Brass instrument

A brass instrument is a wind instrument in which the sounds are blown with a boiler or funnel mouthpiece on the principle of cushion whistle. The vibrating lips of the musician produce by coupling it to a conical-cylindrical tube sound, the air column is used as a resonator. Terminologically correct, the term " Lippentoninstrument ", which counts according to the Hornbostel -Sachs system to the class of actual instruments in the group of aerophones.

7.1 antiquity
7.2 Middle Ages and modern times 7.2.1 trumpets and trombones
7.2.2 finger holes and valves

9.1 Stimmzug
9.2 waterkey

Importance of the material of the base tube

The vast majority of Brass is made of sheet metal alloys such as brass or nickel silver. Since the term " brass instrument " in itself is a common name, so other materials are also possible.

For large instruments such as the sousaphone sometimes modern fiber composites come to save weight used, the modern Vuvuzela is made of plastic. Although wooden instruments such as the didgeridoo alphorn or work on the same principle, but just like the tone holes equipped with serpente and tines historically not counted in the current language of the brass instruments, but probably to the Lippentoninstrumenten.

The bugle and the Ophicleide count against it generally recognized with regard to their development history of the brass instruments, they too will be blown with a cup mouthpiece.

The saxophone and the flute, however, because of their tone belong to the group of woodwind instruments, although their body is often made of metal.

Concept of producing sound

Most musical instruments are made of a vibration generator (generator ) and an oscillation amplifier ( resonator). The peculiarity of the brass is that the vibration is generated by the lips of the fan, and thus a human organ is part of the instrument. The air is blown evenly through to the slightly biased against the current lips. With sufficient flow rate, the lip tissue unit by the resistance of the muscles to vibrate. The transfer of the vibration of the lips to the sound column is done by the mouthpiece.

Physics of sound production

A brass instrument works as a cushion whistle. The sound produced by the vibration of the lips of the blower is set to the length determined by the tube natural frequency of the air column in the instrument. Through resonance with the air column in the tube gets this in vibration and creates a standing wave. The vibration is transmitted on the bell at the open tube end to the ambient air. To create the best sound result ( as many partials / overtones ) to achieve the lip frequency must be congruent with the frequency of each nature sound. If, without leaving the natural color, the initializing frequency of the lips too high or too low, the standing wave is shortened or lengthened, whereby the frequency of the sound is higher or lower " falsified ". The instrument is indeed usually composed of several conical and cylindrical pieces, but looks physically essentially as a conical, at the narrow end closed by the player's mouth tube. The lowest sound can be generated, therefore, has a wavelength which is approximately twice the length of the instrument. In the next higher natural frequency, ie, the second natural clay, the wavelength is equal to the length of the instrument, the sound is so an octave higher.

Overall, the natural frequencies yield the well-known harmonic series. It is identical to the partial tone series of the fundamental. By adjusting the oscillation frequency by acceleration of the flow rate of air through the lip gap Brass overblown to the tone whose frequency is the nearest integer multiple of the frequency of the fundamental, respectively. Two, three, four or more half-waves occur in the pipe. Whether the root is useful in practice depends, among other things, on the type and scale length (see below) of the instrument (see below, half Instrument / Full instrument).

The highest playable sound is dependent on the skill of the musician; However, the mouthpiece has a strong influence on it. Smaller mouthpieces with smaller bore favor the higher speech sounds, but lead to a sharper sound, especially in the deeper layers.

