The brass instrument family comprises several different instruments, including the trumpet, trombone, and tuba, as well as many others. In this post, we are looking at the different types of brass instruments:
Baritone Horn
The baritone horn, often just referred to as the baritone, is a low-pitched brass instrument. The baritone is pitched to B♭ and is usually found in brass bands. It is very similar to the euphonium. However, the baritone has a tighter wrap, and a smaller bell and produces a lighter sound. Those who play the baritone are referred to as baritone players or baritonists.
Cornet
The cornet is similar to the trumpet (but much smaller). The cornet is most commonly pitched to B♭, however, soprano cornets are pitched to E♭. The cornet is usually found in brass bands.
Euphonium
The euphonium is similar to the baritone horn but has wider tubes and a larger conical bore. In comparison to the baritone, the euphonium produces a much mellower sound. Those that play the euphonium can be referred to as a euphist, euphologist, euphonist, euphoniumist, or euphophonist.
Flugel Horn
The Flugel horn, also known as the flugelhorn, fluegelhorn, and Flügelhorn, is a small trumpet-like instrument. Whilst similar to the trumpet, the flugelhorn is much smaller and has a wider conical bore. Like the trumpet and the cornet, the flugelhorn is pitched to B♭. The Flugel horn is a descendant of the valved bugle.
French Horn
The french horn is commonly just referred to as the “horn”. The modern-day french horn has 18ft of tubing wrapped into a coil with a large, flared bell. It can produce a wide range of sounds, from soft and mellow to loud and harsh.
Tenor Horn
The tenor horn also referred to as the alto horn, and althorn has a conical bore similar to the baritone horn. The tenor horn is usually pitched to E♭ and is commonly used in brass bands.
Trombone
The trombone differs from all the other instruments in the brass family as it uses a slide to change the pitch rather than valves. The name trombone derives from the Italian word tromba (meaning trumpet) and roughly translates to “large trumpet”. Those that play the trombone are referred to as trombonists or trombone players.
Trumpet
The trumpet is probably the most recognisable of the brass instrument family, as it is widely used in orchestras, brass bands, and jazz ensembles. There are many different types of trumpets. However, the most common is pitched to B♭. The trumpet offers the highest pitch of the brass family and produces a bright and vibrant sound. The trumpet’s pitch is changed by pressing down on the three valves in various combinations. Throughout history, the trumpet has been used to signify different events, such as hunting or battle. Those that play the trumpet are known as trumpeters or trumpet players.
Tuba
The tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched instrument in the brass family, leading to it being known as the ‘grandfather’ of the brass family. Orchestras will usually only have one tuba, whereas brass bands may have up to four! The length of the tubing in a tuba differs depending on the pitch of the instrument. For example, a B♭ tuba has around 18ft of tubing compared to an F tuba which has around 12ft of tubing. The name tuba comes from the Latin word tuba, which actually means ‘trumpet’. Those that play the tuba may be known as tuba players, bass players, tubists, or tubaists.