The well-known musical instrument called the trumpet dates back as far as 3,000 years B. C., with the Central Asian civilization called the Oxus. Constructed out of a single sheet of metal, these were a sophisticated technical achievement for the time. The tomb of King Tudankhamun of Egypt yielded trumpets fashioned out of bronze and silver. As they were in the 15th century, today's trumpets are mostly made of brass. Their shape resembles that of a huge, tube-shaped paperclip with a wide mouth at the end. The best trumpet mouthpiece plays a large part in getting the best sound out of the instrument.
The trumpet has the highest register of all the brass wind instruments. Within this framework, the term, 'register' refers to the range of pitches resulting from different normal modes of the column of air. A normal mode refers to the pattern of sound wave motion caused by blowing into the mouthpiece. Using a technique called 'overblowing, ' it is possible to produce a higher register.
A quality known as the embouchure is a major influence on the quality of the music that emerges from the instrument. The embouchure is the combined product of the shape of the mouthpiece along with the energy of the facial muscles and the position of the musician's lips on the mouthpiece.
The anatomy of the instrumental contributor to the emboucher is made up of several parts: the rim, the cup, the throat and the backbore. The shape of the rim controls the freedom of the lip muscles. A sharp-edged rim will produce a metallic tone; whereas, a rounded rim will yield a fuzzy sound. Too wide, and the rim interferes with flexibility. Too narrow, and it impedes slurring by digging into lip muscles and cutting off the circulation. While comfort and quality do not automatically go hand in hand, a medium wide rim gives the most comfort, endurance and flexibility.
The size and shape of the cup influence the color, or timbre, of the sound. A deep cup mellows the high tones and enriches the lower register. A shallow cup, on the other hand, promotes a higher register by achieving higher frequencies leading to a bright, brilliant tone. However, the lower register will be less prominent. For general purposes, a medium gives the best result for both low and high registers.
The throat is another key factor in the register. This is controlled by the funnel shape of the entrance of the throat as well as the size of the hole, which modulates air resistance. Too large, and the player tires out because he is fighting to keep his lips from being sucked into the cup. Too small a throat and the register is lowered. Perhaps Goldilocks said it best: somewhere in the middle is just right.
Finally, the backbore comes in numerous sizes and covers a multitude of sins. The backbore corrects deficiencies in either the instrument or in the embouchure. The choice of this part of the apparatus is best left to the manufacturer.
By manipulating the above factors, the musician can select the best trumpet mouthpiece for the specific use. A mouthpiece with a larger cup is better for playing in a concert band or for producing jazz. A smaller cup favors show bands, dixieland or rock.
The trumpet has the highest register of all the brass wind instruments. Within this framework, the term, 'register' refers to the range of pitches resulting from different normal modes of the column of air. A normal mode refers to the pattern of sound wave motion caused by blowing into the mouthpiece. Using a technique called 'overblowing, ' it is possible to produce a higher register.
A quality known as the embouchure is a major influence on the quality of the music that emerges from the instrument. The embouchure is the combined product of the shape of the mouthpiece along with the energy of the facial muscles and the position of the musician's lips on the mouthpiece.
The anatomy of the instrumental contributor to the emboucher is made up of several parts: the rim, the cup, the throat and the backbore. The shape of the rim controls the freedom of the lip muscles. A sharp-edged rim will produce a metallic tone; whereas, a rounded rim will yield a fuzzy sound. Too wide, and the rim interferes with flexibility. Too narrow, and it impedes slurring by digging into lip muscles and cutting off the circulation. While comfort and quality do not automatically go hand in hand, a medium wide rim gives the most comfort, endurance and flexibility.
The size and shape of the cup influence the color, or timbre, of the sound. A deep cup mellows the high tones and enriches the lower register. A shallow cup, on the other hand, promotes a higher register by achieving higher frequencies leading to a bright, brilliant tone. However, the lower register will be less prominent. For general purposes, a medium gives the best result for both low and high registers.
The throat is another key factor in the register. This is controlled by the funnel shape of the entrance of the throat as well as the size of the hole, which modulates air resistance. Too large, and the player tires out because he is fighting to keep his lips from being sucked into the cup. Too small a throat and the register is lowered. Perhaps Goldilocks said it best: somewhere in the middle is just right.
Finally, the backbore comes in numerous sizes and covers a multitude of sins. The backbore corrects deficiencies in either the instrument or in the embouchure. The choice of this part of the apparatus is best left to the manufacturer.
By manipulating the above factors, the musician can select the best trumpet mouthpiece for the specific use. A mouthpiece with a larger cup is better for playing in a concert band or for producing jazz. A smaller cup favors show bands, dixieland or rock.
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