Trumpets

Trumpets For Sale on Reverb

The trumpet in its simplest form shares origins with the instrument we now call a horn. Prehistoric horns were wind instruments made of wood, clay, bone, metal, or animal horns. Even the use of the word trumpet to describe such an instrument dates back centuries, when trumpets were mainly used in military settings.

Like many other wind and brass instruments, the 17th century was when the trumpet was used in more recognizable music settings. Some early trumpets resemble fixed trombones, and changes in pitch, volume, and timbre were achieved by the player's breath and lips. In the early 1800s, additional tube lengths and valves were added, making the instrument more versatile and precise.

On contemporary trumpets, the mouthpiece is inserted into the receiver. The mouthpiece curves into the main slide, where the water key is located. Most trumpets have three valves, which are connected to three “slides” (different lengths of curved pipe). After a final curve, the trumpet gradely widens into the bell.