Valves sometimes mixed up like this after all the valves were taken out at the same time, such as when giving the instrument a bath. Also, while you are at it, make sure that none of the valve guides (the metal or plastic piece under the spring with one or two notches on it) have been taken out and turned upside down or backwards, which could also negatively effect the alignment of the valve ports.

4. Check to make sure that something isn't stuck inside the instrument, blocking the air flow. Sometimes loose items that are kept in the case work their way into the bell and then get stuck in the instrument tubing. Sometimes, younger siblings drop things down the instrument's bell or leadpipe and get these things stuck inside the instrument. To check for this, pull out all of the slides and valves and run a snake through all of the instrument's tubing to check to see if all of the tubing passageways are clear. Some things that I have found stuck inside of students instruments over the years include: valve oil bottle caps, valve oil bottles, mouthpiece brushes, small pencils, hair barrettes, rubber balls and other toys, hard candy, chewing gum........Well, those are just a few items that come quickly to mind.

5. Check to make sure that there isn't a leak somewhere in the instrument.
A broken weld that is allowing air to escape somewhere or a pinpoint-sized hole caused by corrosion on an old instrument can result in air leaks that cause an airy or stuffy sound. This problem is not very common, but can be fixed by either re-welding the instrument back together or by patching holes (Both of these will require a trip to the instrument repair shop.)

The problem that your student is experiencing is almost certain to be the result of one of the above causes, it's just a matter of investigating and solving the mystery. Luckily, most of the above problems can be easily fixed, so your trumpet student should be able to get a clear, beautiful sound again very soon, and will then be able to play "Flight of the Bumblebee" again!

Randy

Randy Dunn
Professional Trumpet Soloist
Website: http://www.dunn2music.com
Music Video Demos: http://www.youtube.com/HoustonTrumpet

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

The Perfect Flugelhorn Mouthpiece (I finally found it!)

It seems as if most serious trumpet players (including cornet and flugelhorn players) spend a good part of their lives searching for new mouthpieces. Everyone is always looking for that almost mythical trumpeter’s Holy Grail: The perfect trumpet mouthpiece that facilitates high range, has a rich, beautiful tone quality in all registers, increases endurance, and feels comfortable on the lips. Until locating this seemingly unattainable mouthpiece that is perfect in every way, each trumpet player seems to be temporarily content with finding a new mouthpiece that is at least a slight improvement over their last mouthpiece. But, hope springs eternal that the perfect mouthpiece will eventually be found and that the trumpet player will eventually be able to happily settle down with a permanent mouthpiece and will be able to end his long quest, never having to search for that elusive perfect mouthpiece again.

I am fortunate to finally be at the point where I don’t buy new mouthpieces very often anymore, nor am I even exited about trying out new mouthpieces anymore. This is because I have found my perfect trumpet (and cornet and flugelhorn) mouthpieces. For many years now, I have played on basically the same mouthpieces. These are mouthpieces that I consider perfect (at least perfect for me—although many other professional players that I know who have tried them like them also.) So I haven’t changed my classical-legit/all-around mouthpiece or my piccolo trumpet/lead trumpet mouthpiece or my (rarely used) Brandenburg/extreme lead trumpet mouthpieces in several years now.

These perfect mouthpieces of mine do everything that I want them to, and I can’t imagine finding mouthpieces that I would like better for their purposes or that would be an improvement over these mouthpieces in any way. I have described these perfect mouthpieces of mine in detail in my previous Blog article, “How to Choose Trumpet Mouthpieces, Piccolo Trumpet Mouthpieces, and Lead Trumpet Mouthpieces, PART 2”.

Until very recently (December 2008), the only one of my mouthpieces that I still felt might need to be replaced and upgraded was my flugelhorn mouthpiece. Most trumpet players tend not to give their search for the perfect flugelhorn mouthpiece the same relentless attention as their search for the perfect trumpet mouthpiece since, for most trumpet players, the flugelhorn is merely a secondary doubling instrument and isn’t usually used as much as the trumpet. (Unless you’re somebody like Chuck Mangione, of course.)

I liked my old flugelhorn mouthpiece just fine. It was a Bach 10 & ¾ CW Flugelhorn mouthpiece, which had the same rim as all of my “perfect” trumpet and cornet mouthpieces that I have used for many years and have no intention of switching from. The rim of my Bach flugelhorn mouthpiece was comfortable and the tone was beautiful. The only thing that I didn’t like about this mouthpiece was that it seemed difficult to play on in the upper register, and playing for extended periods of time on it in the upper register caused fatigue and caused my endurance to suffer greatly.

I have discussed this issue of flugelhorn range and endurance problems with many other professional trumpet/flugelhorn players, and always got the same types of responses like,
“Well, you know the flugelhorn is really an alto instrument anyway, so it’s not really designed to play as high as the trumpet is.” Also, many other pro players that I have talked to about this issue have responded, “Well, if you find a great flugelhorn mouthpiece that is easy to play high notes on, yet still has a good sound—even in the low register—and also increases your endurance, well let me know, because I need one too!”

While it is true that, for section work and for most solo work the flugelhorn is an alto range instrument (and this is generally the range that the flugelhorn is used in the most and sounds best in), hearing some of those great jazz flugelhorn players (who are few in number) who have had a great command of the upper register (Freddie Hubbard is a good example that comes quickly to mind) had convinced me that there must be a better flugelhorn mouthpiece out there somewhere. Either that, or these outstanding flugelhorn players must simply be practicing about 8 hours a day in order to build up their chops and endurance to play the way that they do. Finding a better flugelhorn mouthpiece had become more important to me in recent years because I found myself using the flugelhorn more often, not only as a jazz solo and section instrument, but also as a classical solo instrument.

One day, while recommending to a friend that he check out the Parduba trumpet mouthpieces (for a lead trumpet/piccolo trumpet mouthpiece that would boost his high range), I noticed that Parduba also makes flugelhorn mouthpieces. Hmmmmm……..I had never even seen a Parduba flugelhorn mouthpiece before, but I thought it might be worth a try, since I have happily used a Parduba 4 & ½ trumpet (& cornet) mouthpiece as my piccolo trumpet/lead trumpet mouthpiece for many years (although I have replaced the original Parduba rim on this mouthpiece with a Bach 10 & ¾ CW screw-rim, which is much more comfortable.

