Orchestra - Brass
The Brass Choir
The brass section in a band has great dynamic power. The brass section of the modern orchestra is usually made up of four horns, three trumpets, three trombones and a tuba. The brass choir, which is more homogeneous than the woodwinds section, is often divided into two groups:
- The Horns
- The Trumpets, Trombones and Tubas
The division reflects the different use the horns have from other brass instruments; in addition to being part of the brass choir they have been employed as adjuncts to the woodwind section because of their unique ability to blend with and strengthen the woodwind sound.
We can also classify brass instruments in terms of transposition:
- Transposing - Horns, Trumpets, and Cornets.
- Non-transposing - Trombones, All Tubas, and Euphoniums.
Brass Instruments and the Written Orchestral Score
The arrangement of the brass choir on the orchestral page has some historic peculiarities. The brass instruments are placed right below the woodwinds on the score page in the following order:
- Four Horns
- Three Trumpets
- Three Trombones
- Tuba
Brass Instrument Function
Up to the mid 19th century, trumpets and horns were not equipped with valves or pistons to play a variety of pitches as they are today. Instead, the performer executed different pitches on these "natural" instruments by overblowing the fundamental tone of that instrument, which produced upper partials of the fundamental's overtone series. Each natural brass instrument consisted of a hollow tube governed by a single fundamental pitch; the longer the tube, the lower the fundamental pitch of that brass instrument. By blowing comfortably through the tube (with an appropriate mouthpiece), the player produced the fundamental pitch of that instrument; by overblowing the instrument, the player produced the fundamental's overtones. An eight foot long tube, theoretically capable of sounding C2 as its fundamental, produces the following series of tones:
Overblowing and the Principle of the Harmonic Series
Harmonic Series on C2
C2, C3, G3, C4, E4, G4, Bb4, C5, D5, E5, F#5, G5, A5, Bb5, B5, C6, C#6, D6, Eb6, E6, F6
The skilled player of a natural brass instrument can isolate each of these pitches, or partials, by embouchure manipulation and breath control. The player must have a mental concept of what the pitch sounds like as well as how it feels in order to execute that pitch clearly.
You'll note that in the harmonic series, there are many missing notes from the chromatic scale. This is a limitation of the natural brass instrument. Another limitation is the amount a person can overblow. Although theoretically pitches up to the 21st partial in the harmonic series are possible, most player can't play more than the 16th partial.
Harmonic Series on C2 Notes Not In Series Chromatically
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C2, C3, G3, C4, E4, G4, Bb4, C5, D5, E5, F#5, G5, A5, Bb5, B5, C6, C#6, D6, Eb6, E6, F6 |
C#2, D2, D#2, E2, F2, F#2, G2, G#2, A2, A#2, B2 C#3, D3, D#3, E3, F3, F#3 G#3, A3, A#3, B3 C#4, D4, D#4 F4, F#4 G#4, A4 B4 C#5 D#5 F5 G#5 |
|---|
Overtone / Harmonic Series
Overblowing horns beyond their fundamental tone produces pitches higher that follow the harmonic series. The following is a list of the harmonic series in each chromatic pitch from C2 to B2.
