Trumpet vs Cornet - discussion and demonstration

This video is a discussion and demonstration of the differences between a cornet and a trumpet. The trumpet demonstrated is a Chinese knock-off of a Bach, and the cornet is a Besson Sovereign. I'm using extracts from the air varie 'Napoli' as the demonstration piece.

Send me stuff!
POBox 5107
Wellington 6140
New Zealand

[nattance]

One of the clearest (and most succinct) explanations of the differences I've ever seen -- thanks. I would really like to see you do a similar one contrasting baritone horns and euphoniums. Here in the US, school bands call euphoniums "baritones" and don't use actual baritones at all!

[irober]

Nice playing. It seems both cornet and trumpet require similar amount of eye-brow agility. ;-)

[FishingForLife]

I'm back at this video once again. Even though I play both trumpet and cornet, the cornet has a special place in my heart and it annoys me when people call it a trumpet. And I am seriously tired of explaining the difference, so much so that when people ask me what instrument I play, I usually just say that I play the trumpet. I have now made it my mission to make the cornet a known instrument to the common folk. I have started by creating a local band only consisting of cornets. And I urge you, my fellow cornet players to do the same.
Let us never have to explain the difference between a cornet and a trumpet ever again!

[cherryannknott]

Thank you so much - that was MOST informative! I found the cornet more mellow – a great-niece is learning the cornet, I shall now be less ignorant about it! She is actually playing rather well; aged 11, she makes a very pleasing sound; I hope she will continue with it

[SiteReader]

When I was in elementary school band in the 1950s U.S.A., all the parts were for Bb cornet. The band teacher explained to us that the cornet used to be the standard band instrument, but we could play it on trumpet as well. I recently made a friend who is a middle school band teacher. When I looked at his band books, they are still marked for cornet.

I have a 1955 Conn Victor trumpet, that passed through my younger brother and back to me. I took up the instrument again at age 72. After practicing on the Conn Victor for the first few months, I decided I might like the mellower sound of a cornet. I bought a cheap one online (CR400) from Thomann Music in Germany. Glad I did. I like the sound better, and it's easier to hold up, except for the hand grip, which I find a little tight.

[jackspence]

The cornet, which has a conical bore (tubing gradually gets larger in diameter), while the trumpet has a cylindrical shape (same diameter until it reaches the bell portion). This changes the overtone series, which is more mellow in the cornet. It also makes the cornet a little easier to play with a little less resistance and easier to slur and play legato. The famous concert bands of the Sousa era used mainly cornets, as did the soloists such as the great Herbert L. Clark.

[serjoprot]

Dues the cornet sound a bit softer? Or is that just my impression?

[ryangriffiths]

I have been watching this channel for about two weeks now and I have to say I enjoy it very much. I am only 16 years old but I play about 5 instruments and I plan to either teach music, or make playing my career. With my main instrument being a tenor sax, my knowledge of instruments only lies with the realm of saxophones and some clarinet things, as I play bass clarinet and Bb. But this channel has really helped me to discover the amazing side of brass and how everything works from a Tuba or a Bass Trombone to a piccolo trumpet. So for that, thanks, Mr. Hamilton.

[spum]

I've seen a lot of Trent's videos. This by far is the best showing of his "Trumpet" skills.

[Cantbuyathrill]

This back-to-back demo is the most illustrative, so far, I've seen. Including the flugelhorn (and the much-to-maligned, undeservedly so, piccolo trumpet) would be an even more comprehensive exposition.

[harrelsontrumpets]

Technically, the cornet and trumpet are almost identical. Both are partially conical and cylindrical. There is a common misconception that the trumpet is cylindrical and the cornet is conical, but this is not true on modern 20th and 21st century instruments. The comparison of the bell flares is also inaccurate as the cornet bell is shorter, which explains why it appears to start tapering quickly at the base of the bell. The tapers on most cornets begin smaller than trumpet and end smaller than the trumpet, but flare faster. This fact combined with a deeper mouthpiece cup and wider backbore give the cornet a softer attack and tone than the trumpet.

Nice video and discussion :)

[zvonkozunic]

they sound totally different. The Cornet is just so much more sultry.

[glenhenning]

Great video! Played cornet in H.S., wish I still had it, didn't fully realize then what a beautiful sound it had...

[alfredolsson]

Anyone else rember the tune from "Spider-Man 2" video game, when you delivered pizza?

[MrQwertyification]

Cornets do not only use triggers. I sell instruments and that is actually the first cornet i've seen with triggers. Also, trumpets can come with triggers

[stephen.jenkins]

I hear cornet played in some older jazz recordings. This is a good comparison. Thanks. My only suggestion would be to put the playing of the more mellow instrument before the brighter one, i.e., cornet before trumpet, . to make them easier to compare.

[Johnh]

Very nice demonstration of tonal differences and mechanical differences. Thanks so much.

[perryparsons]

Very good video, especially the playing comparisons. This is a great primer for the basic differences, and is by and large accurate.

However, there have been so many variations on the common designs, that the lines do blur. For example, perhaps the most glaring variation is the American standard trumpet, the Bach Strad. It is in fact, a long cornet with a trumpet mouthpiece receiver, as the tubing graduates throughout the instrument. Many people, myself included, have verified this with the use of calipers.

Also to be noted is the Besson 10-10 trumpet, which has triggers on both the 1st and 3rd slides, perhaps as an effort to duplicate the playing mechanics of the Besson Sov, truly a hallmark cornet.

At the other end of the spectrum are the American cornets, void of any shepherd crook, but still very much cornets. While perhaps a bit brighter than their British cousins, they still are conical instruments with a very specific cornet tonal quality.

Once again, this video should be the point from which all others take off as far as variations between trumpet and cornet.

[peterfeltham]

Well demonstrated Trent, very informative.

[Tmanaz]

The different tone is magnified when you get a section of them playing together, as in a British style brass band or a proper concert band. (Most American school concert bands nowadays have trumpets where the cornets should be, since most students and amateurs don't usually own a cornet)