So…….I ordered a Parduba 4 & ½ flugelhorn mouthpiece. I ordered the mouthpiece directly from Dick Akright, who manufactures, distributes, and sells the Parduba mouthpieces. He made my Parduba flugelhorn mouthpiece for me very quickly and I received it in a very short time after ordering it. (Fast service is always a great thing, but is especially important when it pertains to the seemingly life-long quest for a perfect mouthpiece!)

I pessimistically figured that I would try out my new Parduba flugelhorn mouthpiece with one of three results: (A) I would not like it at all, or (B) I might “sort of like it”, but would need to try some other, nearby sizes to find one that would work a little better, or (C)—best case scenario, I thought—I might possibly like it a little better than my Bach 10 & ¾ CW flugelhorn mouthpiece, but would need to replace the original Parduba rim with the Bach rim, for the sake of comfort and slightly better endurance.

To my surprise and delight, none of the above expected scenarios proved to be true. The Parduba 4 & ½ flugelhorn mouthpiece turned out to be my once elusive perfect flugelhorn mouthpiece. It has a beautiful sound and it instantly kicked my flugelhorn range up into extreme lead trumpet territory and almost infinitely increased my endurance. And yet, this mouthpiece also sounds great in the low register, even on pedal tone notes and on low alto and tenor register notes that use the fourth valve (I play a Getzen Eterna 4-valve flugelhorn.) And, the rim on the Parduba flugelhorn mouthpiece is very comfortable; even more comfortable than the rim on my old Bach 10 & ¾ CW flugelhorn mouthpiece.


The Parduba flugelhorn mouthpiece sounds slightly brighter (and richer) than my old Bach flugelhorn mouthpiece, yet still gets that dark, velvety sound that is characteristic of the flugelhorn. The slightly brighter sound is actually a plus for solo work, because if the sound is too dark, it is harder to hear the flugelhorn over the other instruments in the ensemble that it is playing with. The Parduba flugelhorn mouthpiece also increases the player’s high range due to the fact that it, like the Parduba trumpet and cornet mouthpieces, has a double cup. There is a shallow, bowl-shaped first cup, with a very deep, V-shaped (flugelhorn-style) second cup that sits inside of and at the bottom of the first cup. The shallow first cup facilitates notes in the high register, while the deep second cup allows for a big and beautiful tone quality. I don’t know what the specifications of the bore (throat) and backbore of the Parduba flugelhorn mouthpiece are, but I am guessing that they are both tighter (smaller) than the Bach flugelhorn mouthpiece. At any rate, they seem to be perfect in size and shape.

I have finally found the perfect flugelhorn mouthpiece and would encourage anyone who is looking for a similar flugelhorn mouthpiece solution to try some Parduba flugelhorn mouthpieces. It might be the best move you’ve ever made, and hopefully the last such mouthpiece move for you.

By the way—I also occasionally double on trombone, and when I do, I play on a Parduba 3-Star trombone mouthpiece (not to be confused with the Parduba #3 trombone mouthpiece). It’s a great mouthpiece for trumpet players who double on trombone, because the inner rim diameter of this mouthpiece is about the same as that of the largest trumpet mouthpieces. And yet, because of the double cup, the rich sound and range (both high and low) are incredible. And it is much easier for trumpet players to switch back and forth between trombone and trumpet when using this mouthpiece than it is when using a more standard, larger-diameter rim trombone mouthpiece.

Randy

Randy Dunn
Professional Trumpet soloist
Website: http://www.dunn2music.com
Music Video Demos: http://www.youtube.com/HoustonTrumpet

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Trumpet Legend Bud Herseth to Appear in Houston!!!

Rice University's Shepherd School of Music will be hosting a series of major trumpet events when legendary trumpeter Adolph (Bud) Herseth visits Houston March 27 through March 29, 2008. Herseth is the former principal trumpet with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, where he assumed a significant role in shaping the art of modern symphonic and classical trumpet performance.

Click HERE to download the informational PDF flier promoting this event.

This is a rare opportunity for trumpeters and fans of trumpet and brass music to see, pay tribute to, and experience the brilliance of one of the greatest trumpet masters of all time.

All of the events in this series are FREE to attend and include:

THURSDAY, MARCH 27
Shepherd School Brass Choir, Marie Speziale, conductor.
A tribute concert honoring a living legend, Adolph (Bud) Herseth, former principal trumpet of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, who will be in attendance. Music of Shostakovich, Wagner, Gottschalk, Tomasi, and Altenburg, featuring the trumpet sections of the Houston Symphony Orchestra and the Houston Grand Opera Orchestra performing with the Shepherd School Brass Choir.
8:00 p.m., Stude Concert Hall (Rice University).

FRIDAY, MARCH 28
Guest Artist Master Class: Adolph (Bud) Herseth, trumpet
First of two master classes with the former principal trumpet of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
12:00-2:00 p.m., Stude Concert Hall (Rice University).

SATURDAY, MARCH 29
Guest Artist Master Class: Adolph (Bud) Herseth, trumpet
Second of two master classes, including a presentation of Bud Herseth’s orchestral audio recordings with a PowerPoint projection of trumpet parts.
2:00-4:00 p.m., Hirsch Orchestra Rehearsal Hall (Rice University).

ALSO.....Bud Herseth will be judging the winds, brass, percussion & harp concerto competition finals at Rice University on Saturday, March 29,
10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at
Stude Concert Hall (Rice University)
This competition performance is also open to the public.

ALL OF THE ABOVE EVENTS ARE FREE.


Helpful Resource Links:


Stude Concert Hall information:
* Physical Address: 6100 S. Main, Houston, TX 77251
* Mailing Address:P.O. Box 1892 Shepherd School of Music, MS532 Houston, Texas 77251-1892

* Directions:Take entrance 8 off of University Blvd. or take entrance 12 off of Rice Blvd.

