[Dixielandjazz] 'Nuther dumb question

[LARRY'S Signs and Large Format Printing]

By the way the Oboe is conical
Larry Walton
St. Louis
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Craig I. Johnson" <civanj at adelphia.net>
To: <johnbird at sympatico.ca>
Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2005 12:58 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] 'Nuther dumb question


John asks: What I'm
> wondering is how trumpet and cornet differ from one another, and why might
> one prefer one instrument over the other? Anyone care to jump in?
I'll jump in.
Some  instruments are essentiall cylindrical throughout the length of the
horn.
E.g Clarinet, flute, oboe.
Others are conical e.g., Saxophone., French horn, I believe.

The difference theoretically between a cornet and a trumpet is that
the trumpet is conical back to the valves or at least the first bend after
the
bell to just after the valves. After that the tubing is a cylinder.
Due to its method of play with a slide, the trombone have to be similarly
constructed.

The Cornet is in theoretical definition, conical all the way back. As this
can cause
troubles with things like tuning slides, which would not move if the tubing
were really
all conical, there is a compromise made. So one can say that the cornet is
simply conical
much further back than the trumpet. I'm not sure of the exact point of
departure from the cone.

Why would one choose one over the other?
The trumpet (as far as I personally am concerned has a more brilliant tone.
The cornet, like the flugelhorn, has a much broader tone. In my mind that
can also be
also a funkier tone and I like it far better for trad jazz etc. The trumpet
being
more brilliant stands out more in a large orchestra (be it classical or
jazz)
 and thus for many is more suitable in that environment. However that is not
a given. Warren Vache' - even when he was playing first chair for Benny
Goodman
played a cornet. I believe he recently switched to trumpet for a short while
but
prefered the cornet and went back to it for all the styles of jazz which he
plays.
(Actually, regardless of style, I play cornet or flugelhorn for all jazz.
Haven't touched my beautiful Selmer trumpet in years. - but no, it is not
for sale.
I've had it since high school in the mid 50s.)

Regards,
Craig Johnson
Cornet, "The Maine Street Paraders"
Kennebunk Maine.
_______________________________________________
Dixielandjazz mailing list
Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz