Flugelhorns

A flugelhorn and a trumpet look alike. Both are usually pitched in Bb, have three valves and use the same fingerings. Yet they sound clearly different. The trumpet sounds bright and carries far. The flugelhorn has a warmer, rounder and softer tone.

That difference comes mainly from the way they are built. The tubing of a trumpet is largely cylindrical: it keeps the same width over much of its length. On a flugelhorn the tubing widens gradually (conical), and the bell is larger. The mouthpiece is different too. A flugelhorn mouthpiece has a deeper, more funnel-shaped cup than a trumpet mouthpiece. Because the shank is different, the two mouthpieces are not simply interchangeable.

In practice, you mainly hear the trumpet in concert bands, symphony orchestras, big bands and pop music. The flugelhorn plays a leading role in the fanfare band, as found in the Netherlands and Belgium, and has a permanent place in the brass band. In jazz it is a popular choice for ballads and calm solos.

Do you play the trumpet and want to learn the flugelhorn as well? The step is small, because the fingerings are the same. You mainly need to get used to the more open blow and the different sound. Visit us in Ittervoort or Lummen and try both instruments side by side, with your own trumpet mouthpiece and a flugelhorn mouthpiece we choose together with you.