Hi all,

I have a nice Yamaha 4335G trumpet, and am additionally interested in performing some trumpet pieces on flugelhorn as well.

The fugelhorn seems to sound like something between the trumpet and horn. I like the way the (french) horn can sound bold and brassy but also soft, sonorous and mellow. I am wondering whether something similar can be done with the flugel.

However it seems that unlike the horn, the flugel is mostly used in jazz and its mellowness may not be so suitable for certain brighter, more aggreesive pieces. I do not know whether there is a mouthpiece to fix this on flugel.

My research shows that the flugel may have originated from the bugle or may have been used for hunting calls in old times like the horn. However if the flugel can sound as bold as that, why is it used for jazz mostly?

The flugel looks like more of a miniature tuba (due to the conical bore) than a mini horn I think, and perhaps that has to do with the tone also.

Would you not recommend the flugel if it is to be played for not so mellow pieces as well, unlike the french horn?

Thanks.

i recommend flugel for smooth jazz rather than jazz.(there is a difference) usely if somebody is trying to get that dark smooth tone they would rarely add flugel in a jazz piece. and i would recommend it for solo performances over the trumpet at times. knowing that i'm a getzen addict i recommend the getzen 595 capri (which is the one i have) http://www.getzen.com/fluegel/capri/595.shtml

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oh nevermind lol

I heard from a former classmate that flugelhorns, if mixed with trumpets contribute to the beauty of their overall sounds. He said a flugel player may do the music parts intended for trumpet. I think a composer of an aggressive brighter music piece usually make a separate parts for the flugel only. Recently I listened to records for flugelhorn and trumpets, and on my opinion nothing is bad if the flugelplayer will also play that of the trumpet. Maybe there will be noticeable difference if flugelhorn players outnumbered the trumpets.

By the way guys, which of the two is the easiest to play, considering the volume of air needed, the pressure needed, etc...? thank you

This same question seems to have been asked in a different forum. I made some comments there, but I'll be a little more specific about one particular point here:

The fugelhorn seems to sound like something between the trumpet and horn. I like the way the (french) horn can sound bold and brassy but also soft, sonorous and mellow. I am wondering whether something similar can be done with the flugel.

The way that a horn sound "bold and brassy" is a thing particular to a horn. It's called cuivre. Speaking very roughly, cuivre is a fairly ugly sound, but a necessary occasional antidote to the unmitigated beauty of the normal horn sound, which tends to pall eventually (like a diet of pure sugar would). Whether or not anything like cuivre is possible on the flugelhorn (doubtful), it isn't commonly done, and it isn't necessary because the more moderately beautiful flugelhorn sound takes much longer to pall. In any case, when a flugelhorn player wants to sound brassy, he simply puts down his flugelhorn and picks up his trumpet.

Recently I listened to records for flugelhorn and trumpets, and on my opinion nothing is bad if the flugelplayer will also play that of the trumpet.

The trumpet's top written fourth (G to C) is generally avoided on the flugelhorn.