In this video lesson, Nick Drozdoff discusses why it would seem that light weight trumpets play brighter than a massive trumpet. In some ways, a more massive trumpet ought to play brighter because it is inherently designed to not vibrate as much. This is supposed to keep more of the energy in the wind column, thus assisting the player.A lightweight horn does vibrate more and it seems to play brighter (most trumpeters agree). However, the reasons are most likely different from most trumpeters think. The vibrating bell on a light weight trumpet probably does not produce any significant amount of sound compared to the sound the trumpet makes. It is almost impossible for this tiny sound to contribute to the timbre of the instrument. The main contributor is the shape of the bell (wind column) and tubing. However, there is the possibility of a tiny bit of feedback to the lips by mechanical vibration which is transferred via the vibrating horn through the mouthpiece back to the lips.

1. Why do Light-Weight Trumpets "Play Brighter"?
2. How Does a Trumpet Work?
3. Beats and Multiphonics on a Bass Trumpet
4. Timbre and Harmonics and Pedal Tones as Applied to Trumpet and Flugelhorn
5. On Trumpet Mouthpieces and Tone (Part One)
6. Shattering Glass with the Un-amplified Sound of a Trumpet

Ever wonder how a musical brass instrument such as the trumpet works in terms of physical and scientific phenomena?

In this course, professional trumpeter and Physics teacher Nick Drozdoff gives 10 video lessons explaining the beautiful connection between Physics and Music, focusing on the mechanism behind the trumpet.