Harmonic Series For C
C2, C3, G3, C4, E4, G4, Bb4, C5, D5, E5, F#5, G5, A5, Bb5, B5, C6, C#6, D6, Eb6, E6, F6
Harmonic Series For C#
C#2, C#3, G#3, C#4, F4, G#4, B4, C#5, D#5, F5, G5, G#5, A#5, B5, C6, C#6, D6, D#6, E6, F6, F#6
Harmonic Series For D
D2, D3, A3, D4, F#4, A4, C5, D5, E5, F#5, G#5, A5, B5, C6, C#6, D6, D#6, E6, F6, F#6, G6
Harmonic Series For D#
D#2, D#3, A#3, D#4, G4, A#4, C#5, D#5, F5, G5, A5, A#5, C6, C#6, D6, D#6, E6, F6, F#6, G6, G#6
Harmonic Series For E
E2, E3, B3, E4, G#4, B4, D5, E5, F#5, G#5, A#5, B5, C#6, D6, D#6, E6, F6, F#6, G6, G#6, A6
Harmonic Series For F
F2, F3, C4, F4, A4, C5, D#5, F5, G5, A5, B5, C6, D6, D#6, E6, F6, F#6, G6, G#6, A6, A#6
Harmonic Series For F#
F#2, F#3, C#4, F#4, A#4, C#5, E5, F#5, G#5, A#5, C6, C#6, D#6, E6, F6, F#6, G6, G#6, A6, A#6, B6
Harmonic Series For G
G2, G3, D4, G4, B4, D5, F5, G5, A5, B5, C#6, D6, E6, F6, F#6, G6, G#6, A6, A#6, B6, C7
Harmonic Series For G#
G#2, G#3, D#4, G#4, C5, D#5, F#5, G#5, A#5, C6, D6, D#6, F6, F#6, G6, G#6, A6, A#6, B6, C7, C#7
Harmonic Series For C
A2, A3, E4, A4, C#5, E5, G5, A5, B5, C#6, D#6, E6, F#6, G6, G#6, A6, A#6, B6, C7, C#7, D7
Harmonic Series For C
A#2, A#3, F4, A#4, D5, F5, G#5, A#5, C6, D6, E6, F6, G6, G#6, A6, A#6, B6, C7, C#7, D7, D#7
Harmonic Series For C
B2, B3, F#4, B4, D#5, F#5, A5, B5, C#6, D#6, F6, F#6, G#6, A6, A#6, B6, C7, C#7, D7, D#7, E7
Crooks, Valves, and Slides
By the time of Haydn, a mechanism had been invented that allowed trumpets and horns to play notes outside a single harmonic series. We know that the pitch of the fundamental depends upon the length of tube; it was found that by adding extra tubing, a player could produce another harmonic series on the same instrument. This added pipe, called a “crook”, was U-shaped and inserted at certain points along the length of the original tube. This allowed a musician to play the fundamental harmonic series for both the original tube as well as the series for the crook.
During the 18th century, both trumpets and horns remained transposing instruments, since it was much easier for the performer to read music is C and let the particular transposition of the instrument (and crook used) take care of transposing the passage to the required key.
The next important improvement, early in the 19th century, was the invention of valves (both rotary and piston), although it was not until the middle of that century that the system of valves was refined enough to gain acceptance by performers.
The valve system functions in this manner: three coiled tubes are permanently attached to the main tube inside the main loop. Each of the attached coils can be activated, or joined, to the main stream of air by a valve easily operable by the performer's left hand on French Horn and right hand on Trumpet and Tuba. Pressing the piston or lever opens up the extra tubing and thereby accomplishes instantly what the changing of crooks did previously. There are four valves on the Horn and three valves on the Trumpet.
The Use of the Slide on Trombones
The 15th century Trombone closely resembles its modern counterpart in the manner in which it is constructed and played. Both instruments are made of two U-shaped pieces of tubing, one of which slides into the other. The player changes pitches by sliding the two pieces together of apart. This slide mechanism enables the trombonist to change the total length of the tube with precision and perfect intonation, and play a full chromatic scale. The notes of the overtone series are still controlled by means of embouchure manipulation.
The Tenor Trombone has 7 positions of the slide, each of which produces its own fundamental pitch
| Position | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fundamentals | Bb | A | Ab | G | Gb | F | E |
Comparing Trumpet and Horn Valves with Trombone Positions
| Trumpet/Horn Valves Depressed | Trombone Slide Position | Interval By Which Pitch Is Lowered |
|---|---|---|
| None | First | None |
| No. 2 | Second | Half Step |
| No. 1 | Third | Whole Step |
| No. 3 or Nos. 1 & 2 | Fourth | Minor Third |
| Nos. 2 & 3 | Fifth | Major Third |
| Nos. 1 & 3 | Sixth | Perfect Fourth |
| Nos. 1, 2 & 3 | Seventh | Augmented Fourth |
Brass Articulations
Much like their woodwind and string counterparts, brass instruments can produce sounds beyond their basic use, using certain specific techniques to modify their tone.
Tone Production, Articulation and Tonguing
Tonguing on a brass instrument is similar to tonguing on woodwind instruments. Like woodwind players, brass players can articulate with single, double and triple tonguing. A great variety of attacks are available on all brass instruments, although the particular constraints of each brass instrument make certain attacks and articulations problematic, especially on extremely low notes that require a loose embouchure. Conversely, in extremely high register, soft attacks and controlled articulations are quite difficult to execute because of the required firmness of lips and velocity of breath required to produce these effects.
