Types of Brass Instruments

There are many types of brass instruments available for anyone who is interested in playing. They each have different sounds that are made by special formations of tubing, valves, and slides that determine the tone as well as the playing style. Finding the one that is right for you is a difficult process as it involves balancing each instrument’s sound with its playing style. This can also be a huge bonus if you happen to like both the instrument’s sound and the way you play it.

One of the most popular instruments in this family is the trombone. This is also one of the simplest and easiest to maintain instrument as well. The notes of this instrument are determined by the slide, which when extended and retracted, produces different levels of volume. The trumpet is a much more compact instrument that features valves, pressed by the fingers, to create different tones. This is more common amongst this family of instruments and is seen in the tuba and French horn as well. However, these instruments have a much different tone generated by more complex tubing and different sizes.

The complexity of the tubing in the French horn along with its bell size (where the sound comes out) is what gives it its warm full tones. This is one of the more popular instruments as it has such a large sound and is very compact. The tuba is very large and has an intense deep bass sound and plays much like the French horn. For many marching bands a variation on the tuba, the sousaphone, is used as it is easier to carry while marching, but gives the same sound.

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