Sax on the Web Forum banner

What woodwind instrument could replace a trumpet in a musical arrangement?

10K views 7 replies 8 participants last post by  Souportwenty 
#1 ·
My wife is arranging a well-known musical for a small band. There are some places where some instrument should play a "second trumpet" (there's only one in the band) (mainly a third lower than the trumpet in the second octave range) so which instrument would be the best fit for that? Options in our band are that a clarinet or a soprano sax or an alto sax would play that second part.

Opinions?

Thanks!
 
#3 ·
So the trumpet is tuned in Bb and goes down to a G. You talk about the 2nd octave on the trumpet which I interpret as C to C.

The clarinet is tuned in Bb and starts well below that trumpet G and will have no difficulties playing in the 2nd trumpet octave (C to C), However going beyond the 2nd octave can be difficult for some depending on skill

The soprano sax is tuned in Bb and does usually go down to Bb (thus not as far as the trumpet and the clarinet) however it has no problems with that 2nd octave (C to C) and can also easily go beyond that up to (D, D#, E, F, F#?) depending on sax.

The alto sax tuned in Eb would need transposing and does not reach as far as the soprano sax

I would suggest either a clarinet Bb or a soprano Bb.

Assuming the trumpet scores are already there, why not try either clarinet or the soprano and find out which sounds best. No need to transpose anything.
 
#4 ·
I've performed trumpet parts on soprano sax with good success. Played 2nd trumpet on the Hallelujah Chorus one Easter. Just check the range on the part.

Clarinet is not as good a substitute; a well played soprano can match the attack and power of a trumpet much better.
 
#6 ·
I've performed trumpet parts on soprano sax with good success. Played 2nd trumpet on the Hallelujah Chorus one Easter. Just check the range on the part.
That's funny! When I read the topic, I remembered a performance 30 years ago of Haendels Messiah, where clarinets played the parts of the high trumpets in the Halleluja Choir, and it was quite perfect. Hasn't the clarinet been invented for that purpose (clarin register)?
But a second trumpet in a lower range could be better with soprano sax. Why not print it out and try which solution sounds better and is more practical?
 
#8 ·
I filled in the 2nd trumpet parts in a brass quintet once playing soprano and the results seemed to please everyone listening. The tpt player was ill and it was not only a good reading exercise, but good fun too. I would vote for soprano sax. My Yamaha 5C can give me a pseudo tpt tone with the right attack.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top