Brass Instruments
in Elementary School, Middle School, and High School
Overview
required Taught in grades 4-12
Brass instruments are played by vibrating or buzzing your lips against a mouthpiece. The speed of the buzz and pressing valves or moving a slide allows you to change pitch. Click on the arrows to read more about each area below.
Scroll to the bottom of the page to learn more about required specialty musician PPE for brass instruments.
Trumpet
PHYSICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The trumpet is held in the left hand and played with the first three fingers of the right hand. It is held comfortably in front of the body. The use of the lip muscles is very important, and therefore it may not be appropriate for students with cleft lip. Trumpet works best for students with slightly smaller or thinner lips, but can be played successfully with almost any size lip. It also requires the use of a stead air stream, but does not use as much air as the other brass instruments, making it a better choice for students with asthma.
SOUND QUALITY
The trumpet is a brass instrument with a high and brilliant sound. Brass instruments are louder than woodwind instruments, and are easy to hear in the band. The trumpet is the highest brass instrument and plays a lot of melody. It is also used in jazz music. The trumpet(and all brass instruments) requires buzzing the lips together to make sound.It takes time to build these lip muscles to play different notes, but it is usually possible to make some kind of sound right away.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Brass instruments require use of the ear to hear different notes and buzz the lips accordingly.Therefore, students with a “good ear” and who can sing “on pitch” tend to be more successful with trumpet and other brass instruments. The trumpet itself is a nice compact size and weight, and it’s a great beginning instrument! Students who study trumpet in 4th and 5th grade may be good candidates to switch to the french horn in middle school with teacher recommendation.
French Horn
PHYSICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The French horn is held with the right hand inserted into the bell and played with the first three fingers of the left hand. You do not have to be left handed to play French horn, and it is usually not an issue at all to play with the left hand. It can be awkward at first to position the French horn into proper playing position, but with practice you will succeed. As with trumpet, the use of the lip muscles is very important, The French Horn, like the Trumpet/Cornet requires the use of a stead air stream, so regular practicing is a must.
SOUND QUALITY
The French horn is a brass instrument with a smooth and beautiful rich sound. It plays in the middle range for brass instruments, and usually has very interesting countermelody and harmony parts as well as some melody. Like trumpet/cornet, it takes time to build lip muscle for different notes, but it’s possible to make some sound right away. Of all the brass instruments, it has the largest range from low to high. It is louder than most woodwind instruments, but a little quieter than most of the brass instruments.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Due to the difficulty of positioning the instrument and the difficulty of producing the correct pitch (more so than other brass instruments), students who choose French horn should be very dedicated and committed independent learners who do not get frustrated easily and are willing to work hard. Good chorus students, strings students, and piano students often make good French horn players. More than any other instrument, a “good ear” is required to play French horn. It is also one of the most expensive instruments to rent. Sometimes your band teacher has an instrument for you to borrow. Check with him or her first.
French Horn.mp4
Trombone
PHYSICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The trombone is held in the left hand while the right hand grasps the “slide” and moves it to the desired position.Because of the slide, this instrument may not be appropriate for the smallest students (trumpet or baritone would be a better choice). It takes a little more coordination to hold than other instruments, but most students are able to handle it. Like all brass instruments, it requires the use of the lip muscles and may not be appropriate for students with cleft lip. Trombone also uses more air than most instruments, meaning it may not be appropriate for students with asthma. It is a good choice for students with slightly fuller lips, although it can be played successfully with almost any lip size.
SOUND QUALITY
The trombone is a brass instrument with a full, low sound. It can be played loud but also soft and sweet. The trombone is the lowest of the brass instruments offered, has a large range, and is used in jazz music. It often plays low bass lines, fun countermelody and harmony parts,and melody in the band. It is unique in that it is the only instrument that can make a “sliding” sound called a glissando due to the slide. It uses the buzzing of the lips to make sound like all brass instruments.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
The trombone reads in bass clef, which is new to some students, but can be learned quickly with consistent practice. Piano students or cello students who know bass clef already have an even quicker time learning trombone. Due to the slide, students with a “good ear” and the ability to “sing on pitch” are more successful on trombone. It has an oblong case, but it is not unmanageable. Trombone is very unique and is a great beginning instrument!
Baritone Horn/Euphonium
PHYSICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The baritone is cradled in the left hand against the body and played with the first three fingers of the right hand. It uses the lip muscles and may not be appropriate for students with cleft lip. It also uses a lot of air and may not be appropriate for students with asthma. It is a little larger and heavier and works best with slightly larger and taller students. It is a good choice for students with slightly fuller lips, although it can be played successfully with almost any lip size.
SOUND QUALITY
The baritone is a brass instrument with a full, low sound very similar to the trombone. It shares the status as the lowest of the brass instruments offered. It too plays low bass lines, fun countermelody and harmony parts, and melody in the band. It uses the buzzing of the lips to make sound like all brass instruments.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
The baritone has some caveats. It is a wonderful starting instrument, and one of the easiest instruments to begin making sound on. However, it is larger and heavier than most of the other instruments, especially when in its case. It is also one of the most expensive instruments to rent. HOWEVER: there are a few school owned baritones available to help alleviate some of these problems. A student renting a baritone may request use of a school instrument for use at school, alleviating the need to take the instrument back and forth. Or, a student may request the use of a school instrument if the cost of renting is prohibitive, as long as they have help getting it to and from school. There are only a few instruments available on a first come first served basis; please contact your music teacher to inquire. It would be worth it to play this instrument! Students who successfully study the baritone horn in 4th grade may be candidates to switch to the tuba in 5th grade or middle school with teacher recommendation.
Euphonium.mp4
Tuba
PHYSICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The biggest student in the band may not necessarily be the perfect tuba player. The smallest student may not be the worst candidate. The only consideration when introducing the students of smaller stature to the tuba is the care in explaining how to distribute the weight properly and how to play and move about without causing injury.
SOUND QUALITY
The sound must be rich, dark, free and focused. Some descriptions for younger musicians might be to describe a “velvety chocolate waterfall.”
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Successful students on the tuba can produce full, rich tone quality, have an excellent sense of pitch-matching, demonstrate superb sense of rhythm, and are independent, self-assured, have strong leadership skills.
