Tools brass band. Wind instruments

The core of the brass band consists of wide-bore brass instruments wind instruments with conical bore: cornets, flugelhorns, euphoniums, altos, tenors, baritones, tubas. Another group consists of copper narrow-bore instruments with a cylindrical bore: trumpets, trombones, horns. The group of woodwind instruments includes labial - flutes and lingual (reed) - clarinets, saxophones, oboes, bassoons. The group of main percussion instruments includes timpani, bass drum, cymbals, snare drum, triangle, tambourine, tam-tam. Jazz and Latin American drums are also used: rhythm cymbals, congos and bongos, tom-toms, claves, tartarugas, agogos, maracas, castanets, pandeiras, etc.

Brass instruments Pipe Cornet French horn Trombone Tenor Baritone	Percussion instruments Snare drum Big drum Dishes Timpani Tambourine and tambourine Wooden box Triangle
Woodwind instruments Flute Oboe Clarinet Saxophone Bassoon

Orchestra

A brass band is an orchestra that includes wind (wood and brass or only brass) and percussion musical instruments, one of the mass performing groups. As a stable performing association, it was formed in a number of European countries in the 17th century. Appeared in Russia at the end of the 17th - beginning of the 18th centuries. ( military brass bands with the regiments of the Russian army).

Instrumental composition D. o. gradually improved. The modern brass band has 3 main varieties, which are orchestras mixed type: small (20), medium (30) and large (42-56 or more performers). The composition of the large D. o. includes: flutes, oboes (including alto), clarinets (including snare, alto and bass clarinet), saxophones (sopranos, altos, tenors, baritones), bassoons (including contrabassoon), horns, trumpets, trombones, cornets, altos, tenors , baritones, basses (brass tubas and bowed double bass) and percussion instruments with and without specific certain height sound. When performing concert works as part of the D. o. the harp, celesta, piano and other instruments are occasionally introduced.

Modern D. o. conduct diverse concert and popularization activities. Their repertoire includes almost all outstanding works of domestic and world musical classics. Among Soviet conductors Before. - S. A. Chernetsky, V. M. Blazhevich, F. I. Nikolaevsky, V. I. Agapkin.

Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Structure of a brass band

Main groups, their role and capabilities

The basis of the brass band is a group of instruments that exist under the general name “saxhorns”. They are named after A. Sachs, who invented them in the 40s of the 19th century. Saxhorns were an improved type of instruments called bugles (bugelhorns). Currently, in the USSR this group is usually called the main copper group. It includes: a) high tessitura instruments - sopranino saxophone, soprano saxophone (cornets); b) instruments of the middle register - altos, tenors, baritones; c) low register instruments - saxhorn-bass and saxhorn-double bass.

The other two groups of the orchestra are woodwinds and percussion. The group of saxhorns actually forms the small brass band. With the addition of woodwinds to this group, as well as horns, trumpets, trombones and percussion, small mixed and large mixed compositions are formed.

In general, a group of saxhorns with a conical tube and a wide scale characteristic of these instruments have a fairly large, strong sound and rich technical capabilities. This especially applies to cornets, instruments of great technical flexibility and bright, expressive sound. They are primarily entrusted with the main melodic material of the work.

Middle register instruments - altos, tenors, baritones - perform two important tasks in a brass band. Firstly, they fill the harmonic “middle”, that is, they perform the main voices of harmony, in the most various types presentation (in the form of sustained sounds, figuration, repeated notes, etc.). Secondly, they interact with other groups of the orchestra, primarily with the cornet (one of the usual combinations is the performance of the theme by cornets and tenors in an octave), as well as with the basses, which are often “helped” by the baritone.

Directly adjacent to this group are brass instruments, typical for a symphony orchestra, are horns, trumpets, trombones (according to the wind orchestra terminology adopted in the USSR, the so-called “characteristic brass”).

An important addition to the main brass band is the woodwind section. These are flutes, clarinets with their main varieties, and in large composition also oboes, bassoons, saxophones. Introduction to Orchestra wooden instruments(flutes, clarinets) allows you to significantly expand its range: for example, the melody (as well as harmony) performed by cornets, trumpets and tenors can be doubled one or two octaves up. In addition, the importance of woodwinds lies in the fact that they, as M. I. Glinka wrote, “serve primarily for the color of the orchestra,” that is, they contribute to the colorfulness and brightness of its sound (Glinka, however, meant Symphony Orchestra, but it is clear that this definition of his is also applicable to the wind orchestra).

Finally, it is necessary to emphasize the particularly important importance of the percussion group in a brass band. Given the very peculiar specificity of the brass band and, above all, high density, massive sound, as well as frequent cases of playing in the open air, on a hike, with a significant predominance of marching and dance music in the repertoire, the organizing role of the drum rhythm is especially important. Therefore, a brass band, in comparison with a symphony band, is characterized by a somewhat forced, emphasized sound of the percussion group (when we hear the sounds of a brass band coming from afar, we first of all perceive the rhythmic beats of the big drum, and then we begin to hear all the other voices).

