It seems all Trumpet players are after a "dark" sound, but a dark sound is not necessarily a good sound. Also a bright sound is not necessarily a bad sound. Who here has not heard from a Band Director or teacher, "darken up your sound"? Darkness should not be your priority. The priority is resonance, vibrancy, color. Resonance, a carrying, filling sound. Vibrancy, an alive, interesting sound, with both dark and bright elements to it. Color, this is different for every single Trumpet player. I would rather sound bright and have resonance and vibrancy, than sound dark and lack these qualities. What are your thoughts on this?

You are right about rather having a good bright sound rather than a crappy dark sound. I personally prefer a dark sound for jazz and a brighter sound for more ochestral type stuff. My band director is the opposite, he wouldnt let me switch to the cornet becuse he said it would darken my tone.

yah i know! i love upbeat stuff and if I wanted to play darkly then just make me a friggin emo!

Whats a "friggin emo"?

Whats a "friggin emo"? -trumpetbumpett

Off topic, so I'd better settle this now. Emo are people who supposedly dress all in black or purple, and supposed go for a "worthless" appeal, and say that "life's overated". Kind of wierd, remote ppl who only stay with other emo. :p

I think you misunderstand me. I didn't mean bright stylistically, I am talking about sound. Pachebel Canon by Canadian Brass is a great example. In that song there are a couple little Trumpet solo hand-offs between the two trumpet players. The first is a very bright sound. It sound like it has edges to it. But because it is so resonant and so full with color and life, it is a beautiful sound. The next Trumpeter comes in with an incredibly dark and round sound. But it also has the same qualities of the first Trumpet and it is also a marvelous sound.

I think to learn to play the Trumpet properly (learn to make it resonate, make sure tuning is good and you're centering notes) you need to play with a full sizzling sound, but once you have that why not get your own sound? One of my favourite trumpet players is Jon Hassell, and he sounds more like a wood flute than a trumpet - literally.
I'm trying to do that too - if you can be bothered, listen to a track I recorded a while ago, myspace.com/adrianshaw

Adrian,
that's really cool. The sound,the style, it is all very unique and I like what you're doing with it. Some of the most beautiful Trumpet sounds I have heard, weren't "Trumpet" sounds at all. They were Trumpets, but they had lost most of the overtone.

thanks trumpet girl. Yeah I agree I was never one for a brassy sound. but it's harder, you sacrifice a bit of technique I think, because a trumpet IS brassy, thats how it naturally sounds.

If anyone has a dark sound its Philip Smith, the pricipal trumpet of the New York Philharmonic. He can change his sound from a dark round sound to a bright brilliant sound depending on what the piece calls for. Really a good player, I bet he practices a lot. It costs $200/hr. for private lessons.

Dark?? on a trumpet?? they just don't mesh together...It's a great instrument for playing nice bright tunes...nothing can beat a really sizzling trumpet sound.

Dark trumpet sound is ok. I like an even balance between dark and bright. I think that either of the extremes are not as appealing as a well rounded, personalized trumpet sound. I hate laser tone. that's just my opinion.