Sounds like each did their respective job then!

I agree! A lot of the time, though, the Eb cornet ends up being a lot brighter than the Bb cornets.

@@SamuelPlaysBrassI mean, that’s kinda expected of a higher pitched instrument.

@@SamuelPlaysBrassof course, but that is part of the nice color it creates.

To an extent this is definitely true. If I’m honest, though, a lot of the difference comes from (a) the mouthpiece shape and (b) the player’s approach to the instrument. With a soft and delicate approach, the Eb trumpet can sound pretty similar to an Eb cornet. And especially vice versa if the Eb cornet player is using a shallow mouthpiece and playing brightly.

@@SamuelPlaysBrassWhen the trumpet and horn players in my old highschool band switched from one instrument to the other, the trumpets kinda had a french horn quality to the tone and vice versa

@@Propane_Acccessories Precisely. When a horn player picks up trumpet, their tone lacks focus and direction. When trumpet players try to pick up the horn, their sound lacks depth and is too bright. It’s one thing to have a good enough concept of embouchure to switch instruments, but it’s another thing entirely to understand the approach and sound concept of each.

I definitely enjoy playing the cornet more in general. I like when I can make an instrument sound soft and light.

Good to know. I think the Eb cornet makes for a wonderful imitation of an operatic soprano.

@@SamuelPlaysBrass i invite you to listen to some of the plays of those wind-band/orchestras. They are special, at least for me, because they brought the culture of opera in the poore southern Italy towns. It's been a tradition since the early '900 and they are called "bande da giro"

@@SamuelPlaysBrass and yeah they really make a good imitation. love your vids

Thank you! I’m partial to it as well.

The Eb trumpet is mostly made to sound more brilliant and focused than the Bb trumpet, but it does have a slightly higher top end to its range. I would say the written range of the Eb trumpet goes from its lowest F# (which doesn’t feel as low as it would on a Bb trumpet) to a Bb or C above the staff, though probably not any higher, realistically speaking. In concert pitches, that’s an A3 to an Eb6.

Thank you! Doing my best, especially now that I’m playing it in the brass band.

That’s my preference as well, but each has its own uses.

Thank you!

Right, and a lot of brass players don’t realize how many different members of the trumpet family there are, which is why I make videos like this.

I find it to be a lot more fun to play because it allows me to channel the sound I hear in my head more easily than the Eb trumpet!

Thanks for your comment! I’m lucky enough that there’s a brass band in my hometown-last year I played in the solo row and this year I’m playing sop temporarily!

I’ve never tried to use a sop for traditional Eb trumpet solo literature. I definitely do see what you’re getting at, though. To your last point, definitely :) I spent the 2023-24 season on soprano in my local band and that made me realize just how important it is to be able to drill holes through the wall on that horn. I realize now that daintiness goes out the window in context sometimes.

Thanks!

Two very good adjectives! Thanks!

Glad you enjoyed!

What makes you like its sound more, out of curiosity?

I do see what you’re saying. Maybe somewhere between oboe and E-flat clarinet…

Thanks!

Unfortunately Eb cornet is one of the most cost-prohibitive high brass instrument :/

Sop on top

Thanks for the kind words! Something to bear in mind, having had a lot more sop experience now than since the time I filmed this video, is that the Kanstul I was using at the time was REALLY not a good fit. Its intonation was horrendous, and as soon as I tried to use it in an actual band, I was fighting the horn and chipping notes absolutely constantly. You’d do better to try to find a used Yamaha Neo or Courtois. I ended up using my bandmate’s Schilke, although it is a little bright for my tastes. The mouthpiece I was using is just a 3. No letter. It’s the same rim and backbore as a 3C, but deeper. I also did not end up keeping that, opting instead for a wider but shallower Curry 1.5P-it was a shame, but I really couldn’t sustainably play above-the-staff brass band parts for hours at a time with as deep a cup as I wanted. What’s really bizarre is I use pretty deep equipment for almost all of my brass playing, and I strongly prefer the sound of the deepest cup I can manage to play on (my general purpose Bb cornet piece is a Denis Wick 2B heavytop), but for some reason sop just absolutely takes it out of me. Many manage to play on something a little deeper on sop… and then again, many others use a teeny-tiny Schilke 6A4A LOL.

