A flugelhorn is a brass instrument that looks like a trumpet but has a wide, conical bore. Tuned to the B-flat pitch, flugelhorns use the same fingering technique used in most brass instruments.
A typical flugelhorn can have three or four piston valves and a deep conical mouthpiece that produces a fatter, darker, and mellower tone (compared to the other brass instruments). It is difficult to manage in high registers, making it suitable for making softer and smoother music. Flugelhorns are commonly used in jazz bands, brass bands, and sometimes in orchestras. Most models have detachable mouthpieces.
Types of Flugelhorns
Kinds of Flugelhorns include the following:
Standard three-valve flugelhorn
A standard three-valve flugelhorn produces a mellow sound and a dark tone. It features a conical bore that does not require too much effort to play. It is usually tuned to the key of B flat or middle C. Most models have detachable mouthpieces.
The fourth valve lowers the pitch and adds a wider range of low tones.
Choosing Flugelhorns (Buying tips)
Tuning slide: Choose a flugelhorn with a tuning slide that allows you to adjust the air column length in small increments.
Finish: Look for a flugelhorn with a silver-plated finish which does not add a significant amount of weight to the instrument (unlike other finishes).