Bore size is one of the crucial aspects to consider as a trumpet player when selecting your instrument. Knowing exactly what you want to get out of your trumpet can make it easier to navigate a great variety of instruments available on the market. In this article, we will explore why bore size matters and how it affects playability.
What is Bore Size?
If you look at your instrument, you’ll notice that it expands from the throat of the mouthpiece through the point where the mouthpiece inserts into the trumpet (the opening of the leadpipe). The leadpipe expands in diameter all the way through the tuning slides and valve section with the visual expansion towards the bell. This constant section of tubing on your instrument, starting at the entrance of the valve casing and continuing to where the bell begins, is known as the bore size which is one of the important measurements of your instrument’s design. In other words, the bore size is the diameter of the tubing inside your trumpet measured in inches or millimeters.
You may typically find the following bore abbreviations:
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M (medium) — specialty
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ML (medium-large) — standard
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L (large) — specialty
Tip: To find out your trumpet’s bore size, take out the second tuning slide and measure it. Make sure that you measure the inner tube not the outer one.
The majority of trumpets available on the market fall into the following sizes: .458 – .460 inches.
There are standard sizes that determine small and larger bores. The smaller M bore ranges between .438–.454 inches.
The larger number of medium-bore instruments are old models. But you can also find it on specialty instruments like Yamaha Intermediate trumpets.
You can find trumpets with a larger bore size among Bach Stradivarius C trumpets designed for orchestral settings with .462 inches. There are also larger instruments with the bore size ranging from .464 to .484.
Why Bore Size Matter
Although many musicians focus too much on the bore size, in practice it’s just one part of the complex trumpet’s construction. Some musicians believe that trumpets with larger bores are easier to blow. Others just appreciate vintage trumpets with large bore sizes more. But in practice the size of your mouthpiece throat is usually smaller than trumpet bores regardless of their diameter. Consequently, as you use a mouthpiece to bow air into the instrument the size of the bore does not matter so much. You may ask now: why then do many professional trumpet players pay too much attention to the bore size?
Larger bores don’t mean that trumpets take in more air, but by changing the mouthpiece they can really get more energy from you. Trumpets with larger bores can add a couple of decibels allowing musicians to play louder without breaking the tone. Medium-bore instruments can add a bit of finesse, allowing them to play softer.
The Bore Of the Trumpet: Things You Should Know
All those points about larger bore taking in more air or allowing it to blow freely are more like marketing myths than what you can expect from the bore size. If larger bore really allowed that, we would have seen bore sizes getting bigger and bigger.
You may find many trumpets described as free-blowing in the upper register, but they don’t necessarily have large bores. Very often they have medium-size bores! Moreover, some musicians find trumpets with large bores problematic in terms of their pitch — their G may sound sharper and their E may sound flatter. This creates a challenge as musicians need to learn how to manipulate their trumpets to make the pitch set where it should be.
It’s more important to know yourself as a player and the way you interact with your instrument. To get the best results you should know what instruments can meet your musician’s needs. And what you should not do is listen to others as each one’s experience is unique.
Types of Bore Shape
Brass designers incorporate two types of tubing in the trumpet bore construction:
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cylindrical tubing — with a constant diameter
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conical tubing — gradually tapering to flared
The bore shape affects intonation. The more conical your bore is, the more compact intonation: the low notes get sharper while high notes get flatter. The more cylindrical your tubing is the higher you get your high notes and lower you get your low notes.
But most modern brass instruments have a mix of conical and cylindrical tubing in their design.
How to Find Your Bore Size
Until you try various bore sizes, it’s hard to say which one fits you better as everyone’s music goals and playing styles are unique.
So, to find the trumpet with a proper bore size, visit a music store and test those with smaller and larger bores. When playing, pay attention to how each option affects your sound, articulation and overall playing comfort.
It would be useful to read feedback from experienced players or consult some experts.
How You Can Make Your Trumpet Sound Better
There are many ways to upgrade your sound regardless of what bore size your instrument has. Here are some devices that may help:
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Boosters. Boosters are specially designed tools attached to the mouthpiece that impact sound waves and the way they travel through the instrument. They are available in several weights from lightweight to heavyweight options. By adding mass to the mouthpiece, boosters stabilize vibrations helping you achieve more centered and controlled sound with better projection and resonance.
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Mouthpiece adaptors. These devices help fit flugelhorn, French horn, or cornet mouthpieces into the trumpet’s mouthpiece receiver with ease enhancing your musical possibilities and making your repertoire broader. Whenever you want a mellower or darker sound, you can get it by using adaptors.
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Deflectors. Also known as sound mirrors and reflectors, these devices help players direct the sound toward their ears during open air and indoor live-gigs. Using deflectors, trumpeters can have better control over their instrument and thus achieve the best sound regardless of how the stage is monitored.
However your sound doesn’t solely depend on the gear. You should also work on your technique and correct your mistakes in terms of finger movement, embouchure, and breathing. Check out our section devoted to Skill Development Tools for Trumpet Players, featuring lots of helpful essentials for beginners and professionals.
Conclusion
Now that you understand what bore size is and how it affects playability, it would be easier for you to find the instrument that matches your playing style and needs.
Recently we also shared some interesting and helpful information about how bell size affects trumpet sound. Check it out!