The origins of the Trumpe
The relatives of the trumpet
Piccolo trumpet
There are several instruments that are related to the trumpet. This is the piccolo trumpet. It is half the length of the trumpet and is pitched one octave higher. Some piccolo trumpets have three valves; however, four is standard. Since the instrument is short, it needs a fourth piston valve in order to sound lower notes.

Piccolo trumpet
Sample recording of a piccolo trumpet
Pocket trumpet
A pocket trumpet has the same length tube as a normal trumpet, but is coiled into a more compact shape. Depending on the manufacturer, in some cases the shape of the bell, the bore size or other features are made smaller in order to make the instrument more compact. On the other hand, there are also pocket trumpets designed to equal the highest quality of trumpet, with little or no change to bell shape or bore size and a comparable timbre.
For those who might consider a normal trumpet too large, such as children or other individuals of small build, a pocket trumpet may feel easier to play.
Cornet and flugelhorn
The cornet and the flugelhorn are also relatives of the trumpet. Compared to the trumpet and the cornet, however, both of which have tubes that are almost cylindrical along their entire length, the flugelhorn has a pronounced conical shape. Since a conical tube produces a mellower sound than a cylindrical tube, the instrument creates a completely different impression. Try comparing the different instruments by listening to the sounds that they produce.
Instrument | Appearance | Listen to a sample |
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Trumpet | ![]() |
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Cornet | ![]() |
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Flugelhorn | ![]() |

Musical Instrument Guide:Trumpet Contents
Structure
How the Instrument is Made
Choosing an Instrument
Care and Maintenance
Trivia
- Trumpeters in Bach's time alternated between instruments with a variety of ranges when performing
- The keyed trumpet-the fruit of the evolutionary process
- Famous trumpet works - Concertos, part 1
- Famous trumpet works - Concertos, part 2
- Famous trumpet works - Solos
- Is a Flugelhorn a horn? Or a trumpet?
- The highest note a trumpet can produce
- Aida trumpets for the "Grand March"
- The secret of the trumpet's traditional tone: small impurities!?