fingerings

[mbailey]

I saw an interesting web page recently that stated that, given a note that can be played open (no valves, say high C and below), the 2nd valve drops the note by a semitone, the 1st valve drops the note two semitones, and the 3rd drops the note three semitones (minor third). Using 1st and 2nd together drops the note approxiately a minor third, but not quite, thus leaving those notes a bit sharp since the effective tubing length is shorter than when using 3rd valve alone. Why then are low E, low and middle A, and middle C# taught (typically?) using 1st and 2nd valve? Is it just for reasons of dexterity, or something else?

[Welk]

Actually... I don't really know... I Think it is only because this way the sound is better... Cause you can also do a G with 1 and 3 insted of nothing (the key one). And in high note... there is different fingering for the same note... I think it is only for a sharpest sound...some may have a better tone with 1 and 2 other with only 3...
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Nicolas Marcotte

52' Olds Recording LA
Wick gold 4X

-=0=-Music is what gives us the beat, but it is also what makes beat our heart -=0=-

[doitallman]

I believe it's because of sound as well. You can hear how stuffy it gets as you press down more valves. Especially in the middle and lower range.
Using the alternate fingerings might make a chromatic scale interesting though.

[walter]

[ This Message was edited by: walter on 2002-09-20 10:10 ]

[pedaltonekid]

The first reason is that generally the dexterity of the 1st and 2nd fingers is much better, especially for beginning trumpeters. Also with the 1 and 2 combination tending to be slightly sharp, it is easy to adjust by pulling out the first valve slide.

With a good ear and decent embouchere strength the notes can be played in tune without adjusting the horn either way. Lip bends are a good way to develop this kind of strength to push the pitch of the notes around.
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Best Regards, Play Well!!

[Nicholas Dyson]

although it's true it is pretty easy use your chops to adjust, it's much easier on you endurance-wise to adjust as much as possible using the valve slides. All that extra pushing the pitch around is just that - extra. Of course it's required on things like 4th line D, D# and E, but as little as possible with chops and as much as possible with slides.

the combination of 1 and 2 are slightly sharp, getting sharper as you ascend. The 3rd valve alone, which is supposedly equal in length to both 1&2, is slightly flat, getting closer to pitch as you ascend. I find that 1&2 on 1st ledger A is too sharp but 3 slots just right. 2nd ledger C# is best on my horn fingered just 2.
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Nicholas Dyson
Ottawa, Canada

[nieuwguyski]

On most trumpets, the third valve lowers the pitch a little more than 3 semitones, so that Eb and Ab will be in tune.
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J. Notso Nieuwguyski