Questions tagged [brass]
The family of wind instruments that produce their tone through the buzzing of the lips into a mouthpiece. The most common brass instruments are the trumpet, trombone, tuba, and french horn.
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Physics behind why a bugle can play several notes, while a whistle only plays one note
A bugle and a whistle are essentially both tubes open at both ends. A bugle has no keys, yet you can play several notes on it. A whistle also has no keys, but it only plays a single note. Why is this?
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How can horns, most of which have only three buttons, play all their notes?
I’m a big fan of the “horn” family but have trouble understanding how horns are able to play the same scales and modes that a piano is able to play, being that horns only have a few valves. In some ...
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How do harmonic tones get "out of tune" on a brass instrument?
In a video I saw, a guy was reviewing a prototype trombone, and he said that "the high f is out of tune" (the sixth overtone) I don't understand how a fixed length of tubing (1st position) can produce ...
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Will my wind instrument be damaged if I leave it assembled?
Almost every teacher, expert, and book has informed me that I should disassemble my (clarinet / recorder / saxophone) each time after I practice.
However, it is difficult for me to see how this would ...
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Difference between Baritone and Euphonium
What is the difference between a baritone and a euphonium, and how can you tell? My band director sometimes uses them interchangeably, but I am pretty sure that is not correct. All I know is that this ...
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What is the correct name for this instrument?
I guess it's some type of trombone, but I can't find its correct name anywhere.
P.S. If you're wondering, here's where I got this shot from:
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How to distinguish between different instruments in a classical orchestra?
I want to train myself into distinguishing the instruments being played simultaneously in orchestral music (primarily Wagner and Bruckner, maybe Mahler). Ideally I want to be able to say at each point ...
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Is there any difference between a soprano trombone and a slide trumpet?
Occasionally, I will see people arguing about whether an instrument should be called a "soprano trombone" or a "slide trumpet" yet I have never seen any instrument designated as one as being any ...
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How do I approximate instruments when arranging an orchestral piece for brass ensemble
I am going to arrange Wagner's Prelude and Liebestod for British brass band. I am not sure if it will be a good fit, but it is worth a try.
The instrumentation that I am writing for is standard:
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Trumpet type or technique?
In Wagner’s “Rule, Britannia”, the orchestration calls for two trumpets.
I’ve had no luck searching for what “vent.” and “ord.” mean. “Open” and “muted”, or ...?
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Does the lip really vibrate at the same frequency of a brass instrument?
The resonance of woodwind brass instruments can be modeled after a closed cylindrical pipe and calculated by the equation f = (nv)/(4L) where n denotes the number of harmonics, v the velocity of sound ...
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Why can a vuvuzela only play one pitch, while a non-valved bugle can play many?
According to our collective nightmares from the 2010 World Cup Wikipedia, the vuvuzela is a monotone instrument; it famously plays (roughly) the B♭ below middle C.
Why is the vuvuzela restricted to ...
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How to clean the bathtub after cleaning brass instruments
Every few months I clean my French horn in an enamel bathtub filled with warm water and added dishwasher liquid. The oil and grease residues that attach to the detergent float to the water surface and ...
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Why do trumpet valves shift the pitch down and not up?
I understand how trumpets work - valves open to force the air through crooks, which lengthens the pathway the air must travel, thus decreasing the resonant frequency.
The question is, why are ...
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What are good techniques to bend notes on brass instruments
I play Eb tuba, and sometimes I come across bending down in my notes - either as an effect at the end of a note, or sometimes as a slide between two notes. I find this difficult to achieve with a good ...
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Just intonation on a trumpet
How would you realise an intonation system different from equal temperament on a modern trumpet? As a pianist, I can see how that'd be done on a stringed instrument or a trombone, but aren't the ...
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First and second valves vs third valve
On B♭ trumpet to play notes E or A is prefered to use 1 and 2 valves, but there is possible to use third valve (most used in our brass band).
1 (valve 1) + 0.5 (valve 2) = 1.5
1.5 (valve 3) ...
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Tuba, 4th valve extension?
I use a three valve tuba, but have been playing around with 3d printing an 'extension' to replace the main tuning slide with another valve that could direct the air flow through a longer pipe, just ...
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Brass instrumentalists are taught that higher notes require faster air while lower notes require more air. How exactly is this different?
I cannot count the number of times I've heard the simple adage:
To play higher, use faster air. To play lower, use more air, but slower.
And unfortunately, this statement is just as confusing to the ...
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what is this ornament called?
Can anybody tell me what this sign is called ?
I thought it was a mordent, but why isn't it written above the lines, why is it so short?
Do you know any theory page on it?
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Woodwind v brass instruments - what is the defining characteristic?
The names of these classes of instruments suggest that the material from which they are made is significant but this is not so. Flutes are frequently made of metal and saxophones always are yet they ...
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Brass Instrument Valve Order
Brass instruments such as the Trumpet and French Horn have three keyed/levered valves. Some related brass instruments such as the Piccolo Trumpet have four keyed valves. The Tuba has four or more.
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What is this trumpet attachment called?
Last night, I was watching a television special featuring American music. I noticed that a trumpet player in the band had something attached to her instrument. It appears that the valves of the ...
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How to make a brass instrument quieter?
I play trumpet at home. I feel a little uncomfortable playing because of the loudness. I found the Silent Brass series by Yamaha, which makes brass sound quieter, and you can still hear everything ...
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One tuba for everything: CC or F?
I'd like to buy a single tuba which will last the rest of my life. I'm trying to decide on which key: CC, or F.
I've only played BBb tubas before, and that was 15 years ago. I want to play ...
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Can all notes be produced using only the trumpet's valves?
I am learning how to play the trumpet and I am currently practicing my embouchure.
I was wondering if all the musical notes can be done with the valves, or if I have to do some changes in the way I ...
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Switching Tubas During Solo
I'm a highschool tuba player and I have a solo performance coming up in a couple days. Unfortunately, my tuba has been in the repair shop for over a month and I just got it back, less than a week ...
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Can a baritone be used for a trombone part?
I am making a brass quintet, and I need two trumpets, a horn, a trombone, and a tuba. I have all except the trombone. Can a baritone substitute for the trombone part? Will it have a similar tone and/...
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Spectrum of brass tones of same fingering
On valve brass instruments, a single fingering may be used to play different notes. For example on the trumpet, leaving all valves open (up) allows the player to play the following notes:
C - G - C - ...
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What are the advantages of different mouthpiece sizes?
I played horn from age 10 until age 22, and after a couple of years off I'm starting to play again. I was always pretty mediocre, so I was content to use my elementary-school Holton MDC mouthpiece the ...
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Can bugles play "Bugler's Holiday" (Anderson)?
Bugler's Holiday (Anderson) was apparently written for a trumpet trio (according to various internet-accessible sites that seem to know).
My question is: Can it be performed by a bugle trio? (I know ...
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Wind instruments and sharp keys
As far as I know, most of the wind instruments are transposing, and many of them are either in B, in E-flat or in F - these keys make them more suitable for playing in "flat" keys. My question is why ...
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What is this Antique Brass Instrument on display at the Musical Instrument Museum in Brussels, Belgium?
Does anyone know what type of instrument this is? It looks like some type of Euphonium, but obviously very different.
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What are the acoustics of brass instrument pedal tones?
The natural range of a standard Bb trumpet, for example, extends down to F# (i.e., concert E), but by adjusting one's embouchure and air, it's possible to produce lower pitches. Those lower pitches -- ...
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Is smoking & playing horns really incompatible?
I've recently been to a funk jam with a nice horn section.
I've later met them at the break, they were smoking cigarettes one after other, but still, they seemed to have incredible breathe.
I know ...
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What instrument is this?
I thought it was a tuba, and it sounds like one, but looking around for pictures it seems the tuba is a smaller instrument. Is this an unusual type of tuba, or what?
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Which wind instruments are a problem with braces?
Which wind instruments are a problem with braces? Please make a list showing the relative difficulties.
Clarification: I am also interested in what most people would consider minor inconveniences. ...
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Whats an easier instrument to play than trumpet, with mouth, but still a brass instrument?
Recently I joined my school band. My teacher is having me play trumpet, but the mouth piece is sooooo uncomfortable. I struggle a lot to reach the higher notes especially. My teacher told me that all ...
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Alto-ranged brass instrument?
As a high school French horn player I am wondering whether there is a brass instrument with a range similar to the alto saxophone. Although horn and alto are usually given the same parts the horn has ...
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How can I use a trumpet in a pop rock band?
We need to arrange several pop rock songs. The band has vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, drums and keyboards. In addition, we add a trumpet. Do you have any idea, method or example of ...
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What brass band instruments can a cornet player feasibly cover on short notice?
Is it reasonable to expect that an experienced cornet player should be able to pick up a "middle of the band" instrument, like a baritone, or an Eb horn and become reasonably proficient in a few hours ...
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Brass instrument lengths
I assume (perhaps wrong), that the fundamental frequency of brass instruments can be calculated with the wave equation:
c = lambda * f,
WHERE:
c = the speed of sound. I calculated this to be 349 m/s ...
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What are brass instrument "pedal tones" and "false tones", and how are they different?
The below two questions resulted in some debate, confusion, and consternation:
What are the acoustics of brass instrument pedal tones?
What are brass instrument “false notes” and how are they played?
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French horn - Getting higher register
Does anyone know some good techniques or practises I can do to improve my high range on the horn relatively quick (like 2 months quick)? It can be for brass and doesn't have to be specific for horn- ...
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How to remove a rusted or stuck mouthpiece?
I have an old WWI US Army-issue bugle with the mouthpiece rusted onto the body. what it the best way to get the mouthpiece off without hurting the rest of the instrument?
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What are the effects of the shape of a bend in a brass instrument slide?
Some brass instrument manufacturers make a feature of the shape of the various slides - some have a semi-circular wrap, other more semi-elliptical. Some have a tight wrap (the two legs of the slide ...
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Key choice for brass instruments
I've been told several times that brass instruments prefer to play in keys with flats, rather than sharps. As a trumpet player myself, I cannot relate to this preference. E major is just as easy or ...
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What woodwind & brass instruments are most air efficient?
So I am trying to compose this woodwind quintet and other pieces relating to woodwind and brass instruments, and I need to figure out whether I can let some instruments breathe or keep playing. After ...
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Why is my girlfriend's flugelhorn a semitone lower than my bass?
Firstly, I'll apologise in advance - I'm a self-taught rock 'musician' and I have virtually no knowledge of music theory (didn't stop me playing hundreds of gigs though!).
I have a four-string bass ...
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Sound changes: Putting curves or bends into a straight horn
I have some straight bell horns that are 26" and 29". They are powered by air compression tanks and have a very deep tone. I'm curious as to how bends in the horn would change it. Would they then need ...