* Click here for MapQuest directions and maps.
* Public Transportation:Metro.
* Parking Information:
Venue Parking: Located out in front of Shepherd Hall.
Public Parking: Located out in front of Alice Pratt Brown Hall.
* Accessibility: This venue is handicapped accessible.

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Interesting Related Links:




Bud Herseth videos online -


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Calendar of all concerts and events at the Shepherd School of Music:

Rice University - Shepherd School of Music concerts/events calendar

Friday, February 29, 2008

Trumpets, Piccolo Trumpets, Cornets & Flugelhorns: Reviews of Some Noteworthy Brands

I recently travelled to San Antonio, Texas to attend the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Convention in San Antonio, Texas. This convention is a big one that attracts a large number of instrument dealers (both manufacturers and retailers) who exhibit their instruments there so that can be auditioned and tested by the many musicians and music educators who attend the conference. This article describes the results of my findings and opinions on some of the best instruments that I played on at this conference.

Since most of us know about the fine reputations of some the more established trumpet brands (such as Bach, Yamaha, Schilke, and Blackburn), this article will focus mostly on some more surprising positive findings that I discovered while testing instruments that fall into one of these three categories: (1) Instrument brands that are relatively new; (2) Instrument brands that have only recently been distributed to the United States; or (3) Instruments whose less well-known brand names that are deserving of wider recognition and should therefore be considered when purchasing a new instrument.

First, let’s look at a couple of great new trumpet lines that are imported from Germany. First is the Cannonball trumpet. Both trumpet models in this Big Bell Stone Series professional trumpet line, the 725, and the 789RL (reverse leadpipe) are excellent Bb trumpets that both compare very favorably with the Bach Stradivarius trumpet, which is the standard against which all other trumpets must be measured. (I especially like the reverse leadpipe model.) These instruments come in four different finish options: silver plated, retro-gold laquered, unlaquered, and black nickel plated. The instruments sound truly great in all four finish options. (See the Cannonball link for pictures of the different finishes and for additional specifications and details. Interestingly, standard features on these instruments include some extra “bling” for the trumpet: semi-precious stone valve buttons and matching resonance stone (on the body of the instrument.) Different types of stones are used as an option on these instruments. These instruments were represented at TMEA by Melhart Music Center of McAllen, Texas.

Another outstanding trumpet brand that is newly available in the USA is K & H (Kühnl & Hoyer). My favorite horns in their trumpet line are the Malte Burba Universal II professional Bb trumpet and the Malte Burba Classicum C trumpet. Again, I think that these instruments compare very favorably to Bachs and they appear to be well-crafted. The C trumpet has an especially interesting design because of the fact that the bell is set further back than other brands of Cs, so that it appears to be a shorter bell model instrument. The result is that this instrument balances in your hands very nicely and is extremely comfortable to hold in playing position. An unusual feature of both of these models is the straight braces that connect the bell to the instrument. K & H also has some other nice Bb models that are geared more toward jazz and lead trumpet players who might want a slighter brighter sound and slightly less-restricted feel. (Check the links in this paragraph for specifications and details on all of the K & H trumpets.)

Another brand that really surprised me and got my attention was the R. S. Berkeley line of trumpets (and cornets and flugelhorns.) Each one of the Berkeley trumpets and cornets that I played had a beautiful sound and feel, had really nice features, and the prices of these instruments is amazingly low. Another great bargain from this company is the R. S. Berkeley FLU668 flugelhorn, which I think is the most beautiful-sounding three-valve flugelhorn that I have ever played on. Its features include a third valve slide trigger. Berkeley also makes a piccolo trumpet, which is a real dog. For some reason, it doesn’t seem to be of the same high quality as the regular Bb trumpets and cornets in the line. The valve action, tuning, and tone quality of the piccolo trumpet were all very poor. But don’t let this scare you away from the Bb trumpets and cornets, which I liked very much. (Check the links in this paragraph for specifications and details of all of these Berkeley instruments.)

Last, but certainly not least, is the Getzen line of trumpets, cornets, and flugelhorns. Getzen is a brand that has been around for a long time (since 1962) but yet is still not as well-known or as widely recognized as the ubiquitous Bach or Yamaha brands. This is unfortunate, because Getzen makes some excellent instruments that are as good as or better than any others that are currently available, and many well-known professionals play these instruments. I played on every instrument (trumpets, cornets, and flugelhorns) at the Getzen booth, and I did not find one single instrument there that I did not like. My favorite Getzen models include the 3052 Custom Bb Trumpet (compares very favorably with the Bach Stradivarius Bb) and the 3071 Custom Series C Trumpet, with #29 heavy gold brass bell (an outstanding alternative to my old Bach Stradivarius 229 bell, 25H leadpipe C trumpet, which is my standard against which all other C trumpets are measured.) Even though (unlike Mike Vax), I am primarily a classical trumpet player, I also really liked the 3001MV Artist Model Vax Model Bb Trumpet. Mike Vax himself was there at the Getzen booth and it was a pleasure seeing and talking with the legendary lead trumpet player.

And speaking of legends…..
While in San Antonio, I also went to The Landing (a famous jazz club on the River Walk in San Antonio, at the bottom of the Hyatt hotel, downtown.) There I heard the fantastic resident jazz band that plays there almost every night, led by the legendary jazz cornet player, Jim Cullum. I really enjoyed getting to visit and talk with Jim in between sets. We talked shop a lot, and I also got to hear many of Jim’s great stories about some of the numerous wonderful, famous musicians that he has known and performed with over the years. Jim has played a Getzen cornet for many years now, and I also love the entire line of Getzen cornets (and I tried all of these out at this convention.) Even the Getzen student model cornets and student model trumpets are great!

