Brass instruments 2

For Music

1. Brass
Instruments

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. A A shofarshofar
An ancient trumpet An ancient trumpet
made from rams made from rams
hornhorn
A A conch shellconch shell
A sea shell used as A sea shell used as
a trumpeta trumpet
An An AlphornAlphorn
A horn that is A horn that is
made of wood and made of wood and
is in many section is in many section
– still used today!– still used today!

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. A Sliver A Sliver
TrumpetTrumpet
A Brass A Brass
TrumpetTrumpet
A Special A Special
“Jazz” “Jazz”
Trumpet Trumpet
used by used by
Dizzy Dizzy
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”
French French
HornHorn
A “Silver” A “Silver”
French French
HornHorn
The French Horn The French Horn
is played with is played with
your right hand your right hand
in the bellin the bell

11. 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

12. The The
TromboneTrombone
A Trombone A Trombone
with a valvewith a valve
Two Original Two Original
SackbutsSackbuts

13. 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.

14. A “Brass” A “Brass”
TubaTuba
A “Silver” A “Silver”
TubaTuba
A fiberglass A fiberglass
SousaphoneSousaphone