At first glance, you may think that the trumpet is a complicated instrument. There are various trumpet parts such as buttons, valves, slides, pipes, and keys that can overwhelm beginners and even confuse those who’ve been playing for a while.
But like any other instrument, the trumpet won’t seem nearly as intimidating once you get to know its components. This brings us to today’s question: what are the different parts of the trumpet?
Since its first appearance back in 1500 BC and the invention of the modern valve trumpet in the 19th century, many types of trumpets have come to exist. The most common one and the subject of today’s guide is the Bb trumpet.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at all the different bits of the trumpet to help you form a deeper understanding of this fascinating instrument.
1. Mouthpiece
The trumpet part where you place your mouth to buzz into and produce a sound is called the mouthpiece. It’s the small component that touches your lips.
The trumpet mouthpiece is available in many shapes and sizes. This explains why it’s removable; to let you change it to achieve different sounds and feels from the instrument.
That said, all mouthpieces connect to a narrow shank that fits into the mouthpiece receiver via a cup-shaped hole.
2. Mouthpiece Receiver
The mouth receiver is the part where you insert your mouthpiece. It’s a slim shank that should fit snugly with the mouthpiece and serves as a connection point between the trumpet mouthpiece and the trumpet’s main body.
Although you won’t interact much with the mouthpiece receiver, you need to keep it without dents.
Otherwise, you won’t be able to properly use the mouthpiece, and consequently, the entire trumpet!
3. Lead Pipe
A critical part of the trumpet, the lead pipe is positioned between the mouthpiece receiver and the valves. It’s pronounced to rhyme with “read” not “head”.
The lead pipe is the start of the trumpet’s tubing, which explains the name. The purpose of the lead pipe is to relay the air and vibrations that you provide through the mouthpiece to the rest of the tubing across the trumpet’s body.
Since it’s the first stop of the entering air, the shape, material, and width of the lead pipe can impact how the instrument sounds and feels.
The location of the lead pipe makes it vulnerable to damage due to the build-up of saliva on the inner surface and exposure to sweat on the exterior. As such, brass lead pipes are superior to copper ones.
Additionally, you’ll find a small metal loop on the lead pipe known as the pinkie ring. It’s for your right pinkie finger to rest.
4. Valves
The trumpet valves, also known as the buttons, are responsible for changing the notes when pushed down. There are 3 valves in a standard trumpet, which consist of valve piston that fit into valve casings.
Once one or more valves are pressed, the air moves through an additional distance of the tubing, effectively extending the length of the trumpet. The longer the distance that the air travels, the lower the produced note.
When no valves are pressed, the trumpet will play its fundamental note.
5. Finger Buttons
On the top of the valves, you’ll find finger buttons that the player pushes down to engage the valves. These buttons usually contribute to the aesthetics of the trumpet, so they come in various trims and designs for players to choose from.
6. Valve Caps
There are two types of valve caps you’ll come across in a trumpet; top valve caps and bottom valve caps.
The valve caps on the top are meant to screw onto the upper tips of the valve casing. Their job is to secure the valves inside the casings and prevent them from leaving their place when the springs move up.
Additionally, the rubber or felt portion of the valve cap absorbs some of the impact of the finger buttons on the valves’ topside when you press them down.
As for the bottom valve caps, they’re designed to screw onto the base of the valve casings to keep the oil and gunk from dripping out and onto the player.
7. Valve Slides
Each of the 3 valves in a trumpet connects to a valve slide. Each valve slide has a different length that causes a certain amount of pitch lowering when the player pushes down the corresponding valve.
First Valve Slide
The valve located closest to the mouthpiece is called the first valve, so the matching slide is known as the first valve slide. It’s responsible for lowering the pitch by 2 semitones.
On most trumpets, the first valve slide features a U-shaped rest to help the player’s left thumb move the slide out.
To ensure easy movement, you need to keep the first valve slide well-lubricated with regular greasing.
Second Valve Slide
The slide connected to the middle valve is known as the second valve slide. It reduces the pitch by 1 semitone, which means it’s the trumpet’s shortest valve slide.
Unlike the first and third valve slides, the player doesn’t need to move the second valve slide to engage its pitch-lowering effect. As such, greasing this valve slide is only to protect it from corrosion and make it easy to detach.
Third Valve Slide
The valve farthest from the mouthpiece is called the third valve, so the matching slide is known as the third valve slide. Its purpose is to lower the pitch by 3 semitones, which makes it the trumpet’s longest valve slide.
Similar to the first valve slide, this one features a ring to help the player’s left ring finger or pinkie move the slide out. It also needs to stay well-lubricated to facilitate the movement.
9. Main Tuning Slide
At the end of the lead pipe, you’ll see a U-shaped tube that extends to fit into the tube leading to the third valve. This part is called the main tuning slide.
As the name implies, players use this component to adjust the overall tuning of the trumpet.
This is done by changing the length of the tube. You can either flatten the pitch and lower the tuning by pulling the main slide out, or sharpen the pitch and raise the tuning by pushing the main slide in.
To be able to easily move the main tuning slide, you should keep it well-lubricated with regular greasing
9. Water Keys
Water keys are typically located on the third valve slide and the bottom of the main tuning slide. The purpose of the water keys is to provide an exit for the build-up of moisture that condenses inside the trumpet.
The positioning of the water keys at the indicated spots is because they’re where water is most likely to gather.
The mechanism of water keys is commonly a lever and spring duo. The lever features a cork that covers a tiny hole through which water is released when you press the lever to open it.
After that, the spring pushes the lever and the cork back to place, closing the hole once more. The water keys are also called water valve or spit valve.
10. Bell
Finally, the bell is the end of the trumpet that opens gradually to a wide flaring outline to release the sound. Its name comes from the way it looks.
The shape of the bell and its material are behind the characteristic sound and loudness of this instrument.
Final Thoughts
There you have it, a guide to the different trumpet parts. We hope you were able to learn more about this wonderful instrument and better appreciate the ingenuity of its design.