Although the earliest versions of these instruments are known to have been made of wood, tusks, animal horns or shells, today’s modern instruments are made entirely of brass. In summary, brass instruments are basically very long pipes that have been curved and twisted into different shapes to make them easier to hold and play.
Brass instruments are also called labrosones or labrophones, taken from Latin and Greek elements meaning ‘lip’ and ‘sound’. Here are some of the popular instruments in the family, grouped by range from lowest to highest,
- Tuba and Sousaphone,
2. Euphonium and Baritone Horn,
3. Trombone,
4. French Horn, and
5. Trumpet, Cornet, and Flugelhorn.
To be even more specific, a brass instrument is a musical instrument that sounds via sympathetic vibration of air through a tubular (conical or spherical) resonator in sympathy with the buzz created by the player’s lips.