Should high school kids play on C trumpets?

[BudBix]

[TheBrassBandMajor]

My school had an amazing trumpeter. He had a Bb and C, which he used regularly.
_________________
Vincent Bach Mt Vernon Mercedes
B&S Challenger 3137/I
Hermann Ganter G7aN
A.Windisch Silber-Deluxe, Dresden
Couesnon 'Triebert Moderne' piccolo
Conn 'Connstellation' 28A
SO many more trumpets.....

[Bill Dishman]

I see nothing but benefits for an adept high school player use of a C trumpet. Advancing skills in transposition, pitch awareness, flexibility of tone qualities, world of orchestral literature (use to C trumpet in today's world is prevalent in American orchestras), ability to match other players, ear training.

It has been my experience that playing trumpets in other keys also improves the student's Bb playing.

Bill Dishman
Gainesville, Florida

[76strad]

As a music teacher I don't necessarily see a problem with it. When I played at University with a C trumpet, I personally felt that my sound blended better with the bones and cellos (my C trumpet was a copper bell, XL bore, reverse leadpipe, and C-crooks if anyone cares).

We also, due to the whole poor musician thing - not everyone had purchased a C trumpet yet, occasionally blended C Trumpet on the top voice(s) and Bb Trumpet on the lower voice(s). On certain occasions I thought that the texture sounded pretty good IMHO.

I don't necessarily see a problem as long as the musician has spent a great deal of time learning the horn & the C trumpets are either only in the top voice(s) or in every voice(s). Basically, does the student know what is appropriate and what isn't.

Also, I think that the other keys of trumpet are the ones worth fighting over for less experienced musicians, not necessarily a Bb or C. Though, a rotary is completely out of the question if there are piston trumpets in use IMHO.


_________________
OASAASLLS
Prior Band Director
Current Officer USMC

[Steve A]

No offence to those that feel strongly, but I really don't see this as being a big deal in any event.

A good player on a Bb is going to beat out an average player on a C any day of the week. Many places in the world, and some places in the US use Bbs extensively, even exclusively in pro orchestras. A C trumpet might start you 5% closer to the sound you want, but it's not magic - you easily have to work 5% harder (or more) to play it in tune, especially for beginners.

That said, rules either way seem unlikely to make a meaningful difference where a level playing field is concerned. Lessons, summer programs, study materials, recordings, etc., etc., all these are more important and more expensive than another trumpet, and no rule is going to limit the effect of those..

[Pat]

Although his audition was quite a while ago, here is an excerpt from a 2001 interview of Phil Smith that might give those with only a Bb some hope:

Did your history of playing on street corners and in concerts with Salvation Army bands prepare you for Juilliard?

Oh, I was completely behind the eight ball. What I knew was cornet and brass banding -- I knew nothing about being a trumpet player.
For my audition at Juilliard, the orchestra person put up a piece of music and asked me to play. So I played what I saw -- which trumpet players very often don't do. They look at the music, but play it perhaps a major third higher or a perfect fourth higher -- they transpose. I knew nothing about the technique of transposition. I played what I saw, which is what happens in the brass band. The man stopped me and said, "What are you doing? You should play it this way." And I looked at him like he was crazy -- I didn't know what to do.

[Miketpt]

If you are serious about playing in an orchestra someday in the US, absolutely!

Mike

[trickg]