Choosing a brass musical instrument to start playing can seem like a pretty daunting prospect. There are several factors to consider, such as cost, the physical size of the player, weight capabilities, and the availability of teachers for that instrument (there are some great online databases to help you find qualified teachers in your area). . The key consideration to keep in mind when choosing a brass instrument is that it should be fun to play! It’s a good idea to choose your instrument based on the genre of music you like. For example, if you want to play jazz, there is no point in learning to play the euphonium, while trumpets are popular across all genres. Some musicians enjoy playing in an orchestra. Others choose to go alone. It is a good idea for the budding musician to have in mind early on an idea of the general direction he would like to go. After all, what started out as a hobby can turn into a lucrative career, and what better than getting paid to play the music you love!
Musical genres
A classical symphony orchestra will generally feature tenor trombones, a bass trombone, a tuba, trumpets, and trumpets.
A traditional brass band will incorporate a soprano cornet, euphoniums, a bass trombone, a flugelhorn, baritones, tenor trombones, tubas, cornets, and tenor horns.
The big bands used in swing and jazz often incorporate trumpets, tenor trombones, and a bass trombone.
Solo instrumentalists are used in a variety of musical genres, from pop to folk to blues.
Types of brass instruments
There are two families of brass musical instruments in modern music: valve and slide.
As the name suggests, valved instruments use a set of valves that the player operates with their fingers. The valves are usually piston valves, but can be rotary valves as in the case of tubas and horns (rotary valves require special care, for example they need to be cleaned by an expert – see the cleaning section for more details). details). Most modern brass instruments are valved instruments, including the flugelhorn, cornet, trumpet, euphonium, horn, tuba, and tenor horn.
Slide instruments incorporate a slide to change the length of the tube and thus raise and lower the note. Trombones are the main family of sliding instruments (except for the valve trombone, which is mainly used in jazz pieces).
Bugle
The bugle category of brass instruments incorporates cornets, trumpets, flugelhorns, and cornets. There are subtle differences between these instruments in appearance, sound, and playing technique. Marching bands look to the bug lists, particularly military bands.
trumpets
The trumpet is a popular choice of brass instrument. It is ideal for beginners. Trumpets are used in a wide variety of musical genres, which should help keep learning interesting. Trumpets are easy to transport and store and are relatively inexpensive.
flugelhorn
Like the trumpet and cornet, the flugelhorn belongs to the bugle family of brass musical instruments. It is similar to the trumpet but its sound is slightly sweeter. Flugelhorns are widely used in a variety of music types, from classical to traditional brass band music, and are very popular in jazz.
cones
The cornet is similar to the trumpet, but with a slightly more melodic sound. Bugles are great for beginners because they are more compact than trumpets, making them easier to hold. Bugles are a vital component of a traditional brass band but, like the trumpet, their musical range is extensive. Bugles are relatively cheap to buy.
Euphoniums and Tubas
These instruments can be huge and tend to be quite expensive. However, euphoniumists and tubists are becoming few and far between, so they are always in demand. Tubas can be so large that you may have a hard time fitting them into your trunk. Euphoniums are smaller in scale and have a wonderful range. These instruments are essential for the classical symphony orchestra and the traditional brass band.
french horn
A French horn is as much a beauty to behold as it is a delight to hear. A good French horn will be quite expensive and difficult to learn. French trumpeters are a rarity. However, no classical orchestra would be complete without half a dozen, which means that musicians are in high demand.
Trombone
Despite the impressive range of this instrument, trombonists are becoming an endangered species! Although the trombone is a reasonably priced instrument, its sliders are very delicate and must be handled with great care. The trombone is easy to learn and trombonists are in high demand to play in classical, swing, jazz and traditional bands.