Although I have been building small organs and making pipes as
an amateur for many years, until now I have fought shy of making a
trumpet rank. Now, with some guidance from Marc Elbasani's excellent
description published via MMD, I have partially completed a 25-note
rank of trumpets, spanning two octaves from middle C upwards. In doing
so I have learned a lot, and had a few surprises too. Reeds really
don't respond in the way I always imagined they did, and the resonators
make all the difference in the world!
The boots, reeds and shalots now work well with makeshift square-section
wooden resonators, but I should really like to make some cylindrical
tapered horns, ending with trumpet mouths, if possible. I know this is
quite ambitious, but it is certainly worth a try.
Is there someone among the many MMDers who has some experience of
making trumpet horns? How do I calculate their correct lengths or
perhaps there is some way of adjusting their length when in place?
Should I form them from spotted pipe-metal or is brass sheet not too
difficult to work when spinning the bell ends?
I would certainly appreciate some help with these and other questions,
please.
Bob Essex
Warwickshire, England
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