Chapter 1
How a trumpet turns spit and air into music
Chapter 2
A brief history of the silver scream
Chapter 3
Commanding the symphony from the back row
Chapter 4
How jazz broke the trumpet's classical mold
YOUR GOAL
Master of How the trumpet conquered the world of sound
Ch 3 · Commanding the symphony from the back row
maestro Colorful diagrams show the inner workings of a trumpet and its orchestral layout.
maestro Warm stage lights illuminate a polished brass trumpet during a dramatic orchestral performance.
Fun Fact
Deafening brass: A trumpet played at maximum volume can reach 115 decibels, which is loud enough to cause hearing damage in minutes.
Glossary
trumpet (noun)
A brass wind instrument with a flared bell and three valves, played by blowing through a cup-shaped mouthpiece. Hector Berlioz's 1844 orchestration treatise standardized placing trumpets at the very back of the ensemble.
A brass wind instrument with a flared bell and three valves, played by blowing through a cup-shaped mouthpiece. Hector Berlioz's 1844 orchestration treatise standardized placing trumpets at the very back of the ensemble.
Quiz
Which musical era saw the widespread introduction of valved trumpets into the standard symphony orchestra?
Quiz
Approximately how loud in decibels can a trumpet get when played at maximum volume?
Quiz
What physical material is most commonly used to make modern orchestral trumpet mutes?
Quiz
Which legendary film composer used the trumpet to play Luke Skywalker's iconic heroic theme in Star Wars?
Quiz
Which type of trumpet mute is the most common and produces a bright, piercing, metallic sound?
Quiz
What is the name of the device inserted into a trumpet's bell to alter its sound and volume?
Quiz
Which composer's Symphony No. 5 begins with a famous, dramatic solo trumpet funeral fanfare?