Blowing technique of sound production

The sound quality depends on many factors. In addition to the design and material properties of the instrument, the skill and physical constitution of the fan are essential factors. To establish the congruency of initiating vibration of the lips as described above under physics of sound production with the particular pipe length frequency of the natural tone, it requires an optimal balance between first flow rate of air through the lip gap, the second gap size between the lips and the 3. tissue resistance ( muscle tension ) of the lips. The unloaded swing through internal muscle tension and mouthpiece pressure the lips according to the required pitch, the cleaner and clearer sound of the tone. The of the abdominal muscles ( pelvic floor muscles, abdominal wall ) as well as the back muscles ( edges) constructed and controlled by the diaphragm as a counterpoint ( diaphragm support ) airflow as an energy source comes here the greatest importance because the vibration is initialized by the energy of the lip gap durchströmeden air and worn. Must be approximately doubled to over an octave blow the air velocity. Equally important, but often underestimated in its power and weighting the importance of the velocity of the air, is the approach. As an approach, the fan indicates the position of the lips to the air and the Ballance between lip gap size and muscle tension. The lip gap should always be kept open to the air flow. Thus, the lips can vibrate freely, the lip gap must not then injected and the mouthpiece will not be pressed ( pressureless or pressure- weak bladders ). In return, the lip tension must be just as large to withstand without additional mouthpiece pressure of the energy of the air stream. Thus, the lips vibrate freely without impeding each other by pressing force of the mouthpiece or contact ( noise, unnecessarily high resistance). Similarly, the duration of a auszuhaltenen tone depends on the one hand from the lung volume of the fan, the other part of his blow molding efficiency. The optimum is reached when the transported by the air flow of energy with as little as possible, but to achieve the pitch and dynamics as much as necessary brings taut lip muscles to vibrate the lips. Achieved the wind the optimum, it needs to excite the vibration less air and can keep the tone as a function of volume dynamics (music ) for more: Tones up to 60 seconds at low volume possible ( with circular breathing any longer). The more relaxed the lip muscles in the lower and mid-range works, the more leeway has the wind up. If it is possible to bring the lips by more relaxation with little energy to vibrate the wind may be sufficient acceleration of the air higher tones achieve efficiency. Is the lip tension too high and the opening is too small, the resistance increases at the lip gap accordingly. This (energy ) is required for the tone more air and the sounds speak heavy or not at all. To blow the tone was beautiful, he should always begin initialized from the air. Not by a foreign impulse, such as the tongue thrust. The temporally coordinated to shock merely clarifies the start of the lip vibration. He does not represent a valve within the meaning of closure

Influence of the horn

An important deviation from the simple conical tube is given by the horn or bell. This instrument typical Exponentialtrichter transforms the wave impedance of the very high value of the tube to the much lower characteristic acoustic impedance of the air, thereby causing a more effective radiation of sound energy into the environment. Only the rest of the energy is reflected into the tube to generate the standing wave again. The funnel has an effect on the tone, but also to the interval distance between the natural tones, for the gradual change in cross section is formed, the effect of the variable acoustic pipe length: The reflection point is outside of the hopper can be moved by means of the flow rate of air and of the extension bit. This phenomenon is not yet sufficiently explored; an influence such as the shape of the mouth of the interior of the fan and the position of the tongue.

Instruments with funnel only slightly open, flat are the bugles. They speak very light, but sound relatively quiet and soft, because they have little overtones. The pitch can be easily varied by the wind with the approach ( 10 / -50 cents). Flat funnel filters for reflecting an inaccurate separation edge dar. The funnel amplifies the vibration only a little, relatively little acoustic energy is emitted to the ambient air. Simultaneously by more energy is reflected to the tool that supports the easier formation of the standing wave.

Steeper funnel have trumpet or trombone, which respond relatively heavy, but can have a harmonically rich, bright and sharp sound that is difficult intonierbar. This can sometimes only very slightly changed by blowing technique, intonation corrections are possible only in narrowly limited extent. Steep hopper emit more sound energy and amplify the sound. The instruments sound louder, thereby reducing but at the same time of reflected energy to the formation of the standing wave.

Influence of Scale

The boiler or funnel mouthpiece is in a mostly conical leadpipe. The following cylindrical tubes, where also the valve arcs, define the " hole ". Sometimes it still follows a conical " kick-off " before the instrument in the bell opens with the horn. The lengths and diameters of these individual segments together determine the scale length of each brass instrument. Thus this term refers to the slope of the tube diameter to the respective position in the basic pipe length. An exact metric measure can therefore not be defined, but it mostly compares equal length musical instruments together.