Getzen also makes my absolute favorite flugelhorn, the four-valve 896 Eterna Flugelhorn. What a beautiful, great-playing instrument! (Which is why I own one myself.) I also played on all of the piccolo trumpets that were exhibited at the TMEA convention (including all models of the ever-popular Schilke piccolos), and I concluded that my favorite piccolo trumpet is still the Getzen Model 940S Eterna piccolo trumpet (I have owned one of these myself for a long time.) A recent improvement to this model is the addition of Blackburn leadpipes that now come standard with this instrument. Many of us professional piccolo trumpet players with older instruments had replaced the original leadpipes with Blackburn leadpipes (which makes for a major upgrade in quality.) The Getzen company recognized this trend and in November of 2007 decided to contract the Blackburn company to make its Eterna piccolo trumpet leadpipes. With the Blackburn leadpipes, I don’t think that this instrument can be beat. Sure, you could pay a lot more for a Schilke or some other brand of piccolo trumpet, but in my opinion, they just aren’t as good as the Getzen 940S Eterna piccolo trumpet. Getzen offers a high quality trumpet line with very reasonable prices. Getzen is a brand that should definitely be considered when shopping for a new instrument of any kind (trumpets in any key, cornet, or flugelhorn.)

Sunday, February 3, 2008

PART 2: How To Choose Trumpet Mouthpieces, Piccolo Trumpet Mouthpieces, & Lead Trumpet Mouthpieces

(Part 2 of a two-part article)

In part 1 of this article, I discussed the various component features of trumpet mouthpieces and what effect they have on sound and performance. I also discussed what types of mouthpieces work best for piccolo trumpet and lead trumpet playing and what types of mouthpieces work best for classical and general trumpet playing and gave some practice and playing tips for those who switch back and forth between two or more different mouthpieces.

Below, in part 2, I will discuss my own personal mouthpiece preferences, will suggest some good mouthpieces for beginner and student trumpet and cornet players, will cover a few more miscellaneous mouthpiece details, and will discuss the importance of practicing once you have found the perfect mouthpiece.

MY PERSONAL TRUMPET MOUTHPIECE PREFERENCES:

(1) FOR ME, the perfect "bigger/classical/legit" mouthpiece is: Bach 10 & 3/4 CW with a #25 throat and a #24 backbore. The rim diameter size of this mouthpiece is actually "medium-small", but the larger throat and more open backbore make the overall mouthpiece volume fairly large. It sounds like a huge mouthpiece, with a rich tone, but the smaller rim diameter actually facilitates upper register playing so that I could even use this mouthpiece for lead and piccolo trumpet playing (although not preferred for piccolo trumpet ever) as well as for all-around playing! And, I can also play on this mouthpiece for a very long time without getting tired, even when my chops are out of shape! You might like this mouthpiece too (This custom mouthpiece can be special ordered through any Bach dealer, including local and the Internet music stores mentioned above, or any other Bach dealer, or it can be ordered online directly from Bach.), OR you might prefer a similar mouthpiece with a larger rim diameter (such as a Bach 3CW with #25 throat and #24 backbore).

(2) FOR ME, the perfect "smaller specialty/piccolo/lead trumpet" mouthpiece is: A Parduba 4 & 1/2 underpart with a Bach 10 & 3/4 CW rim (First, I ordered the screw-on rim from the Bach factory, then sent it and a Parduba 4 & 1/2 mouthpiece to Bob Reeves custom trumpet & mouthpiece shop (in California) to have the Parduba rim cut off and custom machine work done to enable me to screw the Bach rim onto the Parduba underpart. If I had to play on a non-custom, stock mouthpiece for piccolo trumpet and lead trumpet playing, I would play on a Parduba 4 & 1/2 mouthpiece. In fact, I did play on this mouthpiece for many years before customizing it by changing the rim to a Bach 10 & 3/4 CW. I changed rims for two reasons: (1) It is the same rim that I use on my “big” trumpet mouthpiece, so changing between instruments is a little easier; (2) The Bach mouthpiece rim is much more comfortable. It is not as flat and sharp on the edges as the original Parduba rim. I love the Parduba double-cup mouthpiece because it gives such a full, rich, fat sound on the piccolo trumpet and on the Bb (soprano) trumpet when playing lead trumpet parts. Most other smaller specialty mouthpieces that are designed for playing piccolo or lead trumpet get such a tiny, thin sound that they make the piccolo trumpet sound like a rubber-bulb bicycle horn, and they sound stuffy in the lower register when used on the larger Bb trumpet (lead trumpet playing). It is also difficult to generate a lot of volume with them on either instrument.

(3) I do also sometimes use (in very special instances) a different mouthpiece for piccolo trumpet playing or lead playing that is extremely high, such as the Bach Second Brandenburg Concerto (piccolo trumpet) or some of those classic Billy May’s big band arrangements for Frank Sinatra (lead trumpet.) This extra-shallow, tight backbore mouthpiece is a Bob Reeves ES692SL, but with a Bach 10 ¾ CW rim put on it. (This custom screw-rim work was done for me by Bob Reeves.) This mouthpiece is similar in size and playing feel to a Schilke or Yamaha 6a4a, the same size mouthpiece that was designed and used by the late great lead trumpet player Bill Chase. I also use this mouthpiece when I am playing piccolo trumpet with a string quartet or other soft ensemble, so that I don’t over-power the ensemble with loud trumpet volume. Because of this mouthpiece’s smaller internal volume, it is easier for me to play more softly on it than it is on my “larger” Parduba piccolo/lead trumpet mouthpiece, which has a larger internal volume.

Bob Reeves makes many excellent mouthpieces for all kinds of trumpet needs, including other lead trumpet and piccolo mouthpieces that are similar to the 13A4a and 14A4a. (See the Bob Reeves website for more information.)

Jet-Tone also makes many different types of mouthpieces, but is most famous for its smaller, tighter, lead trumpet mouthpieces. (See the Jet-Tone Mouthpieces website for more information.)

MOUTHPIECES FOR BEGINNERS AND STUDENTS:

I still think that, in general, a good medium sized mouthpiece is best for beginners and younger players. Bach 5C, 6C, or 7C (or 5CW, 6CW, 7CW) is a good choice. Players with extraordinarily large lips may prefer a larger mouthpiece rim size, such as a Bach 3C.

PERFECT PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT:

Regardless of what mouthpiece or mouthpieces you finally settle on, the thing that really matters most for your playing is PRACTICE, and listening to recordings of great trumpet players and trying to imitate their tone qualities. Over the years, there have been many great players who have played on many different kinds and sizes of mouthpieces with great success. Practicing correctly and wisely (so as to always keep your lips and embouchure in good condition), and practicing regularly is even more important to your playing than what kind of mouthpiece or instrument that you play on.

