Questions about music instruments...?

Question

Okay I need a string or wind instrument that plays well with piano and trumpet in classical music.

It cannot be a piano, trumpet, cello, clarinet, flute, or violin.

The only thing I can think of is a piccolo and sax but I need to hear it w/ piano and trumpet together so it's difficult for me to decide.

if someone could show me where to listen to examples or if they have a better instrument in mind please tell me.

Answer 1

Well, with what you have left off the list, you don't have a huge choice.
Strings
Viola
String Bass

Woodwinds
Piccolo
saxophone
trombone
French horn
tuba

Others
Harpsichord
Xylophone
Marimba

That's about all you have. As for classical music of those, you can cross off the saxophone as any classical music played on a saxophone is a transcription of something like a violin or clarinet solo.

If you want examples, go to the library and browse their music collection.

Answer 2

I definantly wouldn't use a piccolo. The trumpet is already a higher pitched instrument, and the combination with piccolo would be dreadfull to the ears. Piccolos are best when mixed with an ensemble. (I am a flute/ piccolo player.)
If you can use a brass instrument how about a lower timber brass, like a baritone or trombone. This would offset the sharper timber of a trumpet.
For a woodwind you could use a bassoon or tenor saxaphone.

The only other option I can see for string is a viola.

At any rate I would use an instrument that has a deeper tone then the trumpet. If you put high toned instruments together it could prove not pleasing to the ears.

Answer 3

String Bass - it will fill out the lower end of the range. As a piccoloist, I can admit that piccolo is just not a great classical instrument in small ensembles.

Sax isn't normally classical, but even thought it can be, the alto is too close in range to the trumpet that it's not a balanced mix.

For a balanced approach, I'd go for the string bass. If you can switch genres to jazz, I'd go for tenor sax.

Answer 4

Trumpet and piano is already a hard mix. The loud brassy sound of a trumpet already is a stark contrast. Sax would be your best bet, but it's still and odd pairing. Is this due to availability of musicians? Also, another brass like French Horn or Trombone might work for you. My suggestion would be to find piano reductions for Baroque period pieces and go with the Trumpet and Trombone mix. Most of the pieces from the Baroque are written for treble and bass with no mention of what instrument it's intended for.

Answer 5

Good performers can blend no matter what the instrumentation, but I would say a trombone would blend best. A tenor, alto, or soprano saxophone would blend well, but might not be appropriate for a classical piece.

These instruments may also work:
Viola
Bass
Baritone Saxophone
Flugelhorn
French Horn
Euphonium/Baritone
Tuba

If you're set on using a piccolo, try using it with a muted trumpet.

You can make anything work as long as you make the proper considerations for each instrument.

Answer 6

I know I lot of great jazz artists used guitars and it sounded awesome. You may consider drifting away from just the standard guitar and try some more uniquely styled ones for different sounds. My father loves that kind of music. He plays the trumpet, piano, and guitar more frequently than any other instruments, so it sounds great together to me.

Answer 7

a French Horn or Flugel Horn might sound good, idk if anything is written for such instrumentation but I think it would sound good.