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Flugelhorns

History of the Flugelhorn

It is widely acknowledged that the flugelhorn was derived from the bugle design by Michael Saurle in the early 1800’s. Flugelhorns were named from the German word Flügel which translates as wing or flank in English. In the beginning, the flugelhorn was mainly used on the battlefield to organize the flanks in an army.

Appearance and Use

Flugelhorns are a part of the horn family and a brass instrument that resembles trumpets but with a wider bore. The appearance of the flugelhorn has also been compared to a cornet, even though the trumpet is probably a closer assessment. The flugelhorn usually has three valves and uses the same piston valve system of similar brass instruments. Four valve and rotary valve versions exist but they are not the norm. Some contemporary flugelhorns include a fourth valve as this is becoming more trendy. These days the flugelhorn is used in jazz, brass band, and trendy music applications. The tenor is considered to be fat and mellow compared to a trumpet. The actual sound probably falls someplace in between a trumpet and a horn.

Selecting a Flugelhorn

Guides about the flugelhorn are hard to find as this is a really unique brass instrument. If you have a regional music instrument store that happens to sell flugelhorns you are lucky and probably want to try one out there. For most people, the best option for locating a flugelhorn will be on the Web. Flugelhorns are expensive compared to other brass instruments but you will find that they are worth the cost for the true brass instrument player due to the rare sound and playing qualities. It is doable to find good deals on the flugelhorn if you employ the proper resources on the Web.

By: Toby Carberton

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For a complete flugel horn guide visit the Web site at flugelhornguide.com.

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