Brass Instruments generally include the Trumpet or Trombone, but can also include various Horns, the Euphonium and Tuba. A common misconception is that the Saxophone is part of the family of Brass instruments when in fact it is actually a woodwind instrument. This misunderstanding normally transpires from the fact that the Saxophone is made from Brass and therefore erroneously included.
A brass instrument is made from a series of tubular pipes formed into specific shapes with a mouthpiece or resonator at one end and a flared horn aperture at the other where the tone and volume is released. A brass instrument also contains a series of valves which when depressed, introduces an extended range of additional tubing into the equation, thereby altering its total length. This action accompanied by the lip aperture and vibration on behalf of the player results in the altering of tones on the instrument and utilises the player's ability to change the point at which the stream of air will resonate.
Other brass instruments such as the Trombone use a manual tubular sliding mechanism to extend the length of the overall tubular piping and this in turn changes the harmonic tones played by the instrument.
Brass instruments were initially popular in Jazz, Rhythm and Blues and Swing Dance bands of the 1930s and 40s, however today brass sections are used within all aspects of popular music yet are still retained as a core ingredient of modern jazz performances.
