Trumpet or Cornet

[James McFadyen]

I myself prefer Trumpet to Cornet.

For me, it's shiny penetrating sound is facinating. I've played Trumpet for many years and certainly my years playing Lead Trumpet in the Fife Youth Jazz Orchestra have probably biast my opinion! :wink:

However, most Brass Band enthusiasts prefer the sound of the cornet and most HATE the sound of the Trumpet, that is, the people who I have spoke to about it.

Just wondering what you prefer and why?

 

[The Cornet King]

Trumpet?? I shall hear of no such blasphemy

I have to say although i am slightly biased i much prefer cornet, to play and to listen to. For me a trumpet can have that nasty 'edge' to it, that just seems to take away a real quality of sound.

With a cornet you don't seem to get that, and for me a cornet played well (e.g by the likes of messyrs Daws, Webster etc) cannot be beaten for quality of sound over a trumpet.

Cornet any day!!

 

[James McFadyen]

:lol:

I long for the days of holding a brand new shiny Trumpet in my hand again. with a cornet, it feels like I'm going to break the instrument, but with a Tumpet, I can keep a good grip, do a bit of 'pivoting' (hehe) and play a rip roaring top G or something!

I think my Cornet would surely have a heart attack if I did that, either that or the front row cornets!!!! :lol: :wink:

 

[Seedhouse]

I used to play trumpet, but I didn't like it and was appalling at it, although I did practice everyday. So I moved to Euph- which is now the love of my life! (only joking! :lol: )

Is there much difference between them apart from being recognised as being used for different ensembles i.e. you wouldn't get a trumpet in a brass band, and you wouldn't get a cornet in a jazz band.

 

[James McFadyen]

Well, Louis Armstrong was regarded as more of a cornet player than a Trumpet player!

And..................I'm writing a massive piece, a Symphony actually for Brass Band (the name of which I will not teel at the moment but it is intended to be around 40-60 minutes long) withch is gonna have some Trumpet 'bits' for the principle Cornet player!

hehe :wink:

 

[lynchie]

40-60 minutes? can we stop for a coffee break halfway through???

anyway, I prefer trumpets on their own, but they just don't sound right in a band. They always seem to be doing the job of the trombones!!! (must be something to do with that non-conical tubing thing...) When playing for small groups and doing bits of jazz it has to be trumpets!

 

[Roger Thorne]

I remember when Normans Instrument Supplies were based in Crewe. They'd found the perfect use for a trumpet. Jeff Sparkes had one welded to a plant pot holder with a Spider Plant stuffed down the bell!

:wink:

 

[leisa]

Trumpet?? I shall hear of no such blasphemy

I have to say although i am slightly biased i much prefer cornet, to play and to listen to. For me a trumpet can have that nasty 'edge' to it, that just seems to take away a real quality of sound.

With a cornet you don't seem to get that, and for me a cornet played well (e.g by the likes of messyrs Daws, Webster etc) cannot be beaten for quality of sound over a trumpet.

Cornet any day!!

i agree with yooou!! ive got a trumpet but i dont like playing it cose it doesnt sound very nice although playing it sometimes does help with some cornet stuff!! i just think the cornet sounds nicer!

and also people start tutting at you if you put vib on a trumpet, but it makes it sound nicer cos it doesnt sound v.nice!

cornet wins!!!

 

[Okiedokie of Oz]

As a conductor, I like the sound a cornet can make. It's soothing, sensitive and delicate.

But I am not a delicate person, so I prefer to play a trumpet. When I go delicate, I switch to flugel.

 

[Hornblower RN]

anyway, I prefer trumpets on their own, but they just don't sound right in a band. They always seem to be doing the job of the trombones!!! (must be something to do with that non-conical tubing thing...)

Derek Watkins didn't sound too bad with Cory in the RAH gala concert recently!! :lol: :lol:

 

[timbloke]

Trumpets didn't make a sound at all last night in the concert i was doing with sheffield symphony. i waited for their entry... it didn't happen... and then completely threw me off balance, not nice when you're reading alto clef!! I did get the top D (concert pitch - top E for you Bb players), great note it was!!

and regarding the symphony for band, sounds a great idea, but how many audience would want to listen to a symphony for a band?

 

[James McFadyen]

Roger - ooooh no, I am deeply horrified with the perfect use of a Trumpet you told. We really need some kind of helpline for misused and abused Trumpets :wink:

My Brass Band symphony is part of my ongoing commitment to develop brass band music. I like to do things which other people haven't or simply wouldn't dream of doing. That is what thrills me most about composition, the ability to change anything and everything at my command the way I want it.

Although my Symphony will come with a hefy price tag, as one could imagine, the purpose of the symphony is not to sell sheet music. It's main purpose is for recording work, where some bands try to find extended works to form 80% of their CD. Also to encorage to 'symphonic' style concert, like many symphony orchestra's do. Like all things in this business things take time and sometimes a change of perspective is what we really need. Also, and probably the most important thing of all, the symphony is for own desire to write such a work, a symphony that is not a serious work in terms of contemporary sounds, it will still contain the many 'magical' chord voicings and phat colour-scapes I write in much of my music and will be light in nature.

 

[Vickitorious]

Personally, I prefer cornet to trumpet, but I'm more into brass band instruments than jazz or orchestral instruments

 

[Okiedokie of Oz]

A Mr Holland's Opus for Brass?????????

 

[picju96]

I love playing both, I can't decide!

 

[Dave Payn]

Having had similar discussions, I think in general (though not applied throughout) it rather depends on what you start on. I find more often than not that trumpet players who go on to cornet afterwards (like me) prefer the trumpet and vice versa for those who started on the cornet, or at least, those cornettists who have played mostly in brass bands. Nothing wrong with either, however. Playing cornet in brass bands has certainly added a dimension to my musical experience that I'm thoroughly grateful for and has to a degree, reshaped my (attempted) style of trumpet playing.

The exceptions to the above 'rule' I would imagine are Maurice Murphy and Rod Franks! Nevertheless, their brass band upbringing is apparent in their style of trumpet playing and all the better for it. They're not afraid to play the trumpet lyrically and they're better at varying the degrees of attack and release, and utilising that to shape their phrases better than a lot of out and out trumpeters I've heard.

 

[beard_4b]

cornet

 

[James McFadyen]

Having had similar discussions, I think in general (though not applied throughout) it rather depends on what you start on. I find more often than not that trumpet players who go on to cornet afterwards (like me) prefer the trumpet and vice versa for those who started on the cornet, or at least, those cornettists who have played mostly in brass bands.

Quite agree, Dave!!!!!

beard_4b - you message actually has the definition of a cornet: Short and Sweet.................or is it...............Short and Suite :wink: