Cornet Quality Classes: Student, Intermediate, Professional

DAVIDTHEWRITER

Speaking of cornets made 1960 and later, what features distinguish student, intermediate, and professional models from each other?

Best examples might be in the same brand.

While learning a cornet or trumpet, is a student edition ever detrimental to progress or enjoyment? This is a vivid issue with entry-level string and reed instruments; cheap maybe shows up harder in these. What are the detriments?

Obviously a professional will make any working instrument sound decent. Allison Balsom endorsed pTrumpets at one point. What is the most gain from student to intermediate models?
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abontrumpet · Heavyweight Member Joined: 08 May 2009 Posts: 1805

kehaulani · Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2024 8:33 am Post subject:

To better tailor your answer -
why are you asking?
what are your goals?
what level player are you?
what (if horn shopping) is your budget?
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sd4f · Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2024 11:09 am Post subject:

I can't say much with student to intermediate cornets, but most professional cornets tend to opt for triggers instead of slides, and some makes go for a main tuning slide trigger instead of a first valve adjustment.

The main tuning slide is useful in some circumstances, may be a bit of a hindrance in others, so I'm not too fussed, but I definitely do prefer triggers over slides.

DAVIDTHEWRITER · Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2024 11:37 am Post subject:

huntman10 · Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2024 12:34 pm Post subject:

If you're going back as far as the 1960's, most of the really popular corners, perhaps other than those specifically made for British Brass Band playing, which was a fairly small niche back then, were closer to trumpets than the current crop of more specialized darker timbred cornets of today.

Back then, band orchestration had large cornet sections with 3 parts, with small 2 trumpet parts, if there were any separate trumpet parts. So cornets had to carry the melody over the large woodwinds, and also be flexible enough for solo work.

So you might need to factor that into your expectations.

As an example, one of the highest regarded "pro" Cornets through most of the 20th century was the ML Strad Bach, with the 37 bell, which is the same bell as most Strad trumpets, but a different leadpipe. They are different than the 184 shepherds crook Strad.

Don't get me wrong, as I love my 37 cornet, because it plays with great intonation and flexibility, and will play right through a section of trumpets. But not real dark tone.
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etc-etc · Heavyweight Member Joined: 19 Jan 2008 Posts: 6196

Usually, student cornets are built for ease of playing, hence compromises are made. For example, student cornets do not sound nearly as brilliant as pro-level cornets at fff dynamic.

Some student cornets have narrow slots - e.g., Yamaha YCR-2330-II. This can be a problem if happening on an open-valve note that is out-of-tune, or any note that is flat.

Some intermediate cornets have a nice but narrow sound palette that is difficult to "get out of" (e.g., Getzen 782 Eterna II Special Edition, Yamaha YCR-2330-II).

As mentioned above, there are student / intermediate cornets that outplay some pro cornets.

The sound of the cornet will be mostly determined by the player, mouthpiece and horn, in that order.