Breathing and Phrasing
Brass instruments require a great deal more breath than woodwinds do. Because playing these instruments is rather taxing, the composer or orchestrator should allow frequent intervals of rest so that the players can catch their breath and their lips can recuperate.
Phrasing is similar to woodwinds. All slurred phrases are performed in one breath, tonguing only the first note. If a passage is not slurred in the score it will be tongued by the player, each note articulated separately. In a loud passage in a slow tempo, you should not phrase too many notes in one breath, since it takes more breath to play loudly than softly.
Common Characteristics and Effects on all Brass Instruments
Attacks and Tonguing - Sforzando and the Forte-Piano Attack
Brass instruments can execute sforzando attacks better than winds or strings.
Light, Soft and Single Tonguing
This effect can be accomplished so it sounds very delicate and not brassy.
Double Tonguing
Double tonguing is executed using syllables “tuh-kuh” or “tuh-keh”
Triple Tonguing
Triple tonguing is executed using the syllables “tuh-kuh-tuh” or “tuh-tuh-kuh
Flutter Tonguing
Flutter tonguing is very effective and easy to produce on all brass instruments.
Glissandi
Horn and Trumpet players can produce a glissando by using a “lip slur”. With normal lip pressure, this lip glissando will result in a high-speed rendering of that portion of the harmonic series that falls between the beginning and ending pitches played.
Trills and Tremolos
Most brass instruments can perform some tremolos successfully; all are able to play trills.
Mutes
All brass instruments can be muted. Muting can be a pianissimo that is incredibly soft; however, mutes do not simply make the instrument softer, they also changes the character or color of the sound.
Types of Mutes
Straight Mute, Cup Mute, Harmon or Wah-Wah Mute, Whispa Mute, Solotone Mute
Other Muting devices and Methods
- Plunger
- Hat or Derby
- Putting the Hand of the Bell or in the Bell
- Playing Into The Stand
Brass Instrument Ranges
Horn or French Horn
The French horn (since the 1930s known simply as the horn in professional music circles) is a brass instrument made of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. The double horn in F/Bb (technically a variety of German horn) is the horn most often used by players in professional orchestras and bands, although the descant and triple horn have become increasingly popular.
It is a mystery why the term French Horn has persisted for this instrument in England and America, since most of the developments concerning its construction occurred in Germany. The unique status of the horn is apparent in its many different functions within ensembles. In chamber music composers have treated the horn sometimes as a woodwind instrument other times as a brass instrument.
Types of Horns
There are two distinct types of Horns
- The Natural Horn - sometimes called the Hand Horn.
- The Valve Horn - which is used in most orchestras today.
Transposition
It was the practice to use various crooks to change the fundamental and, with it, the entire harmonic series. Each crook produced a horn in a different transposition. These crooks were fitted to the ends of the tube near the horn's mouthpiece, or in later years, were slid into the tubing where the turning slide was usually placed. The following crooks were most popular during the 18th century and in the early part of the 19th century:
|
C Alto Bb Alto A Ab G F E Eb D C Basso Bb Basso A Basso |
Sounds as written A major 2nd lower than notated A minor 3rd lower than notated A major 3rd lower than notated A perfect 4th lower than notated A perfect 5th lower than notated A minor 6th lower than notated A major 6th lower than notated A minor 7th lower than notated An octave lower than notated A major 9th lower than notated An octave and a minor 3rd lower than notated |
2 semitones 3 semitones 4 semitones 5 semitones 7 semitones 8 semitones 9 semitones 10 semitones 12 semitones 14 semitones 15 semitones |
|---|
Registral Characteristics: For the horn in F
- C3 to G3 - Dark and a bit unfocused
- G3 to C4 - Deep and solid
- C4 to G5 - Bright and heroic
- G3 to C6 - Brilliant and loud
The Valve Horn
For a time both types of horns were used. Now the valve horn is the standard that is used.
The Trumpet Family
The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet with the highest register in the brass family, to the bass trumpet, which is pitched one octave below the standard Bb or C Trumpet. The Trumpet, the soprano member of the brass family, is the most agile of the brass instruments. It is often called upon to perform not only very high passages, both loudly and softly, but also passages that exploit its entire range at various dynamic levels.
Trumpets are used in art music styles, for instance in orchestras, concert bands, and jazz ensembles, as well as in popular music. They are played by blowing air through nearly-closed lips (called the player's embouchure), producing a "buzzing" sound that starts a standing wave vibration in the air column inside the instrument.
There are many distinct types of trumpet, with the most common being pitched in Bb (a transposing instrument).
Trumpet Types
The most common type is the Bb trumpet, but A, C, D, Eb, E, low F, and G trumpets are also available. The C trumpet is most common in American orchestral playing, where it is used alongside the Bb trumpet. Orchestral trumpet players are adept at transposing music at sight, frequently playing music written for the A, Bb, D, Eb, E, or F trumpet on the C trumpet or Bb trumpet.
Trumpet Transpositions
|
F Trumpet E Trumpet Eb Trumpet C Trumpet B Trumpet Bb Trumpet A Trumpet |
Up a perfect 4th Up a major 3rd Up a minor 3rd Played as written (not transposed) Down a minor 2nd Down a major 2nd Down a minor 3rd |
5 semitones 4 semitones 3 semitones 1 semitone 2 semitones 3 semitones |
|---|
Registral Characteristics: For both the C and Bb trumpet
- F#3 to B3 - Rather dull
- C4 to A5 - Clear, bright and most articulate
- B5 to D6 - Brilliant but strident
Extended Technique
Contemporary music for the trumpet makes wide uses of extended trumpet techniques.
Flutter Tonguing: The trumpeter rolls the tip of the tongue (as if rolling an "R" in Spanish) to produce a 'growling like' tone. This technique is widely employed by composers like Berio and Stockhausen.
Growling: Simultaneously playing tone and using the back of the tongue to vibrate the uvula, creating a distinct sound. Most trumpet players will use a plunger with this technique to achieve a particular sound heard in a lot of Chicago Jazz of the 1950s.
Double Tonguing: The player articulates using the syllables ta-ka ta-ka ta-ka.
Triple Tonguing: The same as double tonguing, but with the syllables ta-ta-ka ta-ta-ka ta-ta-ka or ta-ka-ta ta-ka-ta.
Doodle Tongue: The trumpeter tongues as if saying the word doodle. This is a very faint tonguing similar in sound to a valve tremolo.
Glissando: Trumpeters can slide between notes by depressing the valves halfway and changing the lip tension. Modern repertoire makes extensive use of this technique.
Vibrato: It is often regulated in contemporary repertoire through specific notation. Composers can call for everything from fast, slow or no vibrato to actual rhythmic patterns played with vibrato.
Pedal Tone: Composers have written notes as low as two-and-a-half octaves below the low F♯ at the bottom of the standard range. Extreme low pedals are produced by slipping the lower lip out of the mouthpiece. Claude Gordon assigned pedals as part of his trumpet practice routines, that were a systematic expansion on his lessons with Herbert L. Clarke. The technique was pioneered by Bohumir Kryl.
Microtones: Composers such as Scelsi and Stockhausen have made wide use of the trumpet's ability to play microtonally. Some instruments feature a fourth valve that provides a quarter-tone step between each note. The jazz musician Ibrahim Maalouf uses such a trumpet, invented by his father to make it possible to play Arab maqams.
Valve Tremolo: Many notes on the trumpet can be played in several different valve combinations. By alternating between valve combinations on the same note, a tremolo effect can be created. Berio makes extended use of this technique in his Sequenza X.
Noises: By hissing, clicking, or breathing through the instrument, the trumpet can be made to resonate in ways that do not sound at all like a trumpet. Noises may require amplification.
Preparation: Composers have called for trumpeters to play under water, or with certain slides removed. It is increasingly common for composers to specify all sorts of preparations for trumpet. Extreme preparations involve alternate constructions, such as double bells and extra valves.
Split Tone: Trumpeters can produce more than one tone simultaneously by vibrating the two lips at different speeds. The interval produced is usually an octave or a fifth.
Lip-Trill or Shake: Also known as "Lip-Slurs". By rapidly varying air speed, but not changing the depressed valves, the pitch can vary quickly between adjacent harmonic partials. Shakes and lip-trills can vary in speed, and in the distance between the partials. However, lip-trills and shakes usually involve the next partial up from the written note.