The scale determines the one hand, the timbre of the instrument: A trumpet sounds brighter than a baritone horn, a trumpet brighter than a flugelhorn. When the trumpet up to 40 sub - harmonics are detectable and can be visualized with the oscilloscope. Their share as well as their strength in this range determine the timbre of the instrument and its variations in the same design. On the other hand, affects the scale, how well the 1.Naturton ( the "root " ) is triggered. In french horns the deepest playable tone of harmonic series is "reliable" only the second natural tone an octave above the actual root. Due to the comparatively very narrow scale of the French horn, as well as the small scale length and bore of the funnel-shaped horn mouthpiece ( it is in its rim diameter the tulip-shaped basin of the trumpet mouthpiece comparable ) of the fundamental ( F = 66 Hz ) is only with extreme looseness possible to blow while the same tone with the same length of pipe on the F tuba is the normal case. Apart from this problem experienced wind can blow the fundamentals of intonation purely on all brass instruments.

Furthermore, the scale has an influence on the exact interval spacing of the harmonic series. Targeted selective changes in diameter of certain natural tones can be changed in their intonation. The clean intonation of the harmonic series is an essential quality.

The scale length has no influence on the level of the fundamental. This is determined solely by the length of the air column.

Mensurtypen

Engmensuriert - The lead pipe is slightly conical ( natural trumpet ) or cylindrical (some trombones ), about 60 % of the total length are cylindrical, the horn wide open.
Mittelmensuriert - The leadpipe and the bell are long and strong conical, cylindrical shares relatively short, for example, as in the French horn about 30 % of the total length of the horn is widely spreading.
Weitmensuriert - The scale length is up to a few units throughout strongly conical, the bell little sweeping. eg: flugelhorn, tenor horn, baritone, tuba

Pitch control

Change in the resonance tube length:

In order to enable a chromatic playing style, equipped to Brass in the 14th century with the possibility of extending the tube length by a train ( telescopic tube) ( slide trumpet, trombone). This more natural harmonic rows proportionally shifted opened up. The opposite to form the then created instruments with tone holes or flaps ( flaps Horn, Ophicleide ), in which the air column is shortened accordingly.

The most significant innovation is the invention of the valved instruments in 1813 by Friedrich and Heinrich Blühmel Stolzel, which has since formed the vast majority of popular brass instruments.

Soon after, put the classical configuration by using three valves which lower the root to two, one and three semitones. With such a dreiventiligen instrument it is possible to play a continuous chromatic scale starting a fifth above the root.

Is there another valve is present, it is usually about a quart valve ( five semitones ). Historically, some instruments were built for reasons of intonation with five, six or more valves, a practice that has survived to this day in the tuba. ( More information can be found under valve (wind instrument ) and Articles for each instrument itself )

Nowadays mainly trombones are played ( sometimes supplemented by one or two valves) with a train. Flaps instruments are primarily used only for the purposes of historical performance practice.

To help with the intonation bad provoking tones especially when combining multiple valves, in this the Ventilverlängerungszug (sometimes the main tuning ) during blowing with the help of a device or in the form of a so -called trigger extendable and therefore more variable.

History

Antiquity

When the grave of Pharaoh Tutankhamun was discovered in the year 1323 BC, were also found two specimens of the oldest still preserved brass instrument, the Scheneb. This trumpet-like instruments are about 58 cm long, with a diameter of 17 mm ( Anblasseite ) to 26 mm and a subsequent horn with up to 88 mm. Made both are instruments of beaten and soldered sheet: One of partially gilded silver, the other of a copper alloy. About blowing techniques and a specific use, nothing is handed down in writing, pictorial representations (probably as early as 2300 BC) put them in a military or representative context.

Another instrument of this culture is the Jewish Chazozra. In the context of the Old Testament ( Tanakh ) Moses is asked by God after the Exodus from Egypt ( 4 Mos 10 EU) to manufacture, two trumpets of hammered silver. Coupled with this is the same place a relatively detailed regulation to apply. However, they are both not made to the actual music and not suitable: The religious use was for the Levites in the Temple in Jerusalem. Original instruments are not likely to get that last are likely to have fallen victim according to the illustration in the Arch of Titus the looting of the temple.

So while there were Scheneb and Chazozra from forged and soldered metal sheets, the art of lost wax casting as early as the 4th millennium BC, was known. Several instruments were developed as follows:

Parts of the Greek fallopian tube were fabricated: an elongated trumpet with cast bronze mouth and bell and 13 intermediate pieces of ivory. A resulting instrument (157 cm long ) of about 450 BC is in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

The Romans took over from about 300 BC from the Etruscan civilization, various brass instruments from cast bronze with removable mouthpieces.

The tuba is an elongated, continuous conical instrument, a preserved specimen in the Etruscan Museum (Villa Giulia ) in Rome, is 117 cm long and had a weak expansive sound piece.
The G- shaped bent Cornu was a long, around the body of the fan bowed instrument. Similarly shaped was the Bucina.
The hook shape of the Roman and Celtic Lituus karnyx were probably made by connecting a straight pipe with a curved animal horn as a bell.
The Lurs pairs used the Germans received their form perhaps by mimicking mammoth tusks.

Medieval and modern times

Trumpets and trombones

Whether the art of bending of thin-walled tubes has been handed down from antiquity through the Middle Ages and had to be rediscovered in the West, is not known with certainty. Early medieval instruments were stretched, the earliest illustration of an S -shaped serpentine shape can be seen on a miniature of 1377 ( Cronicles of France ) in the British Library.

As a standard shape formed from about 1500 once the tortuous long trumpet out, which remained as a baroque trumpet virtually unchanged until the end of the 18th century. Since only natural harmonic rows are available on fixed tube and the Clarino game in the high position was unusual, the desire came to playable tones between the (lower) natural shades on. The plug was only limited practical for trumpets. Also the constant change between instruments of different mood was no improvement. A first step was the change in tube length by plugged pipe sections ( mullions ). In order to generate quick succession semitones ( Tromba da tirarsi ) was on the instruments probably a telescopically extendable mouthpiece used (paintings by Hans Memling, c.1480 ).

The development of the double pull train, and thus the actual trombone probably took place in the mid-15th century Burgundy ( Southern France). At the same time thin instruments were developed with the essential feature of the current French horn, the circular curved tube. There you will find pictures of these " horns " on representations in Worcester or in Terlan in Tirol.

In today's symphony orchestras, the brass instruments are usually placed at the center back.

Finger holes and valves

From the family of the tines, which was used in the Renaissance and belongs to today's terminology to the brass instruments, to other forms of grip hole horns developed. The pitch change of the grip hole horn is analogous to a woodwind instrument: About handle holes or flaps of the wind reaches a shortening of the vibrating column of air. However, the tonal character of the sound produced was not as satisfying as that of a natural sound by the standards of the 19th century. Nevertheless, Serpent, bass horn and the more modern Ophicleide lasted until well into the 19th century. With the Ophicleide and the tuba instruments were developed that were chromatically playable even in the bass range. From the Italian Space came bugle and keyed trumpet, who considered themselves as folk instruments long time.

The invention of valves for the decade from 1810 changed the meaning of the brass instruments and their role in the music. The opera Rienzi by Richard Wagner ( UA 1842 in Dresden ) is already used valve trumpets, on the model of Cornet à pistons in the French opera. The chromatically playable cornet, often mentioned in the German-language area " Posthorn", became a popular solo instrument.

Half instrument / Full Instrument

About half Instruments reports Karl Emil von Schafhäutl 1854 in a report of an industrial exhibition in Munich:

As a semi instrument thus he referred to 20 years after the invention of valves engmensuriertes a brass instrument, in which the pedal tone ( or first natural clay ) poorly responsive unplayable and thus is not normally used. In contrast, there are all- instruments where the pedal note is well used. The terms half Instrument / Full instrument have instrumentenbaupraktisch since 1900 no longer relevant, they were probably only as quoted in the early years of Brass developing promotional attributes.

The phenomenon of extremely poorly -provoking (ie, "missing" ) keynote justified from the physical properties of the instrument form. A highly tapered profile of the main tube, so a wide scale support the desired frequency ratio of 1:2 ( octave ) of the first two natural tones, while a largely cylindrical scale shifts (constant tube without bell ) this ratio to about 1:2.5. The desired tone is five semitones too low, but still ( though difficult ) produced.

