What Defines a Trumpet's Sound???

[maustypsu]

Up until I was enlightened by the beauty of some of the OG calls I was mainly a diaphragm and pot call user.

So I know what to expect if I pick up a ceramic call with a soft wood striker vs a glass call with a hardwood striker.  I know that I can work a bat wing call and add rasp to it a little easier than when I put a single straight reed in my mouth. 

But what makes a trumpet sound different?

Length, diameter, materials, etc.

I know the answer is all of the above.  But does a smaller diameter mouth piece that opens quickly (shorter ferule) into the trumpet make it higher or lower pitch?  Do the corian trumpets I've seen lately produce a crisper (less "internal echo") than a very soft wood?  How do you guys choose your materials and what do you expect to get out of different variations to your calls?

Might help me make my choices as I accumulate another dozen or so.

[lightsoutcalls]

I have never made a trumpet call, but have a few observations from the ones I own from other makers.  The diameter of the inside of the mouthpiece seems to have a lot to do with pitch.  I have one that has the tiniest opening through the mouthpiece, and it is high pitched, and difficult to get good sound out of. 
On the other hand, I have one by another callmaker that has a larger opening through the length of the moutpiece and is much easier to play and has a more realistic pitch.  I find the same to be true about the wingbone calls I have, in that the larger the opening through the smallest bone, the lower the pitch. 

I'm definitely willing to stand corrected by those who build trumpet calls.  These are simply the observations I make from the air operated calls I own.

[savduck]

Ive had a  few trumpet guys tell me the length of the call and how all your diameters of your internals tie together that create the sound. they say the wood has an effect, but it is the smallest part of the equation.


I know one call maker that drills 10 different diameter holes for his internals and another that does 8.

[VanHelden Game Calls]

I know one that goes 4.

I have played with all sorts of different configurations.  And to be honest it is a sum of all things you mention PLUS one more important part.  The CALLER.  Believe it or not unlike a friction call an air instrument can be changed by the technique a caller uses.  I doubt I could run the trumpets savduck just ran the same as him.  Hand position, air control, even lip control plays into the sound.

That said the size of the mouth piece does set the initial pitch of the call. Seems 1/16 is the smallest I have seen and I have some up to 1/8" Smaller the mouthpiece the higher the pitch,  I like it somewhere in the middle but have no favorite yet.

Heck the vids savduck just posted; I like things about everyone of the calls he ran.

[merocustomcalls]

Most all of the mouthpieces I make are in the larger diameter category.  I've tried smaller diameters and they are more difficult to get a good sound when I play them, but that's just me.  Some other callers may prefer smaller diameter mouthpieces.  Since I stick with the same diameter mouthpiece I change the pitch by lengthening or shortening both the mouth piece and the barrel to get the desired effect. 

I glue in all my mouthpieces so they don't fall out in the woods and also to eliminate any loose air from traveling around the mouthpiece and not out the end of the barrel.  If I want a different sound I just use a different trumpet size entirely.  I can get most of everything I want with two trumpets. 

I have noticed that most woods sound the same as long as they are nice heavy dense woods.  I prefer woods like African Blackwood, cocobolo, kingwood, and others.  I do not use lighter woods such as pine or cherry.  The heavier denser woods absorb less sound into the grain and project more of it out the end of the barrel. 

Practice practice practice by the caller is the biggest key to success.  Trumpets have arguably the longest learning curve of any type of turkey call but the payoff is well worth it. 

[pappy]

Addressing this issue is a great idea, opening the door to so many questions asked by customers before hand is a plus for us callmakers.
Sound coming from any trumpet call is effected by the caller and the materials both, as any one could pick up the same call and it will most likely not sound the same.
Now, what effects each call's ability to produce those "purr-fect" sounds? Internal diameters are in my opinion the most important factor to any trumpet, and you will most likely never get the "purr-fect" or exact measurement in two different callers twice in a row, but if you keep the basics recorded as a starting point, then tweek it to please your ears, then that call will produce what the birds will be looking for.  This is what you are working towards. Now, different pitches are inevitable, both by user's ability or inability to use the call and the internals of the mouthpiece and the length of that mouthpiece. Of course, the smaller the diameter, the higher the pitch, also the harder to bring the air into the call.
Length of the trumpet itself effects a lot of issues, sound, pitch, resonance, air intake, break, and the list can go on. For me the longer the call, means the smaller internals, the shorter the call just the opposite, but if you take those internals too far, then you loose everything, so this is touchy.
Materials use, tighter woods, create crisp sound, softer woods create mellow sounds. Acrylic plastics used in a trumpet call, can produce a very electric crisp sounding call, but with that said, an unforgiving call, as the user becomes the variable, not the call.