Cornetto Page


At left:  Ricardo Simian - 3d printed cornetto- using the latest 3d printing technology Mr.Simian is making instruments based on originals in Vienna that can be scaled to a variety of pitch standards, and made left handed or right handed with equal ease.  Tuning at A=440 is the lower end of the practical pitch range and demands some adjustment to the scaling parameters to make a well-tuned instrument.  This is discussed on Mr. Simian's website, which is easily found using standard search techniques. This instrument is made in the white material option. I covered my instrument in leather myself, but now professionally covered instruments are available.

At right: Christoph Schuler - corno (aka tenor Zink). These instruments really function as as alto voice, as they play easily up to c an octave above middle c and the lowest few notes that have the "bullocky" quality that Praetorius complains about can be avoided in alto parts.

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Learning the cornetto in isolation.

 Faced with the problem of living in relative isolation from good teachers and chances to play to a good standard (with good regard to pitch accuracy)  I devised some exercises to play against using Finale and play-back over large hi-fi speakers, to give "ensemble" volume. With the cornetto tuning being somewhat flexible, it is advisable to play against a pitch standard from the earliest practice. Playing pitch accurately against a tuning machine needle give the wrong (visual) feedback, when you really need to train your ears and muscle memory.Playing against a tuning machine tone is problematic too as it is not loud enough (without amplification) and does not let you play against moving notes sequentially.  Also practicing solo does not impose playing at a set tempo, for a given duration, so tends to make one undisciplined about playing to a strict tempo, and also lazy about stopping playing when fatigue sets in. What these exercises give is an infinitely patient assistant that gives you something to play against for hours at a stretch with no complaint or fatigue on its part.

Example "Cornetto 4".  Set a speed of crotchet (quarter note) to 40 (i.e. a bit slower than you want). The repeating section is set to repeat 4 times in Finale


The initial note gives the pitch, start playing at the repeat sign. Play a variety of patterns:
[1] Unison held note
[2] Unison repeated notes (not tongued)
[3] Major thirds. Listen for pure interval which is 14c narrow of equal tempered 3rds.
[4] scales and formulaic patterns in crotchets (quarters)
[5]scales and patters in quavers (8th's)

Finale notes are equal tempered, which fights a bit with instruments tuned in meantone, which is a common tuning standard in the cornetto era, which gives lots of pure 3rds in keys with few sharps or flats. This means that b-flat sounds a little low, and b sounds a little high, relative to mean tone.  Here are approximate deviations from equal temperment for mean tone, assuming A = 440:

C        +10
C#       -14
D        +3
E-flat   +20
E        -4
F        +13
F#       -10
G        +7         
G#       -17
A        0
B -flat  +17
B        -7

This means that a further set of adjustments is needed if you are playing with a meantone ensemble or keyboard.

Embouchure and getting it to sound.  It is really hard to sort out embouchure problems and give advice that is much more than generalities when problems are encountered.



Advice - contradiction and corroboration
Different teachers over the years have given advice which does not alway agree.