The trumpet is the smallest member of the brass family. It has a bright, penetrating sound. To make a sound on the trumpet the player buzzes his/her lips into a cup-shaped mouthpiece. The valves on the trumpet allow the player to quickly switch the length of tubing that the air is going through, to provide a whole new set of notes. All the trumpet player has to do is press down the valve combination that they want and presto! More notes.