Naval musicians—trumpeters, drummers, and fife players—were invaluable members of English voyages and served tasks beyond signalling and communicating. They were often called upon to play during rituals aboard ship, including introductory greetings, psalms, funeral rites, elaborate performances, and the naming of territories and specific stretches of land and water. The records of voyages and livery accounts show that naval musicians came from a range of backgrounds, were sometimes promoted to more prominent ranks, and were required to have a diverse set of skills and abilities to join major voyages. Some came from families of musicians, and others had no musical backgrounds at all.

As this book argues, English maritime musicians occupied an in-between position. They were neither commanders nor officials, but not rugged seamen either. Though the naval musician had an official position and was not simply referred to as “musician” in voyaging documents, he was a “jack of all trades” despite his seemingly limited vocational task. Some court musicians played aboard ship, usually to attend royal voyages, and some had more experience at sea than others. Some voyaging musicians became court musicians at some point in their careers, like Brewer. As Miranda Kaufmann emphasizes “A position at court was the best any musician could hope for; it brought high status and a regular wage, as well as board, lodging and a clothing allowance.” While many naval musicians in the age of English exploration were passed up for positions at court, this goal for gainful employment may have also inspired early maritime performers to emulate the upper echelon.