Trumpet: Difference between revisions

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The trumpet is a harmonically tuned instrument typically designed to play music written in [[12edo]]. In a standard trumpet, this is achieved by a root pitch within the harmonic series, and three valves, which respectively lower the pitch by either two semitones, one semitone, or three semitones. By combining the three valves, the trumpet can semi-accurately play notes in 12edo (with a basis of a certain [[~~Just~~ intonation]] due to its reliance on the harmonic series).

The trumpet is a harmonically tuned instrument typically designed to play music written in [[12edo]]. In a standard trumpet, this is achieved by a root pitch within the harmonic series, and three valves, which respectively lower the pitch by either two semitones, one semitone, or three semitones. By combining the three valves, the trumpet can semi-accurately play notes in 12edo (with a basis of a certain [[just intonation]] due to its reliance on the harmonic series).

Certain notes (especially notably, the low C# or Db) have poor tuning due to this design and must be adjusted with a trumpet's adjustable valve tuning slides. For most trumpets, all three valves can be retuned; the first and third can be retuned in real time.

Certain notes (especially notably, the written low C# or Db) have poor tuning due to this design and must be adjusted with a trumpet's adjustable valve tuning slides. For most trumpets, all three valves can be retuned; the first and third can be retuned in real time.

While the trumpet is generally designed for 12edo, there are several ways to play in other tuning systems - by custom trumpets (generally quartertone trumpets), non-standard fingerings, adjusting tuning slides, or by pitch bending via embouchure.

While the trumpet is generally designed for 12edo, there are several ways to play in other tuning systems – by custom trumpets (generally quartertone trumpets), non-standard fingerings, adjusting tuning slides, or by pitch bending via embouchure.

== Custom trumpets and quartertone trumpets ==

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=== History in popular music ===

[[File:Adams A4 Quartertone.jpg|alt=Adams A4 Quartertone|thumb|The Adams A4 Quartertone trumpet.]]

~~[[wikipedia:Don_Ellis~~|Don Ellis]] was a big band jazz musician and trumpeter. He was one of the first to use quartertone trumpets, which was created by Holton. The trumpet used four standard button valves; the first three unchanged, and an additional fourth valve used to lower the pitch by a quartertone (the smallest interval in [[24edo]]). Ellis was active through the 1960s and early 1970s until his death. His music is normally designed for 12edo, but he often employed microtonality in his improvised solos.

{{W|Don Ellis}} was a big band jazz musician and trumpeter. He was one of the first to use quartertone trumpets, which was created by Holton. The trumpet used four standard button valves; the first three unchanged, and an additional fourth valve used to lower the pitch by a quartertone (the smallest interval in [[24edo]]). Ellis was active through the 1960s and early 1970s until his death. His music is normally designed for 12edo, but he often employed microtonality in his improvised solos.

~~[[wikipedia:Ibrahim_Maalouf~~|Ibrahim Maalouf]] is an active French-Lebanese jazz musician and trumpeter known for combining Middle Eastern folk with modern jazz music. His father, ~~[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nassim_Maalouf?lang=en~~ Nassim Maalouf], is credited with inventing a quartertone trumpet, which both he and Maalouf used. Ibrahim often uses his quartertone trumpet to play Arabic [[~~Maqam|maqams~~]] in his jazz music.

{{W|Ibrahim Maalouf}} is an active French-Lebanese jazz musician and trumpeter known for combining Middle Eastern folk with modern jazz music. His father, {{w|Nassim Maalouf}}, is credited with inventing a quartertone trumpet, which both he and Maalouf used. Ibrahim often uses his quartertone trumpet to play Arabic [[maqam]]s in his jazz music.

=== Commercial quartertone trumpets ===

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In 2018, Monette shared a [https://www.monette.net/post/2018/04/20/our-first-ever-custom-quarter-tone-trumpet post] about their "first ever custom quarter-tone trumpet."

===19edo trumpets===

=== 19edo trumpets ===

Stephen Altoft and Donald Bousted created a trumpet project titled "The Microtonal Trumpet," creating microtonal trumpets using [[wikipedia:Rotary_valve|rotary valves]] which can play in [[19edo]], [[24edo]], and [[48edo]].

===Other===

=== Other ===

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4IRPPFnbEk Vasilis Nalbantis] created a xenharmonic trumpet, the "Nalbantis," designed to play maqams. Unlike other trumpets listed, the additional button is pressure-sensitive, allowing for more pitches, but less pitch accuracy, when playing the trumpet. The button changes the length of the tuning slide.

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A custom trumpet is the best and easiest way to play xenharmonic music; however, it certainly isn't always a practical option.