And speaking of practicing: The next article that I post here will include trumpet practice tips and will include suggestions on what to practice and how to practice in order to achieve and maintain the best playing results possible.

Randy

Randy Dunn
Professional Trumpet soloist
Website: http://www.dunn2music.com
Music Video Demos: http://www.youtube.com/HoustonTrumpet

PART 1: How To Choose Trumpet Mouthpieces, Piccolo Trumpet Mouthpieces, & Lead Trumpet Mouthpieces

(Part 1 of a Two-Part Article)

The purpose of this article is to provide help in choosing trumpet mouthpieces for various applications, including use for music of all styles, classical music, lead trumpet playing, jazz and pop, and piccolo trumpet. Because there are so many brands, sizes, and options available when choosing trumpet mouthpieces, it helps to be familiar with the various mouthpiece component features and to know what effect these features have on trumpet performance. The mouthpiece is definitely the most important part of the instrument, and a well-chosen, good quality mouthpiece can make a poor quality trumpet sound good, and can make a good quality trumpet sound fantastic.

PICCOLO TRUMPET AND LEAD TRUMPET MOUTHPIECES:
As stated in my previous article “Piccolo Trumpet Answers”, if you wish to play the piccolo trumpet, you will need to get some type of a generally “smaller” high-note specialty mouthpiece, such as a Schilke 14A4a or Yamaha 14A4a (approximately the same rim diameter as a Bach 3C) or 13A4a (approximately the same rim diameter as a Bach 7C). These mouthpieces are very popular with many piccolo trumpet players as well as lead trumpet players. (The Schilke 14a4a was the first piccolo and lead trumpet mouthpiece that I ever used, and I played on it for many years.) The “A4a” mouthpieces made by Schilke and Yamaha (who uses Schike’s mouthpiece numbering system) have shallow cups and tight backbores which facilitate upper-register playing. Bob Reeves also makes some excellent mouthpieces that are similar to these types of mouthpieces, but with a different numbering system. You can go to the Bob Reeves website for more information, but basically, for piccolo or lead trumpet, you would want one of their mouthpieces that has an ES cup (Extra Shallow) with a 692sL backbore (standard trumpet mouthpiece length) or perhaps a 692s backbore (short trumpet shank model). You can add a Bob Reeves Rim to this mouthpiece configuration that is similar in size to your regular all-around/classical Bb trumpet mouthpiece rim (Their website gives the equivalent rim sizes for both Bach and Schilke/Yamaha mouthpiece rim sizes.)

Parduba double-cup mouthpieces are also excellent for piccolo trumpet and lead trumpet playing. I like these mouthpieces a lot because they sound like larger mouthpieces, with a fat, rich, powerful sound, yet are relatively easy to play in the upper register (this effect is achieved by the unusual double cup configuration—a shallow first cup, and a deeper, funnel-like, V-shaped second cup.) I especially like the Parduba 4 & 1/2 mouthpiece. I played on this mouthpiece for many years until finally deciding to improve upon it slightly by adding onto it the same rim that I use on my bigger, all-around trumpet mouthpiece (see below). Almost all trumpet mouthpiece manufacturers make some mouthpieces that are well-suited for the piccolo trumpet. Refer to the manufacturers’ trumpet mouthpiece catalogs or websites for more information, and try out any of these that sound promising to you.

ABOUT PLAYING AND PRACTICING ON LEAD AND PICCOLO TRUMPET MOUTHPIECES:
If you get a high note specialty mouthpiece, make sure that you only use it for extended or prolonged upper-register playing—like lead trumpet in a jazz band, "screech" trumpet solos, demanding 1st trumpet marching band arrangements, piccolo trumpet playing, etc. NEVER use such a mouthpiece for playing "classical" Bb or C trumpet music (including various concert band and orchestra trumpet auditions and performances, chamber music and solo & ensemble contests, concert & sight-reading band and orchestra contests, etc.) Also do not use the smaller specialty mouthpiece to play your warm-ups, practice routines, or other general practicing on. These tiny little "pea-shooter" mouthpieces generally don't have a rich enough sound in the middle and lower registers for this kind of music, and do not encourage the development and maintenance of a strong embouchure and playing endurance. They might sound good for certain special uses in the extreme upper register, but sound they tend to sound "thin" and "edgy" in the other registers, especially when used to play classical music, where a full, rich tone quality is always important.

Also, make sure to do most of your practicing on your bigger "classical trumpet" mouthpiece. You will enjoy the more beautiful tone quality and this will help you to build both high-range and endurance. Only practice on the smaller upper register "specialty" mouthpiece when you are practicing music that you will actually perform with it (such as lead trumpet parts, high jazz solos, piccolo trumpet, high first trumpet marching band or drum corps music, etc.) If the only mouthpiece you ever play on is the smaller "specialty" mouthpiece, then you will probably lose endurance & range, as well as lose your beautiful tone quality. (I know from personal experience, having tried this myself many years ago.) NEVER SPEND MORE THAN HALF OF YOUR PLAYING TIME (MAXIMUM) EACH DAY PLAYING ON THE SMALLER MOUTHPIECE!

TRUMPET MOUTHPIECES FOR GENERAL USE ON LARGER INSTRUMENTS:
And now for a few comments about the joys of a beautiful, rich trumpet tone achieved by a "larger, classical-legit" trumpet mouthpiece and a brief synopsis of some of my personal thoughts on these "larger/richer" mouthpieces:

1. In general, I think that Bach makes some of the best ones, with a lot of choices in features. The Vincent Bach set the standard for these types of mouthpieces rather early on, so most other mouthpiece brands often compare their mouthpieces to those made by Bach, even if they use a different mouthpiece numbering system. There are some other manufacturers that also make some excellent general use and classical trumpet mouthpieces, including Bob Reeves, Schilke, and Yamaha (among many others.)

2. No matter what size rim, throat, and backbore you prefer, size C cups seem to get the best, richest sound for classical/legit music on Bb or C (soprano) trumpets. (e.g., 7C, 3C, 1C, 1/2C, 5C, 6C, 10C, 10 &1/2C, 10 & 3/4 C etc.) [NOTE: These rim sizes and cups refer to those used by Bach and other companies that use a similar numbering system for their mouthpieces. For other brands, refer to the mouthpiece catalogs for size equivalencies.] Shallower cups (such as D and E cups) don’t emphasize the fundamentals and the lower overtones of the pitches enough, and therefore sound rather thin. Deeper cups (such as B & A cups) don’t emphasize the higher overtones enough, and therefore sound too dark. A mouthpiece cup that is either too shallow or too deep will not produce the rich, well-balanced, full-bodied tone that is most desirable for classical trumpet music.

3. For my big/general trumpet playing mouthpiece that I use on my larger trumpets such as the Bb or C trumpet, instead of the standard Bach backbore, I personally prefer the Bach #24 backbore (so do many outstanding orchestral/classical/legit trumpet players that I know.) The #24 backbore is more open than the standard size backbore and has a different shape that will make your tone quality richer and more beautiful. Probably the best thing you can do to improve your tone (even if it is pretty good already) is to get a Bach mouthpiece with a custom #24 backbore. The #24 backbore works best with a custom, enlarged throat size also (See the next item).

4. For my big/general trumpet playing mouthpiece that I use on my larger trumpets such as the Bb or C trumpet, I prefer a #25 throat (hole), which is 3 sizes larger than the standard throat size (#28), and 2 sizes larger than the standard Bach Megatone mouthpiece throat size (#27). This (#25) also happens to be the same throat size preferred (for many years) by Lew Soloff, jazz trumpet star, formerly with Blood, Sweat, and Tears. I have tried several different throat sizes, and this one seems perfect for me. Some very fine players prefer even larger throat sizes. Some examples of this: Phillip Smith (New York Philharmonic principal trumpeter) plays on a 1C with a #22 throat with a #24 backbore. Jazz trumpet great Arturo Sandoval plays on a 3C with a #22 throat with a #24 backbore. A larger throat makes it easier to blow (less resistance), which can improve tone and ease of playing in all registers and also seems to help with accuracy and clean articulation. HOWEVER, if you make the throat too large (for you personally), then there is not enough resistance, and you will get tired very fast, and it becomes more difficult to play notes in the extreme upper-register.

5. I also have (in recent years) come to prefer the Bach wide-rim "W" mouthpieces. (e.g., 7CW, 3CW, 1CW, 5CW, 10 & 3/4 CW, etc. I got the idea to try these mouthpieces from Ronald Romm (former trumpet with The Canadian Brass), who said that the wide-rim mouthpieces help his endurance and keep his lips from getting beat up. (I have always admired Ron’s incredible endurance.) I now totally agree with him—these mouthpieces have the same benefits for me. The wider rim spreads the mouthpiece pressure over a larger surface area (same effect as snowshoes on the snow, only with a mouthpiece on your lips) and actually encourages you to use less pressure when playing, which is always a good thing (helps both endurance and tone quality.) Some people have said that the wider rims hinder flexibility, but the Bach W rims have a nice shape that does not produce this negative effect with me (nor with Ron Romm.) I can do lip-trills, lip glisses, lipslurs, etc. just as easily and accurately on these rims as I can on any other rim.

I once heard the great jazz trumpeters Allen Vizutti and Bobby Shew discussing what size mouthpiece that trumpet players should play on for best results. Vizutti expressed his belief that “Anyone who plays on a mouthpiece that is either too small or too large is a fool.” Shew agreed with him. Their point was (and I agree), that you generally don’t want to play on a mouthpiece that is so big that you have to sacrifice high range and endurance. On the other hand, you don’t want to play on a mouthpiece that is so small that you have to: sacrifice beauty, fullness, and richness of tone quality; or accept a stuffy (not open sounding) lower register; or be unable to achieve louder dynamic levels (especially important when trying to achieve ensemble balance in large symphony orchestras or big bands).

In part 2 of this article, I will discuss my own personal mouthpiece preferences, suggest some good mouthpieces for beginners and students, and will discuss the importance of practicing once you have found the perfect mouthpiece.

Randy

Randy Dunn
Professional Trumpet Soloist
Website: http://www.dunn2music.com
Music Video Demos: http://www.youtube.com/HoustonTrumpet

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Piccolo Trumpet Answers (FAQs)

I often get questions like these from trumpet players:

● When can I begin to learn how to play the piccolo trumpet?
● What is it like playing the piccolo trumpet?
● How difficult is it to play the piccolo trumpet?
● What kind of mouthpiece do you use on the piccolo trumpet?
● What is the fourth valve for?
● What kind of music can you play on the piccolo trumpet?
● Why do most piccolo trumpets come with two leadpipes so that you can change them from piccolo trumpet in Bb to piccolo trumpet in A?
● How should I shop for a piccolo trumpet?

The following article provides answers to all of these questions, and also has some other general information about the piccolo trumpet.

You don’t want to get a piccolo trumpet and start trying to play it until you have a high range of at least an F above high C above the staff (on Bb trumpet). If you have this range already, then it is possible for you to begin playing the piccolo trumpet. (I will have some tips in a future article on this blog for increasing your high range.) The piccolo trumpet sounds brighter than the larger trumpets, such as the standard Bb & C soprano trumpets but, contrary to popular belief, the piccolo trumpet does not enable you to play high notes more easily than the larger trumpets do.

Piccolo trumpets do have smaller bore sizes than the more common larger trumpets. Since higher notes require a faster air stream, the smaller bore size does enable you to play longer phrases in the upper register without running out of air so quickly. Of course, this is also the case when playing on “smaller” mouthpieces on any size or key of trumpet, especially if any combination of the component features of the mouthpiece make the mouthpiece seem generally small and tight, aiding the upper register with more resistance: bore (throat) and/or backbore and/or cup depth and/or inside rim diameter. (NOTE: I will be soon be posting an article to this blog site that goes into detail about each of these various component features of mouthpieces.)

