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The "brass" form a family of wind instruments made from long metal tubes that are bent, coiled and wound into different shapes. Instead of blowing, the player "buzzes" with tightly pursed lips to send vibrations through the instrument. The sound changes by how tense the buzzing, or by changing the length of the tube. Altering the instrument's length is achieved by pressing the valves (horn, trumpet, tuba) or moving the slide (trombone). It is like closing or opening doors through a long hallway to shorten or lengthen the air space. The more open the tube, the deeper the sound. The flared end is called the bell.
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French Horn If you unwound the metal to a straight length, you would have an approximately 17-foot long horn. The first horns were used in hunting to call the dogs back to the master. In the 1600s they moved into orchestras, yet 200 more years passed before they put the valve stops inside. The player can also cup one hand inside the bell to change the pitch of the tune. |
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Trumpet Earliest trumpets were valve-less and made out of ram’s horns, seashells and elephant tusks. You can hear a similar effect by singing through the cardboard cylinder from a roll of paper towels. When the first metal trumpets were made, they were 5 feet long and straight to the bell. In the 1500s, the makers learned to bend the brass tubes which made them easier to carry in armies, to celebrations and shows. They have retained the oval shape for centuries, and produce brilliant music. The trumpet is the highest pitched of the brass family. . |
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Trombone This instrument has not changed much in 500 years. If you unwound it, it would reach 9 to 13 feet. The slide works in a telescoping action by slipping a larger tube around a smaller one. By extending or retracting the length, you can move your notes up and down the scales. Trombones come in different sizes and the sound is melodic and resonant. For centuries this instrument has been very popular for blending with the voices in choirs and operas. |
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Tuba This is the largest, heaviest and widest member of the brass family. It’s also the youngest, first made in Germany in the 1830s. They come in different sizes and play the lowest notes of all the brass instruments. You can see the largest of all in marching bands; so big they wind around the body and shoulders of the musician. The tuba in the orchestra is smaller than that, but still produces the rich, deep undertones of music. |