Trumpet pedal tones
Notice there is also one harmonic-slot below the low C. However, for your interest, just below is a more complete listing of the harmonic series, based on the horn in first position (open). There are even higher slots than what is shown on the fingering chart above, but they were not included there since the majority of players do not even play in that range. These alternate fingerings rarely are in tune, unless there is a deficiency in the player’s fundamentals, the horn or the mouthpiece. This creates a duplication of pitches with different fingerings. Since each of the seven valve combinations have the same number and spacing of slots, there will be more and more overlap… where the chromatically descending notes in the slot’s seven positions spill over into into the range occupied by the next slot lower.
#Trumpet pedal tones series#
So as the overtone series goes higher, the intervals between the harmonics-partials-slots become smaller. Before there were valved trumpets, this range of the horn (with consecutive 2nds) is where a composer could write scale like parts for the instrument. The next slot up (F#-Gb in this series) is even trickier, for variables like the embouchure formation, airstream and mouthpiece can affect the intonation to the degree that it actually sounds one 1/2 step lower. Climbing even higher, there are three consecutive major 2nds, which often make it even harder for the player to orient himself within the series when playing, especially when it takes longer to master control in that register. It is also the first slot that is not in the major key of the root key (in this case C major), and many less experienced players do not even know of its existence. The high A#-Bb in the overtone series with this valve combination (open) is an alternate fingering…in fact that entire slot for every valve combination across the board is an alternate fingering. Ascending farther up there are two consecutive minor 3rds, but still, this is the only place in the series with this intervallic structure. At the lower end of the series, the size of each interval is unique…one perfect 5th, one perfect 4th, and one major third. The intervals between these slots (labled at the left) are the predictable and consistent phenomena of acoustics in nature…no matter what the instrument, what it’s made out of, and how long or short it is. Overtones are also called harmonics or partials, but brass players also call them slots.
#Trumpet pedal tones pdf#
Click here for a printable PDF file: Bb Trumpet Fingerings and Overtone Series This fingering chart for Bb Trumpet has these features: