Baroque trumpet

The baroque trumpet is a musical instrument in the brass family. It was invented in the mid-20th century based on ideas from the natural trumpet of the 16th to 18th centuries and designed to allow modern performers to imitate the earlier instrument for music of that time. Often synonymous with 'natural trumpet', the term 'baroque trumpet' is often used to differentiate an instrument with added vent holes and other modern compromises, with an original or replica natural trumpet which does not.

See natural trumpet.

Nowadays, the term "baroque trumpet" has come to mean a version of original natural trumpet with changes to suit modern players who tend to play both modern trumpet and these hybrids. These are the instruments most often employed by period instrument ensembles when choosing historically informed performance practice. Originals are seldom used, since they are too valuable.

Some modern performers use natural trumpets, unchanged in design since the baroque era. However, the majority now choose baroque trumpets constructed with vents, which were not used in the baroque. The use of natural vs baroque trumpets is controversial. But in general, most professional trumpeters regard the modern baroque trumpet, with at least one vent hole, as a necessary compromise to ensure acceptable intonation and secure attacks for players of modern trumpets, while still providing an approximation of the original sound.

The most important reason for using a vented trumpet is providing for alternative tunings for problematic notes. The harmonic series is mostly "in tune" but there are a few notes which are "off-centre". It is normal for natural trumpet players to lip notes into tune (see Natural trumpet), but players moving from the modern trumpet are not used to lipping notes as far, leading them to revert to vented instruments.

Temperaments of the period range centre on just intonation and meantone temperament. The harmonic series of the trumpet requires less lipping to these period temperaments, than when playing in the equal temperament that modern players are used to.

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