How Much Does An Average Trumpet Weigh?

As I’m sitting here at my kitchen table I’m listening to a radio show where the host suddenly started talking about musical instruments with his guest. They started speculating about how much different instruments weigh and the guest asked: “How much does a trumpet weigh? ” Well, since they did not find an answer online, I thought why not write an article about this…

The average trumpet weight for a standard Bb-trumpet is 2.5 pounds. Now, this is if we are talking about a medium weight Bb trumpet. You see, there are many different trumpets and in this article we are going to take a look at how they differ in size and weight.

How Much Does A Trumpet Weigh?

Ok so the most common, standard trumpet weight is 2.5 pounds or 1,1 kg. And then we are talking about the Vincent Bach Bb trumpet, which is the most common trumpet and probably the brand that most professionals and also many amateurs use.

But here’s the deal…

Most Trumpet Brands Have “Heavy” and “Light” Models

Most trumpet brands offer “heavy” and “light” versions of their standard Bb trumpets. Now, the differences are still not that big because the “heavy” trumpets weigh only about 150-200 grams more and the “light” trumpets only about 100-200 grams less than the standard trumpet.

Why different weights?

The heavy and light versions are not built with the intention of making it more or less comfortable for the trumpeter to hold the trumpet, but it has more to do with the sound and playing characteristics of the trumpet.

There are Different Kinds of Trumpets

There are smaller trumpets that are not tuned in the “standard” B-flat tuning. However, they are not a good option for beginners, as a starting trumpet, because they are more difficult to master. In fact it is mostly professional trumpeters, along with skillful amateur players, that sometimes play on these smaller trumpets…

The most common tuning on smaller trumpets:

• C- Trumpet
• D-Trumpet
• Eb-Trumpet
• Piccolo Trumpet

This is what a piccolo trumpet looks like:

The piccolo trumpet is the smallest one of these and the piccolo trumpet I use myself weighs 1,76 pounds or 0,8 kg’s. However, the piccolo trumpet is also the most difficult trumpet to master and definitely NOT a good option as a starter horn for a beginner.

This is what a Eb trumpet looks like compared to a “normal” trumpet. The Eb trumpet in top of the picture. 

My Eb, trumpet is a little bit bigger than the piccolo trumpet and it weighs 2 pounds, or 0.9 kg. This is also a trumpet that is way to demanding as a starter trumpet and not something I would recommend for a first trumpet.

What brass instrument is the heaviest?

As stated an average trumpet weighs about 1.2 kilograms or 2.5 pounds. While that may sound like a lot, to some people, it is still very modest compared to the “big papa” of the brass family…

…the Tuba!

A tuba can weigh anything from 10-20 kg’s (22-44 pounds) However, before you get confused as to if it’s even possible to hold and play such a big musical instrument, for an extended period of time, I need to point out that the tuba player does not “hold” the tuba the same way a trumpet player holds his instrument.

This is what a tuba looks like:

Most often the tuba rests on the tuba players legs or, when standing, the tuba players are holding the instrument up against their bodies. It would be impossible to keep the tuba up when playing, the way trumpeters hold their trumpets (pointing straight forward)

Are Trumpets Heavy To Hold For A Beginner?

They can be. Just like brass instruments, children come in many different sizes 🙂

A 12-year old can indeed struggle with the weight of a trumpet if he or she has to hold the trumpet up for an extended period of time. This is especially true if the child is small for his age.

Trumpet Weight And The Solution For Smaller Beginners

So, is there a solution for the problem with trumpet weight and small, aspiring, trumpet players?

Indeed, there is a good option, enter…

…The pocket trumpet

What is a Pocket Trumpet and Why Are They So Good For Beginners?

Even though the pocket trumpet is much shorter than a normal trumpet, it is NOT the same as a piccolo trumpet or any of the other smaller brass instruments that are difficult to master.

A pocket trumpet is just like the normal or standard B-flat trumpet in that it has the same tuning and the same length of the tubing, however, it is much more tightly wrapped so the trumpet is much shorter. This makes them so much easier to hold because the player will hold them closer to his body.

This is what a pocket trumpet looks like:

Compared to a “standard” B-flat trumpet:

As you can see, the pocket trumpet is much more tightly wrapped, making it much shorter, than the normal trumpet. This makes them so much easier to hold for a beginner student.

So Where To Start If Wanting To Become A Trumpeter?

You either start with a normal B-flat trumpet or with the pocket trumpet. If your child is under 40 kg’s (88 pounds) then it may be a good idea to start on a pocket trumpet.

Take a look at the following two articles, as a good next step:

Article 1:  Good pocket trumpets for a beginner student

Article 2: Good standard trumpet brands for  beginner students

How Much Does A Trumpet Weigh
Final Words

So, as stated, the standard trumpet is 1,13 kilograms, or 2.5 pounds. And then there are many different kinds of smaller trumpets, but those are not something that a beginner student should be starting out on.

A while back I also got the question, how much does a trumpet and a case weigh, which is even harder to answer, since there are so many different kinds of cases nowadays. Still, wanting to do my best, I tested my Bach Bb trumpet with its original casing, and here is the answer…

…a trumpet and a case weigh 4.3 kilograms or 9.5 pounds.

I hope this article shed some light on your questions. Thanks for reading and feel free to leave a comment in the comment section below, if you have something on your mind.

-Robert Slotte-