Brass
Instruments
Brass Instruments
• Brass instruments make up the brass
family of orchestral instruments.
• Brass instruments are sometimes made of
brass, but also other metal.
• These instruments all have three major
sections: a mouthpiece, a length of tubing,
and a bell.
• You usually think of them as a “fanfare”
instrument.
Brass Instruments
• In their present form, brass instruments
have been around for about 1000 years,
although there is evidence that similar
instruments have been around since the
beginning of time.
• These early “brass-style” instruments
included conch shells, animal horns and
hollow sticks.
AA shofarshofar
An ancient trumpetAn ancient trumpet
made from ramsmade from rams
hornhorn
AA conch shellconch shell
A sea shell used asA sea shell used as
a trumpeta trumpet
AnAn AlphornAlphorn
A horn that isA horn that is
made of wood andmade of wood and
is in many sectionis in many section
– still used today!– still used today!
Brass Instruments
• Since their were no microphones in
churches 1000 years ago, brass
instruments were used instead of singers
so that everyone could hear.
• Those songs sounded like this.
Brass Instruments
• There are four major members of the
brass family: the Trumpet, the French
Horn, the Trombone, and the Tuba.
• Each of these instruments has its own
distinct look and sound.
The Trumpet
• Smallest and highest of the brasses, it
usually plays the melody or soprano part.
• The trumpet is sometimes made of brass,
but usually it’s made of silver.
• It has three valves.
A SliverA Sliver
TrumpetTrumpet
A BrassA Brass
TrumpetTrumpet
A SpecialA Special
“Jazz”“Jazz”
TrumpetTrumpet
used byused by
DizzyDizzy
GillespieGillespie
The French Horn
• The second smallest of the brass family, it
usually plays the middle harmony or alto
part.
• The French horn is usually made of brass,
but some are silver and some are made of
nickel.
• It has three valves and is played with the
right hand in the bell.
• The French horn is the only “left-handed”
instrument.
A “Brass”A “Brass”
FrenchFrench
HornHorn
A “Silver”A “Silver”
FrenchFrench
HornHorn
The French HornThe French Horn
is played withis played with
your right handyour right hand
in the bellin the bell
The Trombone
• The oldest member of the brass family, it usually plays
the middle harmony or tenor part.
• The Trombone horn is almost always made of brass, but
some are silver and some are made of mixture of brass
and copper (rose brass).
• The Trombone is the only instrument in the world that
uses a slide rather than keys, valves, or strings. (Some
trombones have a single valve that allows them to play
lower notes)
• The Trombone is was originally called the Sackbut.
• The trombone is also the instrument you hear making
the “sliding” noise in Jazz and Dixie Land bands
TheThe
TromboneTrombone
A TromboneA Trombone
with a valvewith a valve
Two OriginalTwo Original
SackbutsSackbuts
The Tuba
• The largest of the brasses, it usually plays
the low harmony or bass part.
• The Tuba is made of brass or silver.
• It has three or four valves.
• Some special marching band tubas, called
Sousaphones, are made out of a very
thick plastic.
A “Brass”A “Brass”
TubaTuba
A “Silver”A “Silver”
TubaTuba
A fiberglassA fiberglass
SousaphoneSousaphone

Brass instruments 2

  • 1.
  • 2.
    Brass Instruments • Brassinstruments make up the brass family of orchestral instruments. • Brass instruments are sometimes made of brass, but also other metal. • These instruments all have three major sections: a mouthpiece, a length of tubing, and a bell. • You usually think of them as a “fanfare” instrument.
  • 3.
    Brass Instruments • Intheir present form, brass instruments have been around for about 1000 years, although there is evidence that similar instruments have been around since the beginning of time. • These early “brass-style” instruments included conch shells, animal horns and hollow sticks.
  • 4.
    AA shofarshofar An ancienttrumpetAn ancient trumpet made from ramsmade from rams hornhorn AA conch shellconch shell A sea shell used asA sea shell used as a trumpeta trumpet AnAn AlphornAlphorn A horn that isA horn that is made of wood andmade of wood and is in many sectionis in many section – still used today!– still used today!
  • 5.
    Brass Instruments • Sincetheir were no microphones in churches 1000 years ago, brass instruments were used instead of singers so that everyone could hear. • Those songs sounded like this.
  • 6.
    Brass Instruments • Thereare four major members of the brass family: the Trumpet, the French Horn, the Trombone, and the Tuba. • Each of these instruments has its own distinct look and sound.
  • 7.
    The Trumpet • Smallestand highest of the brasses, it usually plays the melody or soprano part. • The trumpet is sometimes made of brass, but usually it’s made of silver. • It has three valves.
  • 8.
    A SliverA Sliver TrumpetTrumpet ABrassA Brass TrumpetTrumpet A SpecialA Special “Jazz”“Jazz” TrumpetTrumpet used byused by DizzyDizzy GillespieGillespie
  • 9.
    The French Horn •The second smallest of the brass family, it usually plays the middle harmony or alto part. • The French horn is usually made of brass, but some are silver and some are made of nickel. • It has three valves and is played with the right hand in the bell. • The French horn is the only “left-handed” instrument.
  • 10.
    A “Brass”A “Brass” FrenchFrench HornHorn A“Silver”A “Silver” FrenchFrench HornHorn The French HornThe French Horn is played withis played with your right handyour right hand in the bellin the bell
  • 11.
    The Trombone • Theoldest member of the brass family, it usually plays the middle harmony or tenor part. • The Trombone horn is almost always made of brass, but some are silver and some are made of mixture of brass and copper (rose brass). • The Trombone is the only instrument in the world that uses a slide rather than keys, valves, or strings. (Some trombones have a single valve that allows them to play lower notes) • The Trombone is was originally called the Sackbut. • The trombone is also the instrument you hear making the “sliding” noise in Jazz and Dixie Land bands
  • 12.
    TheThe TromboneTrombone A TromboneA Trombone witha valvewith a valve Two OriginalTwo Original SackbutsSackbuts
  • 13.
    The Tuba • Thelargest of the brasses, it usually plays the low harmony or bass part. • The Tuba is made of brass or silver. • It has three or four valves. • Some special marching band tubas, called Sousaphones, are made out of a very thick plastic.
  • 14.
    A “Brass”A “Brass” TubaTuba A“Silver”A “Silver” TubaTuba A fiberglassA fiberglass SousaphoneSousaphone