@@SamuelPlaysBrass thank you very much for the reply! had a little look and the options near me seem to be the Neo, Schilke, and then also Besson 924, Getzen 3892, and Stomvi Titan (not much in the way of used unfortunately) so hopefully I'll get round to giving them all a play at some point! :) (I expect the winner will either be the Neo or Titan - I hear they come with a 4-valve option as well which could be intriguing (I have very weird and specific tastes in all things, instruments included, and it sounds like exactly the sort of thing I would go for lol) Thanks also for telling me about the mouthpieces, that's very useful stuff - sounds like I'll probably end up on something vaguely similar to you then as I prefer wider rims, it's a very good point about the stamina as well, I will definitely remember to take that into consideration as I do also love the sound of deeper cups but they DEFINITELY get to me as well haha! many thanks! :)

Yep, that’s a sign of “go practice cornet more!” For me cornet plays way easier than trumpet except on sustained fortissimo passages. Cornet feels like home to me (yeah, I definitely need to practice trumpet more).

Sorry I didn't get around to responding to this sooner. I've never actually put both to the test in a real musical setting. The way your band operates sounds fun, and I bet it would be a cool contrast for all the cornetists to bring out trumpets for soundtracks or pop transcriptions! With that said, however, my perspective has changed a bit since filming this video, now that I've spent a few concert cycles actually playing rh sop for SBBB (incidentally on the Schilke you mentioned, not the Kanstul you see in this video). I ended up on quite a shallow mouthpiece (Curry 1.5P) with the sole intent of survival, and it makes me realize that the sop can do essentially anything the Eb trumpet can with the right choice of mouthpiece. I still approach it a little more delicately than the Eb trumpet, and I think the sop's sound is naturally a little gentler when played softly, but I've found I can REALLY peel paint with it when needed.

​@@SamuelPlaysBrass Funny... I landed on a 5P for the Schilke! It's definitely bright but I think the tighter backbore is what's really saving the day. Intonation is marginally better than the 7E that was handed down with the horn. Both Ebs can be very different horns with just a mouthpiece change. I need to do some recorded comparisons to really get an objective idea on the difference in sound, since they sound so different behind the bell... thanks for sharing your playing with us all!

Yes, that’s the Eb soprano cornet you’re thinking of. I play the sop part in my local brass band.

The fingerings for any key of trumpet are exactly the same. The only difference for Eb trumpet versus Bb is that the notes sound a fourth higher.

…huh?

It depends on what you are looking for. Most music stores do not carry Eb trumpets because they don't sell very frequently. You more or less have to go the online route. There are poorer-quality Chinese ones available on sites like AliExpress or Gear4Music. There are a whole range of used ones that can be found on sites like eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or Reverb. That's probably the smartest way to go, if you know what you're looking for. Brand-new, high-quality ones from companies like Yamaha, Bach, or Schilke can probably be found on retailers like Woodwind Brasswind, Sweetwater, or similar sites. Those tend to be VERY expensive, though. Also, no need to ask twice. I heard the first time.

First off, the sound has more brilliance and the articulations tend to be a lot more crisp. Then, while it’s not “easier” per se to play high notes on the Eb trumpet, the high notes are more easily tuned, more secure, and more comfortable. Trills in the upper register are far easier in particular. Still, most uses of the Eb trumpet are in solos and concertos. Not too many players use them in full orchestras. Malcolm McNab is a great example of someone who does. I think a large-bore, large-bell Eb can do great things on 1st trumpet in the orchestra, though occasionally you’d need a 4th valve to cover some of the lowest notes.

Eb flugelhorn is a complete novelty. Very few exist in the word. Eb trumpet and cornet are both relatively common.

No, every instrument exists for a reason. I’m aware that in countries like Russia, trumpet players prefer the Bb trumpet. That doesn’t mean it’s the only “real” way of doing things.

@@SamuelPlaysBrass Bro, that was sarcasm)

Overture to “Abu Hassan”

Are you really going to sit here and act like that sentence suffices for kids who don’t know the difference? Why not let them hear it for themselves?

@@SamuelPlaysBrass im just answering the title question haha, no harm meant

@@InstantSoup4 Apologies haha, still a wise guy but I suppose you’re correct ;)

HAHA I hate that this comment makes perfect sense to me

Eb jazz is utterly cursed

Can't you just use alto/bari saxophone charts?

@@bobbob1730 I guess, but the sound would be totally wrong. Eb trumpet doesn’t have much jazz capability in my opinion.

That’s a good comparison. I do think part of the reason I’m drawn to the Eb cornet as a solo instrument is its more woodwind-like timbre.

Luckily that same note is only a G atop the staff on an Eb instrument!

My preference as well!

My preference is for the cornet too, but it’s not “better,” just a different sound for a different set of circumstances! If I had to match the consistency of articulation of a trumpet section with the cornet, I’d tire out very quickly.

Sadly no, but it is nonetheless an honor to be likened to Charles White.

@@SamuelPlaysBrassI think your definitely moist critical voice trapped in someone’s body