Trumpet - Buying tips & guidelines

if buying for a child, you then need to ascertain if they are physically big enough to cope with the weight of the instrument. Find out more by clicking on the tile below. Certainly starting at an early age on an Instrument pays dividends, but there is nothing worse than a child being put off from learning through struggling physically. In particular, for a small child, the Trumpet is quite “long” with the (not inconsiderable) weight of the Instrument held (entirely by the arms) quite a way from the body.
This is hard work, makes practicing tiring and can lead to bad posture and consequently poor technique that can in turn hinder progress – causing further reasons
not to continue.
For many younger children (say 9 or below), the Cornet offers an easier physical introduction to Trumpet playing. The Instruments – from a technique and repertoire perspective are the same for a beginner, so if you can play one, you can play the other. The advantage of the Cornet from the perspective of a younger player is that it
is a more compact instrument – meaning it is held closer to the body – making the physical strains of holding the Instrument considerably easier.
Another approach is consider a plastic instrument (trumpet or cornet). High quality plastic trumpets can produce a similar sound quality and pitch to traditional instruments but offer significant advantages for the student player over traditional instruments:
The longer term choice between a trumpet and cornet is down to your own personal musical taste. If you like rousing orchestral works or a bit of Big Band then the trumpet will always be your best option, but if you prefer the distinctive sound of a good old traditional Brass Band then the cornet is the one for you. It is worth noting that it doesn’t have to be an either / or choice, many top players will be proficient on both, although generally they will have one that is their primary instrument.
This is hard work, makes practicing tiring and can lead to bad posture and consequently poor technique that can in turn hinder progress – causing further reasons
not to continue.
For many younger children (say 9 or below), the Cornet offers an easier physical introduction to Trumpet playing. The Instruments – from a technique and repertoire perspective are the same for a beginner, so if you can play one, you can play the other. The advantage of the Cornet from the perspective of a younger player is that it
is a more compact instrument – meaning it is held closer to the body – making the physical strains of holding the Instrument considerably easier.
Another approach is consider a plastic instrument (trumpet or cornet). High quality plastic trumpets can produce a similar sound quality and pitch to traditional instruments but offer significant advantages for the student player over traditional instruments:
- Around half the weight (500g)
- Robust and “dent proof”
- Fun looking
- Sounds as good as a traditional Instrument
- Affordable – cheaper than a traditional instrument
The longer term choice between a trumpet and cornet is down to your own personal musical taste. If you like rousing orchestral works or a bit of Big Band then the trumpet will always be your best option, but if you prefer the distinctive sound of a good old traditional Brass Band then the cornet is the one for you. It is worth noting that it doesn’t have to be an either / or choice, many top players will be proficient on both, although generally they will have one that is their primary instrument.