The brass instrument known as a "trumpet" is an ancient instrument that was originally used as a signalling device during battle or hunting. The earliest examples date from 1500 BC; bronze and silver trumpets were found the tomb of the Egyptian Pharoah, Tutankhamun.

Two ancestors of the modern trumpet were played in Solomon's temple 3000 years ago and are mentioned in the Bible:

• Shofar
  Trumpet made from a ram's horn.


• Hatzotzeroth
  Trumpet made of metal.

Its use migrated into the musical realm and today it can be found in jazz, classical and popular music. The trumpet began to be used musically around 1400 AD. Early trumpets did not feature any alteration of the tube length, whereas modern instruments have three or four valves, hence enabling a greater pitch variation for the trumpeter.

A trumpet creates sound when the player blows air through their partially closed lips, known as the "embouchure", the resulting vibrations starts a standing wave inside the air column within the trumpet.