trompette

The trompette, or trumpet, is a brass instrument widely used in classical, jazz, and popular music. In French, trompette means trumpet, and in English the instrument is commonly pitched in B-flat, though trumpets exist in other keys such as C and A.

A player sounds the instrument by buzzing the lips into a cup-shaped mouthpiece, setting the air column inside a largely cylindrical bore into vibration. Modern trumpets employ valves that lengthen the tubing, enabling chromatic notes across the instrument’s range. A combination of embouchure, breath support, and precise tonguing produces dynamics, articulation, and pitch control.

Variants and related instruments include the piccolo trumpet, which plays in higher keys (A or Bb) and the flugelhorn, which has a conical bore and a mellower tone. The cornet is a related, more compact instrument with a similar range. Most orchestral trumpets are in Bb and use three piston valves, though some models employ rotary valves or extra slide mechanisms for alternate tunings.

History and development: The trumpet’s ancestry extends to ancient and medieval natural trumpets, which possessed limited pitch options. The modern fully chromatic trumpet emerged in the early 19th century after valve mechanisms were developed by inventors such as Stolzel and Blühmel, followed by refinements that culminated in the contemporary instrument used in orchestras, brass bands, and ensembles.

Performance practice: Players develop a functional embouchure, precise air control, and varied tonguing techniques to realize a broad dynamic and expressive range. The trompette is central to fanfares, brass sections, and solo repertoire in classical music, and it has a prominent role in improvisational jazz.

Notable players include Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, and Wynton Marsalis.