===Quartertones===

=== Quartertones ===

Quartertones for most notes can be approximated well with alternative fingerings and the third valve slide.

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The (S) signifies that use of the third valve slide is necessary.

===Other xenharmonic music===

=== Other xenharmonic music ===

[[File:Adams A4 QT with adjusted third slide.jpg|alt=Adams A4 Quartertone with an adjusted third valve tubing for 19edo.|thumb|308x308px|Adams A4 Quartertone with an adjusted third valve tubing for 19edo.]]

==== Alternative fingerings ====

There are several fingering combinations for the trumpet that are not traditionally used simply because they do not approximate any pitch in 12edo. These notes can be used as a very limited set of additional pitches for xenharmonic music.

====Retuning valves ====

==== Retuning valves ====

On most trumpets, you can play ~~EDOs~~ with fewer divisions than 12edo by retuning each valve slide individually. Because each valve's tubing is adjustable, you can lengthen them to lower the pitch by the number of cents corresponding to the semitones targeted by the valve.

On most trumpets, you can play [[edo]]s with fewer divisions than 12edo by retuning each valve slide individually. Because each valve's tubing is adjustable, you can lengthen them to lower the pitch by the number of cents corresponding to the semitones targeted by the valve.

For instance, [[10edo]]'s semitone is 120 cents; to retune a standard trumpet to 12edo, you could adjust the first valve (two semitones) from 200 cents to 240, the second valve (one semitone) from 100 cents to 120, and the third valve (three semitones) from 300 cents to 360.

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Keep in mind that this retuning method grows less accurate in the lower register, because trumpets are built on the [[harmonic series]] and tuning systems with a poor [[3/2]] (fifth) will now have a perfect 3/2, and notes between low C and middle G will be offsets of that perfect 3/2. You can fix this in real-time by adjusting your embouchure, "lipping" the notes.

==== Lipping====

==== Lipping ====

A common way to bend pitches on trumpet is to "lip" the note - effectively moving your embouchure to crudely target a pitch other than the speed of air and tubing length would otherwise allow. This method can be used to play xenharmonic music and is often used in conjunction with other methods of playing xenharmonic music.

==Notation==

== Notation ==

[[File:Quartertone Trumpet Fingerings.png|alt=A subset of a fingering chart for quartertone trumpet in Don Ellis notation.|thumb|259x259px|A subset of a fingering chart for quartertone trumpet in Don Ellis notation.]]

Like any other instrument, xenharmonic notation doesn't need to deviate far beyond the existing standards. However, with the trumpet in particular, there has been some discourse on specific types of notation which would allow for sight-reading quartertonal music, due to the implementation of a single button which "enables" quartertones.

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* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQxHsx6JnJY ''The Xenharmonic Trumpet'']

==External links==

== External links ==

*The Microtonal Trumpet, by Stephen Altoft, Donald Bousted — extended techniques, [[19edo]] trumpet

* The Microtonal Trumpet, by Stephen Altoft, Donald Bousted — extended techniques, [[19edo]] trumpet

**[http://web.archive.org/web/20161010053305/http://microtonaltrumpet.com/ The Microtonal Trumpet] (2007-2016, archived)

** [http://web.archive.org/web/20161010053305/http://microtonaltrumpet.com/ The Microtonal Trumpet] (2007-2016, archived)

**[http://web.archive.org/web/20220925135607/https://microtonalprojects.com/the-microtonal-trumpet/ The Microtonal Trumpet] on Microtonal Projects' BLOG (2017-2022, archived)

** [http://web.archive.org/web/20220925135607/https://microtonalprojects.com/the-microtonal-trumpet/ The Microtonal Trumpet] on Microtonal Projects' BLOG (2017-2022, archived)

*[http://web.archive.org/web/20140224083226/http://www.marcoblaauw.com:80/en/instruments Double Bell Trumpet] (2007-2014, archived), by Marco Blaauw — quartertone ([[24edo]]) trumpet

* [http://web.archive.org/web/20140224083226/http://www.marcoblaauw.com:80/en/instruments Double Bell Trumpet] (2007-2014, archived), by Marco Blaauw — quartertone ([[24edo]]) trumpet

*[http://themoderntrumpet.com/2020/12/01/microtones/ Microtones] on The Modern Trumpet, by Nathan Plante — extended techniques, quartertone (24edo) trumpet

* [http://themoderntrumpet.com/2020/12/01/microtones/ Microtones] on The Modern Trumpet, by Nathan Plante — extended techniques, quartertone (24edo) trumpet

[[Category:Instruments]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-The trumpet is a harmonically tuned instrument typically designed to play music written in [[12edo]]. In a standard trumpet, this is achieved by a root pitch within the harmonic series, and three valves, which respectively lower the pitch by either two semitones, one semitone, or three semitones. By combining the three valves, the trumpet can semi-accurately play notes in 12edo (with a basis of a certain [[Just intonation]] due to its reliance on the harmonic series).
+The trumpet is a harmonically tuned instrument typically designed to play music written in [[12edo]]. In a standard trumpet, this is achieved by a root pitch within the harmonic series, and three valves, which respectively lower the pitch by either two semitones, one semitone, or three semitones. By combining the three valves, the trumpet can semi-accurately play notes in 12edo (with a basis of a certain [[just intonation]] due to its reliance on the harmonic series).
-Certain notes (especially notably, the low C# or Db) have poor tuning due to this design and must be adjusted with a trumpet's adjustable valve tuning slides. For most trumpets, all three valves can be retuned; the first and third can be retuned in real time.
+Certain notes (especially notably, the written low C# or Db) have poor tuning due to this design and must be adjusted with a trumpet's adjustable valve tuning slides. For most trumpets, all three valves can be retuned; the first and third can be retuned in real time.
-While the trumpet is generally designed for 12edo, there are several ways to play in other tuning systems - by custom trumpets (generally quartertone trumpets), non-standard fingerings, adjusting tuning slides, or by pitch bending via embouchure.
+While the trumpet is generally designed for 12edo, there are several ways to play in other tuning systems – by custom trumpets (generally quartertone trumpets), non-standard fingerings, adjusting tuning slides, or by pitch bending via embouchure.
 == Custom trumpets and quartertone trumpets ==
@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 === History in popular music ===
 [[File:Adams A4 Quartertone.jpg|alt=Adams A4 Quartertone|thumb|The Adams A4 Quartertone trumpet.]]
-[[wikipedia:Don_Ellis|Don Ellis]] was a big band jazz musician and trumpeter. He was one of the first to use quartertone trumpets, which was created by Holton. The trumpet used four standard button valves; the first three unchanged, and an additional fourth valve used to lower the pitch by a quartertone (the smallest interval in [[24edo]]). Ellis was active through the 1960s and early 1970s until his death. His music is normally designed for 12edo, but he often employed microtonality in his improvised solos.
+{{W|Don Ellis}} was a big band jazz musician and trumpeter. He was one of the first to use quartertone trumpets, which was created by Holton. The trumpet used four standard button valves; the first three unchanged, and an additional fourth valve used to lower the pitch by a quartertone (the smallest interval in [[24edo]]). Ellis was active through the 1960s and early 1970s until his death. His music is normally designed for 12edo, but he often employed microtonality in his improvised solos.
-[[wikipedia:Ibrahim_Maalouf|Ibrahim Maalouf]] is an active French-Lebanese jazz musician and trumpeter known for combining Middle Eastern folk with modern jazz music. His father, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nassim_Maalouf?lang=en Nassim Maalouf], is credited with inventing a quartertone trumpet, which both he and Maalouf used. Ibrahim often uses his quartertone trumpet to play Arabic [[Maqam|maqams]] in his jazz music.
+{{W|Ibrahim Maalouf}} is an active French-Lebanese jazz musician and trumpeter known for combining Middle Eastern folk with modern jazz music. His father, {{w|Nassim Maalouf}}, is credited with inventing a quartertone trumpet, which both he and Maalouf used. Ibrahim often uses his quartertone trumpet to play Arabic [[maqam]]s in his jazz music.
 === Commercial quartertone trumpets ===
@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 In 2018, Monette shared a [https://www.monette.net/post/2018/04/20/our-first-ever-custom-quarter-tone-trumpet post] about their "first ever custom quarter-tone trumpet."
-===19edo trumpets===
+=== 19edo trumpets ===
 Stephen Altoft and Donald Bousted created a trumpet project titled "The Microtonal Trumpet," creating microtonal trumpets using [[wikipedia:Rotary_valve|rotary valves]] which can play in [[19edo]], [[24edo]], and [[48edo]].
-===Other===
+=== Other ===
 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4IRPPFnbEk Vasilis Nalbantis] created a xenharmonic trumpet, the "Nalbantis," designed to play maqams. Unlike other trumpets listed, the additional button is pressure-sensitive, allowing for more pitches, but less pitch accuracy, when playing the trumpet. The button changes the length of the tuning slide.
