Who is a true trumpeter... can both play at a great distance in the open air, and also moderate with a pleasant voice in the princely chamber when the opportunity presents itself'-The Gentleman's Journal dated January 1692 The trumpet is an aerophone, and produces sound by passing a flow of air "through the vibrating lips of the player, thus obtaining intermittent access to the column of air which is to be made to vibrate" (14, par. 1 ). Current trumpets are made of brass and can play a very wide range of registers through the use of the instrument's valves or the player's "lipping" technique to modulate the pitch of the trumpet. According to Bo Lawergren, the trumpet was originally used to mask and intensify the human voice (42). However, throughout history, the roles and uses of the trumpet have changed dramatically. In prehistoric times, and in many cultures, the trumpet was also used to celebrate religious ceremonies or to communicate messages over great distances. More recently, the trumpet has served military purposes. Surprisingly, the trumpet has only been considered a musical instrument since the Middle Ages. Contemporary Western trumpets, complete with valves to change pitch, have been around since the early 19th century. However, the history of the trumpet is rich, and limiting this account to modern Western trumpets would be short-sighted. Trumpets, in some form, have existed for centuries, in all major cultures. The trumpet was developed independently by many cultures around the world. Ancient trumpets made of nonmetallic material have “a considerably softer tone and attack” than their brass equivalents (3, 42). The hora, made from a shell, is an example of an ancient trumpet made in Japan...... middle of paper ......e/40461485>.Oron, Aryeh. "Cantata Bwv 66." Website of Bach's cantatas. Network. November 8, 2011. Sarkissian, Margaret and Edward H. Tarr. "Trumpet." Oxford Music Online. Grove Music Online. Network. 8 November 2011.Smithers, Don L. "The baroque trumpet after 1721; some preliminary observations: PART ONE: SCIENCE AND PRACTICE." Early Music 5.2 (1977): 177-83. JSTOR. Oxford University Press. Network. November 8, 2011. .Tarr, Edward H. “Sliding Trumpet.” Oxford Music Online. Grove Music Online. Network. November 8, 2011.White, Elmer R. and John V. Basmajian. "Electromyographic analysis of embouchure muscle function in trumpet playing." Journal of Music Education Research 22.4 (1974): 292. JSTOR. MENC: National Association for Music Education. Network. November 8. 2011. .