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About Brass Instruments

Trumpet

  • it is the smallest member of the brass family

  • it has three valves and is cylindrical in shape

  • valveless trumpets have been around for thousands of years and were originally used for ceremonial purposes

  • famous trumpeters: Rafael Mendez, Wynton Marsalis, and Jens Lindemann


Piccolo Trumpet

  • this is a special trumpet that is half the length of the regular trumpet

  • it is used to play very high, bright notes

  • it includes a fourth valve to help play some lower notes

  • famous piccolo trumpeters: Maurice Andre, Erik Schultz, and Fred Mills

French Horn

  • it is conical in shape which gives it a mellower sound than the other brass instruments

  • it is played with the right hand inside the bell allowing the player to change the sound by changing his/her hand position

  • they come with either three or four valves

  • valveless horns have been around for hundreds of years

  • used as hunting horns, worn over the shoulder by horse riders

  • famous french horn players: Phil Farkas, Froydis Ree Werkre, and Barry Tuckwell

Trombone

  • it is cylindrical in shape and has a moveable slide used to alter the length of tubing

  • it is capable of creating a powerful, majestic sound

  • of the modern instruments in the brass family, it is the oldest it was invented about five hundred years ago with very little change ever since

  • famous trombonists: Arthur Pryor, Christian Lindberg, Alain Trudel, and Joseph Alessi​

Tuba

  • the largest member of the brass family and is conical in shape

  • it is capable of very deep, resonant tones

  • it can have up to five valves but the most common ones have only three

  • it is the newest instrument in the brass family, invented in 1835

  • famous tubists: Arnold Jacobs, Charles Dallenbach, Patrick Sheridan, and Sam Pilafian

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