The History of the Trumpet

The evolution of the trumpet began several thousand years ago when primitive wind instruments were created out of various materials like wood, bamboo, bark, clay, metal, and even human bone. These early wind instruments have been found on every continent and are thought to have been used in religious ceremonies. Later, Ancient Greeks and Romans used trumpets for marching during wartime. Most European royalty also had trumpet bands that played military music. It wasn’t until the 17^th century that the trumpet began to be used for purely musical purposes. However, this was still the “natural” trumpet, which only produced natural harmonics. The trumpet did not become a fully functional instrument until the valve was invented in 1810. Today, the trumpet is still in use and features prominently in many different styles of music.