Mood

This term refers to the practice in brass instruments the note name of the ( 1, ) 2, 4, 8, etc., nature sound, regardless of its absolute octave. Inflates for example, a B -flat trumpet and a Bb Tenor Horn the third natural clay, both instruments sound in octave steps. The overall sound is generally perceived as pleasant. Inflates a B -flat trumpet and a C trumpet, for example, the 2nd natural, both instruments sound in Sekundabstand. The overall sound is commonly perceived as unpleasant.

The mood is set by the base pipe length

With trumpets: the train is fully inserted.
When the valve instruments: No valve is actuated.

The basic pitch f in hertz is physically dependent on the instrument tube length L in meters and the sound velocity C of the air.

Having the formula: may be approximately the length of the reversal or the frequency can be calculated.

All instruments with the same root would therefore have about the same length of pipe. For example, the tube lengths of the hunting-horn in B ( 274 cm ), trombone (270 cm), tenor horn ( 266 cm ) and the baritone horn or euphonium in B ( 262 cm ) nearly equal. The French horn in F is 370 cm longer than the tuba in F ( 354 cm). These length differences within the same mood depend on the design of the instrument, in particular of the scale length and the opening angle and diameter of the sound track.

The shortest common brass instrument is the B piccolo trumpet with a basic tube length of 65 cm. The B- Tuba with four valves is usually the deepest instrument with a basic pipe length of 541 cm, the extensions are added to it, normally four valves, results here a tube length of 930 cm.

In a normal separate F / B double horn 704 cm pipe are installed, while the B- horn are also added when switching to the F- mood 96 cm. To make intonation adjustments, the F valve trains (total length 102 cm ) can be used independently of the B- valve trains.

Parts and Assemblies

Colloquially modern brass instruments, regardless of their size mostly the same components:

Stimmzug

The tuning slide affect the overall length of the instrument and consists of two parallel telescopic tubes, connected by an arc. Therefore, the term tuning slide is in use. Subtracting the tuning slide further out, that is to extend the overall length of the instrument, the tones are lower. If you push the tuning slide accordingly more pure, the tones are higher.

Waterkey

During the music-making can (if any) is removed quickly in short breaks, the condensation from the instrument by one or more water valves. The position of the water valve ( s) is chosen so that they are in Blashaltung at the lowest point of a tube.

Production

Brass instruments are usually made of brass sheet metal and pipes with a wall thickness of 0.4 to 0.6 mm. Sound pieces and large conical tubes are soldered together from sheets with silver- brazing alloy and pressed with corresponding tools in the desired shape. Cylindrical tubes are seamless made industrially. The individual may be bent tube parts are soldered to short pieces of pipe ( " forcing " ) overlapping with soft solder.

Traditionally filled by a brass instrument maker to be bent tubes with liquid lead and bent cooling "by hand". With particular techniques, the surface is smoothed, thereby compacted and cured. Then the lead is liquefied and removed completely. This bending process can also be performed with extremely low melting metals or liquefiable resins.

In the modern industrial mass production of the bell is deep drawn from a circular blank and flush brazed with correspondingly tapered stems. Be bent pipes are often smoothed with water ice filling this then hydraulically divisible in a matrix form. The production technology requires greater material thicknesses (up to 1 mm), the durability of finished instruments is sometimes extremely low: Through extreme " inflation " tear homogeneous crystal structures and get the capillary effect, diffuses through the manufacture in an instrument indispensable condensation. Painted surfaces prevent evaporation, there will be irreversible damage to the instrument.

Completed items are often ground and polished prior to assembly. The finished instrument can be finally painted or silver-plated, nickel plated or gold plated.

Instruments

Natural horns
Flaps horns
Horns
Bugle family
Natural trumpets
Baroque trumpet
Valve trumpets
Trombones
Trumpet
Tuba

Modern designs sorted in ascending pitch

Tuba
Sousaphone
French horn
Trombone
Euphonium
Baritone Horn
Tenor Horn
Mellophon
Althorn
Flugelhorn
Cornet
Trumpet

Manufacturers and Brands

Like most musical instruments are produced not only by large companies brass instruments, but also from small, artisanal highly specialized holdings which consist sometimes of only a single brass instrument maker masters.

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