@@ Line 39: / Line 40: @@
 A custom trumpet is the best and easiest way to play xenharmonic music; however, it certainly isn't always a practical option.
-===Quartertones===
+=== Quartertones ===
 Quartertones for most notes can be approximated well with alternative fingerings and the third valve slide.
@@ Line 101: / Line 102: @@
 The (S) signifies that use of the third valve slide is necessary.
-===Other xenharmonic music===
+=== Other xenharmonic music ===
 [[File:Adams A4 QT with adjusted third slide.jpg|alt=Adams A4 Quartertone with an adjusted third valve tubing for 19edo.|thumb|308x308px|Adams A4 Quartertone with an adjusted third valve tubing for 19edo.]]
 ==== Alternative fingerings ====
 There are several fingering combinations for the trumpet that are not traditionally used simply because they do not approximate any pitch in 12edo. These notes can be used as a very limited set of additional pitches for xenharmonic music.
-====Retuning valves ====
+==== Retuning valves ====
-On most trumpets, you can play EDOs with fewer divisions than 12edo by retuning each valve slide individually. Because each valve's tubing is adjustable, you can lengthen them to lower the pitch by the number of cents corresponding to the semitones targeted by the valve.
+On most trumpets, you can play [[edo]]s with fewer divisions than 12edo by retuning each valve slide individually. Because each valve's tubing is adjustable, you can lengthen them to lower the pitch by the number of cents corresponding to the semitones targeted by the valve.
 For instance, [[10edo]]'s semitone is 120 cents; to retune a standard trumpet to 12edo, you could adjust the first valve (two semitones) from 200 cents to 240, the second valve (one semitone) from 100 cents to 120, and the third valve (three semitones) from 300 cents to 360.
@@ Line 115: / Line 117: @@
 Keep in mind that this retuning method grows less accurate in the lower register, because trumpets are built on the [[harmonic series]] and tuning systems with a poor [[3/2]] (fifth) will now have a perfect 3/2, and notes between low C and middle G will be offsets of that perfect 3/2. You can fix this in real-time by adjusting your embouchure, "lipping" the notes.
-==== Lipping====
+==== Lipping ====
 A common way to bend pitches on trumpet is to "lip" the note - effectively moving your embouchure to crudely target a pitch other than the speed of air and tubing length would otherwise allow. This method can be used to play xenharmonic music and is often used in conjunction with other methods of playing xenharmonic music.
-==Notation==
+== Notation ==
 [[File:Quartertone Trumpet Fingerings.png|alt=A subset of a fingering chart for quartertone trumpet in Don Ellis notation.|thumb|259x259px|A subset of a fingering chart for quartertone trumpet in Don Ellis notation.]]
 Like any other instrument, xenharmonic notation doesn't need to deviate far beyond the existing standards. However, with the trumpet in particular, there has been some discourse on specific types of notation which would allow for sight-reading quartertonal music, due to the implementation of a single button which "enables" quartertones.
@@ Line 161: / Line 163: @@
 * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQxHsx6JnJY ''The Xenharmonic Trumpet'']
-==External links==
+== External links ==
-*The Microtonal Trumpet, by Stephen Altoft, Donald Bousted — extended techniques, [[19edo]] trumpet
+* The Microtonal Trumpet, by Stephen Altoft, Donald Bousted — extended techniques, [[19edo]] trumpet
-**[http://web.archive.org/web/20161010053305/http://microtonaltrumpet.com/ The Microtonal Trumpet] (2007-2016, archived)
+** [http://web.archive.org/web/20161010053305/http://microtonaltrumpet.com/ The Microtonal Trumpet] (2007-2016, archived)
-**[http://web.archive.org/web/20220925135607/https://microtonalprojects.com/the-microtonal-trumpet/ The Microtonal Trumpet] on Microtonal Projects' BLOG (2017-2022, archived)
+** [http://web.archive.org/web/20220925135607/https://microtonalprojects.com/the-microtonal-trumpet/ The Microtonal Trumpet] on Microtonal Projects' BLOG (2017-2022, archived)
-*[http://web.archive.org/web/20140224083226/http://www.marcoblaauw.com:80/en/instruments Double Bell Trumpet] (2007-2014, archived), by Marco Blaauw — quartertone ([[24edo]]) trumpet
+* [http://web.archive.org/web/20140224083226/http://www.marcoblaauw.com:80/en/instruments Double Bell Trumpet] (2007-2014, archived), by Marco Blaauw — quartertone ([[24edo]]) trumpet
-*[http://themoderntrumpet.com/2020/12/01/microtones/ Microtones] on The Modern Trumpet, by Nathan Plante — extended techniques, quartertone (24edo) trumpet
+* [http://themoderntrumpet.com/2020/12/01/microtones/ Microtones] on The Modern Trumpet, by Nathan Plante — extended techniques, quartertone (24edo) trumpet
 [[Category:Instruments]]