Multi-Phonics: Playing a note and "humming" a different note simultaneously. For example, sustaining a middle C and humming a major 3rd "E" at the same time.
Circular Breathing: A technique wind players use to produce uninterrupted tone, without pauses for breaths. The player puffs up the cheeks, storing air, then breathes in rapidly through the nose while using the cheeks to continue pushing air outwards.
Piccolo Trumpet
The smallest of the trumpet family is the piccolo trumpet, pitched one octave higher than the standard Bb trumpet. Most piccolo trumpets are built to play in either Bb or A, using a separate leadpipe for each key. The tubing in the Bb piccolo trumpet is one-half the length of that in a standard Bb trumpet. Piccolo trumpets in G, F, and even high C are also manufactured, but are rarer.[citation needed]
The piccolo trumpet should not be confused with the pocket trumpet, which plays in the same pitch as the regular Bb trumpet. The piccolo trumpet in Bb is a transposing instrument, which sounds a minor seventh higher than written. It is, however, rarely written for specifically; it is often just used at the player's discretion to cover high material as appropriate.
The soprano trumpet in D, also known as the Bach trumpet, was invented in about 1890 by the Belgian instrument maker Victor Mahillon to play the high trumpet parts in music by Bach and Handel.
The sound production technique is basically the same as that used on the larger Bb trumpet. Air pressure and tonguing are different, and players use a shallower mouthpiece for the piccolo trumpet. Almost all piccolo trumpets have four valves instead of three — the fourth valve usually lowers the pitch by a fourth. This extends the low range and provides alternate fingerings and improved intonation for some notes.
The piccolo trumpet solo in the Beatles' "Penny Lane", which introduced the instrument to pop music, was played by David Mason. Paul McCartney was dissatisfied with the initial attempts at the song's instrumental fill (one of which is released on Anthology 2), and was inspired to use the instrument after hearing Mason's performance in a BBC radio broadcast of the second Brandenburg Concerto and asking George Martin what the "tremendously high" trumpet was. Eventually Mason recorded the solo using a piccolo trumpet in A. The piccolo trumpet was also used to quote Bach's Invention no. 8 in F major (BWV 779) during the fade-out of "All You Need Is Love".
Use of the instrument is now commonplace in many musical genres.
Bass Trumpet
The bass trumpet is a type of low trumpet which was first developed during the 1820s in Germany. It is usually pitched in 8' C or 9' Bb today, but is sometimes built in Eb and is treated as a transposing instrument sounding either an octave, a sixth or a ninth lower than written, depending on the pitch of the instrument. Having valves and the same tubing length, the bass trumpet is quite similar to the valve trombone, although the bass trumpet has a harder, more metallic tone. Certain modern manufacturers offering 'valve trombones' and 'bass trumpets' use the same tubing, valves, and bell, in different configurations - in these cases the bass trumpet is virtually identical to the valve trombone.
Cornet
The cornet is a brass instrument similar to the trumpet but distinguished from it by its conical bore, more compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in Bb, though there is also a soprano cornet in Eb and cornets in A and C. All are unrelated to the Renaissance and early Baroque cornett.
Flugelhorn
The flugelhorn, also spelled fluegelhorn, flugel horn, or flügelhorn, is a brass instrument that resembles the trumpet and cornet but has a wider, more conical bore. Like trumpets and cornets, most flugelhorns are pitched in Bb (some are in C). It is a type of valved bugle, developed in Germany in the early 19th century from a traditional English valveless bugle.
The flugelhorn is generally pitched in Bb, like most trumpets and cornets. It usually has three piston valves and employs the same fingering system as other brass instruments, although four-valve versions and rotary-valve versions also exist. It can therefore be played by trumpet and cornet players although it has different playing characteristics. The flugelhorn mouthpiece is more deeply conical than either trumpet or cornet mouthpieces, but not as conical as a French horn mouthpiece. The shank of the flugelhorn mouthpiece is similar in size to a cornet mouthpiece shank.
Some modern flugelhorns feature a fourth valve that lowers the pitch a perfect fourth (similar to the fourth valve on some euphoniums, tubas, and piccolo trumpets, or the trigger on trombones). This adds a useful low range that, coupled with the flugelhorn's dark sound, extends the instrument's abilities. Players can also use the fourth valve in place of the first and third valve combination (which is somewhat sharp).
A compact version of the rotary valve Flugelhorn, is the oval shaped Kuhlohorn in Bb. It was developed for the German protestant trombone choirs.
A pair of bass flugelhorns in C, called fiscorns, are played in the Catalan cobla bands which provide music for sardana dancers.
Flugelhorn Timbre
The tone is fatter and usually regarded as more mellow and dark than the trumpet or cornet. The sound of the flugelhorn has been described as halfway between a trumpet and a French horn, whereas the cornet's sound is halfway between a trumpet and a flugelhorn. The flugelhorn is as agile as the cornet but more difficult to control in the high register (from approximately written G5), where in general it locks onto notes less easily
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips (embouchure) cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate. Unlike most other brass instruments, which have valves that, when pressed, alter the pitch of the instrument, trombones instead have a telescoping slide mechanism that varies the length of the instrument to change the pitch. However, many modern trombone models also have a valve attachment which lowers the pitch of the instrument. Variants such as the valve trombone and superbone have three valves similar to those on the trumpet.
The word "trombone" derives from Italian Tromba (trumpet) and -one (a suffix meaning "large"), so the name means "large trumpet". The trombone has a predominantly cylindrical bore like its valved counterpart, the baritone, in contrast to its conical valved counterparts: the cornet, the euphonium, and the French horn. The most frequently encountered trombones are the tenor trombone and bass trombone. These are treated as non-transposing instruments and are pitched in Bb, an octave below the Bb trumpet and an octave above the pedal Bb tuba. The once common Eb alto trombone became less widely used as improvements in technique extended the upper range of the tenor, but it is now resurging due to its lighter sonority which is appreciated in many classical and early romantic works. Trombone music is usually written in concert pitch in either bass or tenor clef, although exceptions do occur, notably in British brass-band music where the tenor trombone is presented as a Bb transposing instrument, written in treble clef; and the alto trombone is written at concert pitch usually in alto clef.
Some varieties include: Alto Trombone, Tenor Trombone, Tenor Trombone with F Attachment Bass Trombone with F Attachment, Bass Trombone with F & E Attachment
Registral Characteristics Of The Tenor Trombone
- E2 to G3 - Dark less strong
- A2 to F4 - Firm and powerful
- G4 to Bb4 - Very intense
Registral Characteristics Of The Bass Trombone
- Bb1 to F2 - Heavy and quite strong
- G2 to G3 - Deep and solid
- A3 to Bb4 - Very powerful
Euphonium
The euphonium is a medium-sized, 3 or 4-valve, often compensating, conical-bore, tenor-voiced brass instrument that derives its name from the Ancient Greek word euphonos, meaning "well-sounding" or "sweet-voiced". The euphonium is a valved instrument. Nearly all current models have piston valves, though some models with rotary valves do exist.
The euphonium may be played in bass clef as a non-transposing instrument or in treble clef as a transposing instrument. In British brass bands, it is typically treated as a treble-clef instrument, while in American band music, parts may be written in either treble clef or bass clef, or both.
The euphonium is in the family of brass instruments, more particularly low-brass instruments with many relatives. It is extremely similar to a baritone horn. The difference is that the bore size of the baritone horn is typically smaller than that of the euphonium, and the baritone is a primarily cylindrical bore, whereas the euphonium is predominantly conical bore. It is controversial whether this is sufficient to make them two different instruments. In the trombone family large and small bore trombones are both called trombones, while the cylindrical trumpet and the conical flugelhorn are given different names. As with the trumpet and flugelhorn, the two instruments are easily doubled by one player, with some modification of breath and embouchure, since the two have identical range and essentially identical fingering. The cylindrical baritone offers a brighter sound and the conical euphonium offers a more mellow sound.
Tuba
The Tuba is the lowest-pitched musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, the sound is produced by lip vibration - a buzz - into a mouthpiece. It first appeared in the mid-19th century, making it one of the newer instruments in the modern orchestra and concert band. The tuba largely replaced the ophicleide. Tuba is Latin for "trumpet".
Some varieties include: F Tuba, CC Tuba, BBb Tuba
Registral Characteristics Of The Tuba
- D1 to Bb1 - Deep and heavy
- C2 to E3 - Very strong
- F3 to G4 - Getting weaker but quite intense