Brass
Trumpet in B♭
- Family
- Brass
- Range
- E3–C6 (sounding); written F♯3–D6; advanced players go higher
- Transposition
- In B♭: sounds a major second lower than written
- Its role
- Bright lead voice in orchestra, band and jazz.
- Technique
- Valves, lip slurs, mutes.
- Practice
- Build endurance and control attacks in the upper register.
Cornet in B♭
- Family
- Brass
- Range
- E3–C6 (sounding); written F♯3–D6
- Transposition
- In B♭: sounds a major second lower than written
- Its role
- Rounded soprano voice of the brass band.
- Technique
- Valves, lip slurs and articulation.
- Practice
- Blend with the section and phrase lyrically.
Flugelhorn in B♭
- Family
- Brass
- Range
- E3–C6 (sounding); written F♯3–D6
- Transposition
- In B♭: sounds a major second lower than written
- Its role
- Dark, warm color in jazz and brass band.
- Technique
- Valves and breath-led phrasing.
- Practice
- Sustain a centered, mellow tone.
Horn in F
- Family
- Brass
- Range
- B1–F5 (sounding); written F♯2–C6; experts go higher
- Transposition
- In F: sounds a perfect fifth lower than written
- Its role
- Warm harmonic bridge between brass and woodwinds.
- Technique
- Hand stopping; reads treble and bass clefs.
- Practice
- Hit the closely spaced upper partials accurately.
Tenor trombone
- Family
- Brass
- Range
- E2–B♭4 (sounding); lower with an F attachment, plus pedal tones
- Its role
- Broad tenor brass sound, from lyrical to powerful.
- Technique
- Slide positions and legato tonguing.
- Practice
- Match slide movement to articulation.
Bass trombone
- Family
- Brass
- Range
- B♭1–F4 (sounding) with its valves; pedal tones lower
- Its role
- Powerful low brass foundation.
- Technique
- Valve triggers and low-register air management.
- Practice
- Articulate clearly in the low register.
Euphonium
- Family
- Brass
- Range
- B♭1–B♭4 (sounding)
- Transposition
- At pitch in bass clef; in treble clef (brass band) it sounds a major ninth lower than written
- Its role
- Warm, lyrical low brass, central to concert and brass bands.
- Technique
- Valves; reads bass or treble clef.
- Practice
- Build seamless legato phrasing.
Tuba
- Family
- Brass
- Range
- D1–F4 (sounding), varies with the tuba
- Its role
- Deep bass line, and a solo voice in its own right.
- Technique
- Large-bore breath support and valves.
- Practice
- Keep the tone steady at soft dynamics.
Sousaphone
- Family
- Brass
- Range
- Similar to the tuba
- Its role
- Low brass that projects on the march.
- Technique
- A tuba wrapped around the player's body.
- Practice
- Keep a steady pulse while moving.
Other chapters: Strings · Woodwinds · Keyboard · Percussion · Voice · Global and Contemporary
Ranges are a guide. They vary with the player, the instrument and the style, and a voice type is never decided from a range chart alone. Ranges are given in sounding pitch unless the entry says otherwise.
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