A guide to the Cornetts
comparisons and advice on which model to opt for
*Modern pitch A=440 or high pitch A=466? * Resin or wood?
* Which mouthpiece should I go for? * What about 3D printed instruments? * What about the mute cornett?
* How long is the delivery time for my new instrument?
These are some of the questions asked by people who are ready to get going on the cornett but who feel a touch lost. I hope that the answers below will be helpful but, in case you need more advice, please feel free to get in touch with Jeremy by email here.
* Which mouthpiece should I go for? * What about 3D printed instruments? * What about the mute cornett?
* How long is the delivery time for my new instrument?
These are some of the questions asked by people who are ready to get going on the cornett but who feel a touch lost. I hope that the answers below will be helpful but, in case you need more advice, please feel free to get in touch with Jeremy by email here.
Which instrument should I choose to get started?
Most people opt to take the resin instrument at A=440. The new G2 model is particularly good, so much so that if I were to play a concert with half the music on a resin instrument and half on my top of the range wooden one I would be surprised if you could tell them apart. The wooden instrument will, at the end of the day, have greater flexibility but you need to be an advanced player truly to take advantage of this. That said, some customers of Christopher Monk Instruments have gone for a wooden cornett, even with no previous playing experience on these instruments, simply because they prefer not to have something made of "plastic". (Actually it's not plastic but even so, yes, resin is a man-made material!)
All our "G2" resin cornetts offer exceptional value for money being reliable and stable with a great sound. Treated with some care (which really means not mistreating them) these instruments will play well for decades.
Also see note on the mute cornett below
All our "G2" resin cornetts offer exceptional value for money being reliable and stable with a great sound. Treated with some care (which really means not mistreating them) these instruments will play well for decades.
Also see note on the mute cornett below
Pitch?
High pitch A=466 is more historically correct or appropriate since the majority of surviving originals sit higher than our adopted modern pitch of A=440. The sound is brighter and the instrument, being shorter, is easier in the hands. However most people these days play at A=440 and, if you prefer to go with the high pitch instrument, you need to be sure that you are going to have people with whom you can play. That means trombone players on sackbutt who are happy to relearn the slide positions or recorder, shawm or dulcian players who have invested in high pitch instruments. And, of course, the availability of keyboards which will play at this pitch. Although the number of groups playing at high pitch is growing the majority of players continue to run with modern pitch for convenience.
Please note that there is no such thing as a cornett at A=415 and you should not get drawn into the notion that you need this to play Bach at low pitch. Any museum original cornett which appears to be at A=415 is likely to be an alto at A=466! To play Bach at low pitch we use a cornett at A=466 and transpose down a tone
Please note that there is no such thing as a cornett at A=415 and you should not get drawn into the notion that you need this to play Bach at low pitch. Any museum original cornett which appears to be at A=415 is likely to be an alto at A=466! To play Bach at low pitch we use a cornett at A=466 and transpose down a tone
Which mouthpiece?
A full comparison of our mouthpieces may be found here. In brief I would advise beginner players to start with the NDA mouthpiece in resin. This is a good all-round mouthpiece which helps to produce a sound with depth and roundness whilst retaining a certain brightness. The TTL is for trumpet players (or perhaps horn players) only. If you are a trumpet player I would urge you to consider taking the NDA as well so that you can experiment with switching between the two (the extra cost is slight in the scheme of things). You really need to get across to the 'acorn' NDA whenever you can in order to preserve that brightness of sound and clarity of articulation which the cornett calls for and which the NDA helps to achieve.
For hand-made mouthpieces (considerably more expensive): always experiment when you can. The TTM is a good mid-way step for trumpet players and the JW carries on in terms of all-round sound where the NDA leaves off. Try out different mouthpieces at trade fairs and at any possible opportunity.
For hand-made mouthpieces (considerably more expensive): always experiment when you can. The TTM is a good mid-way step for trumpet players and the JW carries on in terms of all-round sound where the NDA leaves off. Try out different mouthpieces at trade fairs and at any possible opportunity.
Why do we NOT use 3D printing?
In the development of the new G2 resin cornett we experimented with this method of manufacture. 3D printing technology is a miracle and the temptation to go down this route is incredibly powerful: after all, press a button and have several dozen identical and perfect instruments waiting the following morning! But the proof of the pudding is in the tasting as they say and the resin moulded instruments simply blow a lot better than the printed ones. It comes down to the available materials (resins v. nylons) that are available. (This is my strong opinion but I am far from alone, backed up, as I am, by similar comments and findings from colleagues, students and customers.) The G2 cornetts at Christopher Monk Instruments are moulded resin, each one cast individually in a temperature-controlled and vacuumed environment. The materials are state-of-the-art and the methods of production yield instruments of astonishing quality and consistency. Unless maltreated in some way these instruments will blow well for decades.
Mute cornett
This is a beautiful instrument to play. In skilled hands it can turn a wonderfully lyrical solo line but, normally, it is at it's best in a mixed consort. It can be played with voices and viols and blend perfectly. Cost-wise it is a mid step between the resin and wooden cornetts and, as such, could be considered as a first instrument. Normally it would be used in addition to the curved treble instrument rather than instead of it. However, if you see yourself playing mainly in mixed and quiet 'indoor' chamber groups and, especially if you prefer to have a beautiful piece of wood in your hands, then perhaps this could be the instrument for you.
Cornettino
This is in fact the descant of the family and not really an instrument for children! That said quite a number of these resin instruments has been sold to parents for use by their children and they are very successful in this regard. The finger stretch of the treble instrument, even the high pitch version, can be a real challenge for some people's hands and children will certainly be unable to tackle it. However the cornettino is a 'serious' grown-ups' instrument with its own specialist repertoire of intimidatingly high music. The new G2 resin instrument represents a giant leap ahead from its predecessor and offers the player a good all-round instrument, with full-bodied sound and stable tuning, for a very reasonable price.
Delivery time?
We aim always to have the resin instruments in stock but, in the event that we have none available, there should be an up to date delivery time on the cornett page of this website. Please bear this in mind and check first if you are going to click one of the 'buy now' buttons.
The wooden instruments are normally made to order but, again, you will be able to see whether a model is in stock by visiting the cornett page.
The wooden instruments are normally made to order but, again, you will be able to see whether a model is in stock by visiting the cornett page.
Wooden cornetts
Your choice of wood is always going to be as personal as it is critical. I personally have always opted for boxwood, favouring its brightness of sound and speed of response. Other players prefer a softer material such as plum or apple wood. Some of the loveliest cornetts that we have ever produced at the Christopher Monk workshops were from pear wood which is really quite soft but which can produce the sweetest sound. Sycamore and maple can make a fine cornett as can hornbeam - that very hard, plain wood spurned by furniture makers because it looks so uninteresting. Wrap it in leather, however, to make a cornett and it really makes no difference how plain it looks!
To discuss your needs / thoughts / requirements please click here.
Jeremy West at the Christopher Monk workshops 2017
To discuss your needs / thoughts / requirements please click here.
Jeremy West at the Christopher Monk workshops 2017