Since the Bb piccolo trumpet is half the total length of the common Bb soprano trumpet (when both instruments are unwound to make straight tubes), you generally shouldn’t use the same size mouthpiece for both of these instruments. Instead, you should use a “smaller” specialty mouthpiece on the piccolo trumpet. Using a large or medium sized Bb trumpet mouthpiece on a piccolo trumpet would be like trying to play a standard Bb (soprano) trumpet with a trombone mouthpiece! You would have to work too hard at it, and it would be difficult or impossible to get the proper tone color. A mouthpiece that is good for playing piccolo trumpet is also good for playing lead trumpet (i.e., first trumpet in a jazz band) or “screaming” or “screech” trumpet solos. Likewise, a good lead trumpet mouthpiece generally also makes a good piccolo trumpet mouthpiece. (NOTE: I will be posting a new article soon about how to choose good mouthpieces for the piccolo trumpet, for lead trumpet playing, and for classical music and general use on the Bb trumpet or other larger trumpets.)

BRANDS: Several manufacturers make very fine piccolo trumpets these days. (Unlike the early days when the first truly modern types of piccolo trumpets were manufactured in the 1950s.) Schilke piccolo trumpets are probably played by more professional players than any other brand, followed closely by Yamaha (who, decades ago bought plans for their trumpets from Reynold Schilke, so the two brands have many models of instruments that are very similar in design).

Maurice André, the most famous and most admired piccolo trumpet player of all time, played a Selmer (Paris) piccolo trumpet for most of his career, but now plays on a (Spanish) Stomvi piccolo. I and my friend Bob Odneal (who once played in Maynard Ferguson’s band, among others) both play on vintage Getzen piccolos made in the mid-to-late sixties. These instruments have trumpet mouthpiece receivers. Currently manufactured Getzen piccolo trumpets have a very similar design, only with a cornet mouthpiece receiver. Most brands and models of newer piccolo trumpets do have a cornet mouthpiece receiver, but some are also made with trumpet mouthpiece receivers. These newer Getzen piccolo trumpets are also a popular choice with many players. Schilke started the cornet mouthpiece receiver trend on piccolo trumpets in the late 1960s, and many other instrument makers have followed their lead. But, honestly, I don’t think that the difference really matters that much, although the smaller diameter shank of the cornet mouthpiece does help to decrease the overall bore size of the instrument. Dick Schaffer (a trumpeter who retired from the Houston Symphony Orchestra some years back after many years with the orchestra) played on a piccolo (I forget now what brand) that had a trumpet mouthpiece receiver. But, he used a cornet mouthpiece on it, making it fit the instrument by using a cornet-to-trumpet mouthpiece-to-leadpipe adapter.

Some of the more customized (and more expensive) brands of piccolos are also very good, especially Blackburn piccolo trumpets. Blackburn also sells custom replacement piccolo trumpet leadpipes that are very good. I like the stock Getzen Bb leadpipe that came with my vintage Getzen piccolo, but I hated the stock A leadpipe because I felt that it was too open and free-blowing for a piccolo trumpet. (And I use the piccolo trumpet in A, with the A leadpipe for LOTS of baroque pieces.) So, to solve this problem, I replaced the Getzen A leadpipe with a Blackburn A leadpipe designed to fit Getzen piccolos. Kanstul also makes a piccolo trumpet that is popular with many players. (See link at bottom of page for more information and specifications on different brands of piccolo trumpets.)

No matter what brand of piccolo trumpet you get, make sure to get a model that has four valves. (NOT one with just three valves!) This is because you (1) need the fourth valve to extend the instrument’s range downward low enough to handle the full range of the piccolo trumpet’s repertoire and (2) you will need to use the fourth valve to use to play certain notes in tune, especially fourth line D, which is fingered fourth valve (instead of first & third valves) and third space C#, which is fingered second & fourth valve (instead of 123). And (3) you will need the fourth valve to play certain trills more cleanly (such as trilling from C to D, which is an open to fourth valve trill.) And remember, trills and ornaments are very important in baroque music, which is the bulk of the piccolo trumpet’s repertoire! (NOTE: I plan on soon posting a four-valve piccolo trumpet fingering chart here on this same blog site.)

As a side note, be careful not to confuse pocket trumpets (and pocket cornets) with piccolo trumpets. These instruments are basically just like regular Bb soprano trumpets, only with the instrument’s tubing wrapped around much tighter for a more compact size. These pocket instruments are designed and used mostly as (1) novelty items and (2) for ease in carrying and travel (they fit in a backpack or suitcase very easily). Generally, the quality of these instruments is not as good as regular Bb trumpets (and cornets), because the bell diameter is smaller, and it is more difficult (sometimes impossible) to throw out valve slides and tuning slides while playing to fix the intonation of notes that are very sharp, such as these valve combinations: 13, 123, & (to a lesser degree) 12.

Like all other wind instruments, piccolo trumpets have their own intonation issues and tuning tendencies. My piccolo trumpet, like most brands and models, tends to play sharp in the lowest register and flat in the very highest register (unless my lips are getting tired, in which case it might be sharp in the upper register.) When I tune the instrument, I generally try to compromise between these two registers, but I tend to favor tuning the instrument a little more on the sharp side, overall. This is because it is usually easier to relax and lip a note down than it is to lip a note up to get it in tune. (Plus, your lips get tired quickly from having to lip up a lot.) In addition to this, I think that you can more easily get away with being a little sharp than a little flat. If you’re flat, it dulls the tone quality and really stands out, in a bad way. (And is consequently more painful to listen to.) Being very slightly sharp brightens the tone quality and is not so offensive to the ears. (Listen to the old analog recordings of Bill Chase’s lead trumpet playing and screech solo playing. He is just about always a little above pitch, and it sounds great.)

It is usually more difficult to find used piccolo trumpets (than it is to find used standard Bb soprano trumpets) and, because they are less commonly found, it is also less likely that you will find an incredibly good deal on a used one. However, you might try Ebay or other used instruments for sale listings on the Internet. It might be easier to just search for a good deal on a new instrument. Several reputable companies sell them online or via toll-free phone numbers. These companies can be easily located with Internet search engines.

