Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2014 August 26

= August 26 =

Different angles - different trumpets?
When you see a picture or a video of someone from the UK (or US) playing the trumpet, they hold the trumpet with the keys at the top example. However, when you see a picture or video of a Serbian trumpeter, they almost always hold the trumpet with the keys held to the side example. Are they just holding the trumpet differently, or are the trumpets themselves slightly different instruments? And if not, why do these different trumpet players hold their trumpets in a different way? Is it something to do with the different music they are making? Hella New Thing (talk) 11:14, 26 August 2014 (UTC)
 * Those look like the same trumpets, the difference is somewhat arbitrary; probably owing either to training or personal preference. Students who come from certain traditions are "trained" to play an instrument a certain way; self-trained musicians may also develop their own techniques that work for them, but look odd to people who are used to seeing it done only one way: it isn't "wrong", just "different".  You see this sort of thing with nearly every instrument.  Jeff Healey, for example, was a blind guitarist, and entirely self-trained.  He just picked up the guitar and played what he felt was natural, never having anyone to "show" him how to play it right.  He plays a traditional electric guitar, but plays it "lap-style".  I have played guitar with a left-handed guitarist who plays a right-handed guitar upside-down, without restringing it (so the "low" strings are closer to his feet rather than his head); he's also self-taught (usually, left-handed guitarists restring the guitar so the strings have the same orientation as a right-handed guitarist).  This stuff tends to be arbitrary, but traditional.  -- Jayron  32  12:03, 26 August 2014 (UTC)
 * Actually, if you look at our Trumpet article, there are different styles of trumpets. One big difference is in the valves.  Looking at the two images Hella presents... the first is clearly a trumpet with piston valves (which are on the top)... the second (although difficult to see in the picture) seems to have rotary valves (which are on the side).  This may explain why they are being held in different positions... the fingering for a trumpet with rotary valves may be easier if you hold it "sideways".  Blueboar (talk) 12:16, 26 August 2014 (UTC)
 * Blueboar is perfectly correct. This site clearly shows the different arrangement of valves on Markovic's instrument which, while described as a trumpet, looks like a Flugelhorn. Fiddlersmouth (talk) 12:25, 26 August 2014 (UTC)
 * There you go. Learn something every day.  I couldn't see the pistons vs. paddles clearly enough in the pictures the OP showed.  But thanks for that!  -- Jayron  32  12:33, 26 August 2014 (UTC)
 * The distinctions can be a bit hard to tell, but it's the bore of the instrument that distinguishes a trumpet from a cornet from a Flugelhorn, and this is independent of piston or Rotary_valve. The trumpet has cylindrical bore, the cornet conical, and the flugelhorn has an even sharper taper. Supposedly, to a trained ear, a trumpet and cornet sound as different as two people's voices. SemanticMantis (talk) 14:40, 26 August 2014 (UTC)
 * I used to play cornet in a silver band - trumpets and cornets have very different tones. DuncanHill (talk) 17:04, 26 August 2014 (UTC)
 * I've played all those horns too. I eventually could tell the difference between a trumpet and cornet being played with my eyes closed, but it took some practice. I don't think I could do so today (especially from two different players), but maybe I just have bad ears :) SemanticMantis (talk) 19:33, 26 August 2014 (UTC)
 * Cornets sound rounder than trumpets. DuncanHill (talk) 08:57, 27 August 2014 (UTC)
 * I read the heading as "different angels, different trumpets". Caught my eye because I thought Gabriel was the sole trumpet player among the heavenly host. --Trovatore (talk) 19:37, 26 August 2014 (UTC)
 * Here, have an Angel's trumpet. --   Jack of Oz   [pleasantries]  21:29, 26 August 2014 (UTC)

John Chartres - Mystery Man of the Treaty
While looking up Richard Chartres, I was struck by the mention of "John Chartres - Mystery Man of the Treaty". Had never heard of him and we seem to be short of info on him. Anyone know anything? DuncanHill (talk) 17:02, 26 August 2014 (UTC)
 * Here's a Google Books reference, which seems to explain something. --TammyMoet (talk) 18:03, 26 August 2014 (UTC)