Local music stores also sometimes stock piccolo trumpets and a variety of different mouthpieces. It is nice to be able to try out these instruments and mouthpieces at a local music store, but most of the mail-order/online stores mentioned above will send you instruments and mouthpieces to try out on approval. You usually only have to pay a small re-stocking fee for instruments or mouthpieces that you return (read about their returns policy or ask them about it if you can’t find it posted on their website.) You can also try out lots of different brands of trumpets, piccolo trumpets, and mouthpieces at trumpet, brass, and music educator conventions. For example, in the United States, many states or regions have annual music educators conventions or conferences that include exhibits of all kinds of new instruments that you can try out. The International Trumpet Guild convention (held in the USA every other year, held in other countries on alternating years) always has an excellent exhibition of instruments from a wide variety of manufacturers and distributors. Check the web sites of organizations such as these for exact convention or conference dates and locations.

Since the Bb piccolo trumpet plays an octave higher than the standard Bb soprano trumpet, when reading Bb trumpet music on the piccolo trumpet, you must transpose everything down an octave, in terms of fingerings. For example, fourth space E is played with valves 1 & 2 down, not open as on the standard Bb soprano trumpet. (This is the same fingering as for bottom line E—an octave lower—as fingered on the standard Bb soprano trumpet.) NOTE: Most publishers and music notation software programs, when printing parts specifically for the piccolo trumpet, actually place the notes an octave lower than they would be for the common Bb soprano trumpet. I think that this is to help make the fingerings a little easier to read for most people (since the fingerings will therefore be more like that of the Bb soprano trumpet this way) and also perhaps to keep the ledger lines from getting too high above the staff (although this never seems to stop a lead trumpet player!) I personally prefer reading a piccolo trumpet part written in the same octave as it would be written in for the standard Bb soprano trumpet. (Probably because I am used to so often reading off of regular Bb trumpet sheet music when playing the piccolo trumpet.)

REPERTOIRE: Very little sheet music is actually written specifically for the piccolo trumpet, so when you hear this instrument played, the printed part usually just says “trumpet” (or “Bb trumpet”, etc.) at the top of the page. Professional classical trumpet players most often use the piccolo trumpet for baroque period (c.1600-c.1750) trumpet concerti, sonatas, arias, voluntaries, solos, and orchestral trumpet parts. (Works by Telemann, Vivaldi, Torelli, Corelli, Bach, Handel, Purcell, Jeremiah Clarke, Stanley, etc.) Sometimes, these pieces are instead performed on antique instruments or reproductions of antique instruments that were played at the time that that these composers lived (natural trumpets without valves, etc.), especially in “period instrument” orchestras. Using these instruments, while certainly more historically authentic, results in a much more unrefined sound from today’s modern trumpet players. Perhaps baroque era trumpeters were more skilled on these instruments since these were their ONLY instruments and they practiced and performed on them all of the time. I personally still prefer the advanced manufacturing technology and craftsmanship and the brilliance of sound of the modern piccolo trumpet, even though the tone quality is brighter than those original instruments from the baroque period.

Other common and interesting uses of the piccolo trumpet:
The piccolo trumpet is also occasionally (although rarely) used in some non-baroque classical music. For example, virtually every modern orchestral trumpet player uses the piccolo trumpet (with piccolo straight mute) to play the difficult “Samuel Goldenberg” trumpet solo from Mussorgsky’s Pictures at An Exhibition (orchestrated by Ravel). In general, whichever trumpet lays well (technically) in the key that the music is in and also has the best or most appropriate tone quality or timbre for the piece in question is the one that is used. (This is mostly a matter of personal judgment. However, in some instances, there are certain traditions as to which key trumpet is used for what specific piece of standard orchestra trumpet repertoire.)

This is why orchestral trumpet players rotate the use of four different trumpets in their performances: (1) the standard Bb (soprano) trumpet; (2) the slightly smaller C (soprano) trumpet (used for the bulk of orchestral trumpet section work); (3) the rather small Eb trumpet (with a longer extra tuning slide or slide set that changes it to a D trumpet), used for the Haydn and Hummel trumpet concertos and also used for a fairly good amount of orchestral trumpet parts (especially classical period and some baroque period trumpet parts); and (4) the tiny piccolo trumpet in Bb (with an extra, longer leadpipe that changes the instrument to piccolo trumpet in A). The piccolo trumpet in A is especially useful in performing baroque music that is written in key signatures with a good number of sharps in them. For example, to make it easier to perform a piece of music on the piccolo trumpet that was written for Bb trumpet with a written key of E Major (four sharps), simply play the piece on the A piccolo trumpet, transposing the music up a half-step to the key of F Major (a much easier key to play in, in terms of technique). Almost all professional piccolo trumpet players do this when performing Jeremiah Clarke’s Prince of Denmark March, also known as Trumpet Voluntary (formerly attributed to Henry Purcell).

The Canadian Brass has used the piccolo trumpet in many of their brass quintet arrangements with great popular success. Especially notable are their ragtime arrangements that use piccolo trumpet to add another interesting tone color to the ensemble.

Pop music sometimes effectively uses the piccolo trumpet as well. Perhaps the best known classic example of this is in the Beatles’ recording of “Penny Lane”. Paul McCartney grew up frequently attending symphony orchestra concerts, which is where he first heard the piccolo trumpet. Being attracted to this tone color, McCartney decided that he wanted to use the instrument in the Beatles’ arrangement of “Penny Lane”. (The Canadian Brass later did an interesting instrumental arrangement of this tune for brass quintet.) The piccolo trumpet is also often used in television commercials and movies that have a Christmas theme. The bright, shiny sound of the piccolo trumpet seems well suited to certain Christmas music arrangements.

NOTE: As a follow-up to this article, be sure to read my soon-to-be-posted article, “How to Choose Trumpet Mouthpieces & Piccolo Trumpet Mouthpieces”, which will be posted here on this same blog site.

To learn more, here is an excellent link to a site that has some additional information about piccolo trumpets:
http://www.dallasmusic.org/gearhead/Piccolo%20Trumpet%20Guide.html

I hope that all of the above information has been helpful to you
Good luck with the piccolo!

Randy

Randy Dunn
Trumpet soloist
http://www.dunn2music.com
http://www.youtube.com/HoustonTrumpet (YouTube demo videos)