Small mixed brass band

The decisive difference between a small brass orchestra and a small mixed orchestra is the pitch factor: thanks to the participation of flutes and clarinets with their varieties, the orchestra gains access to the “zone” of the high register. Consequently, the overall volume of sound changes, which has a very great importance, since the fullness of the orchestra’s sound depends not so much on absolute strength, but on register breadth and spaciousness of arrangement. In addition, there are opportunities to compare the sound of a brass orchestra with a contrasting wooden group. Hence a certain reduction in the boundaries of the “activity” of the brass group itself, which to a certain extent loses the universality that is natural in a small brass orchestra.

Thanks to the presence of the wooden group, as well as the characteristic brass (horn, trumpet), it becomes possible to introduce new timbres that arise from mixing colors both in the wooden and copper groups, and in the wooden group itself.

Thanks to the great technical capabilities, the wooden “brass” is relieved of technical force, the overall sound of the orchestra becomes lighter, and the “viscosity” typical of brass instrument technology is not felt.

All this taken together makes it possible to expand the boundaries of the repertoire: a small mixed orchestra has access to more wide circle works of various genres.

Thus, a small mixed brass band is a more advanced performing group, and this, in turn, imposes broader responsibilities both on the orchestra members themselves (technique, ensemble coherence) and on the leader (conducting technique, selection of repertoire).

Large mixed brass band

The highest form of brass band is a large mixed brass band, which can perform works of considerable complexity.

This composition is characterized primarily by the introduction of trombones, three or four (to contrast the trombones with the “soft” group of saxhorns), three parts of trumpets, four parts of horns. In addition, the large orchestra has a much more complete group of woodwinds, which consists of three flutes (two large and piccolo), two oboes (with the second oboe replaced by an English horn or with its independent part), a large group of clarinets with their varieties, two bassoons (sometimes with a contrabassoon) and saxophones.

In a large orchestra, helicons are, as a rule, replaced by tubas (their structure, principles of play, and fingering are the same as for helicons).

The percussion group is added by timpani, usually three: large, medium and small.

It is clear that a large orchestra, compared to a small one, has significantly greater colorful and dynamic capabilities. It is typical for him to use more diverse playing techniques - extensive use of the technical capabilities of wood, the use of “closed” sounds (mutes) in copper group, a wide variety of timbre and harmonic combinations of instruments.

In a large orchestra, it is especially advisable to contrast trumpets and cornets, as well as the widespread use of divisi techniques for clarinets and cornets, and the division of each group can be increased to 4-5 voices.

Naturally, a large mixed orchestra significantly exceeds small orchestras in terms of the number of musicians (if a small brass orchestra has 10-12 people, a small mixed orchestra has 25-30 people, then a large mixed orchestra has 40-50 musicians or more).

Brass band. Brief essay. I. Gubarev. M.: Soviet composer, 1963

Wind instruments include tube-shaped musical instruments in which sound is created by oscillating a column of air. The body (tube) can be made of any material (wood, metal) and take any shape. In a symphony orchestra, wind instruments stand out with their bright and strong sound.

Origin of wind instruments

The prototype of the first wind instrument in the history of music was a bone, which primitive I tried to blow. Much later there would be a flute, a trumpet, a bassoon, etc., but all of these instruments used the same principle that made the bone make sounds. It's about about air vibrations in a hollow tube.

A little later, primitive musicians thought of drilling holes in the bones - this way the sound would acquire different shades: from low to high. And then a tongue made of reed will appear in the hole of the tube. Its vibrations will cause this tube to produce a melodious sound. This is how the clarinet appeared. And after it the oboe - of a similar design, only with two reeds.

The structure of wind instruments using the example of a flute

In principle, all wind instruments are designed extremely simply. Let's look at their structure using the example of a flute. A modern flute can be wooden, less often metal. In any case, it is a hollow tube with many valves. There is a hole on the side into which the flutist blows, extracting sound from the instrument.

Obviously, there is air inside the tube, which the musician forces to move by the pressure of his breath. Hence the sound. Moreover, the shorter the tube, the higher the sound. There are holes for this purpose: by closing or opening them, you can adjust the length of the tube.

For convenience, these holes are closed with special valves. This is especially convenient for wind instruments with a long tube - it is difficult for the musician to reach all the holes with his fingers.

Varieties of wind instruments

The oboe has a very rich history and several ancestors among the ancients musical instruments(its design shows features of the Caucasian zurna and ancient pipe).

Oboe

Bassoon

Clarinet, whose name comes from Latin word“clear”, takes pride of place in symphony orchestras and stands out for its warm, rich sound.

The trumpet is rightfully considered one of the most widely known wind instruments. But few people know that it came to Europe from distant Asian countries. The first pipes had a straight or slightly curved shape; much later pipes appeared modern look, rolled up. Trumpets are characterized by a loud, warlike sound - which is why they were most often used in military campaigns. In the orchestra the trumpet appeared with light hand Italian Monteverdi. In addition, in Europe the trumpet was equipped with valves to adjust the length and produce sounds of different pitches. But the original form of this instrument has been preserved - only now under the name trombone.

Another wind instrument is the button accordion, created by Pyotr Sterlyagov on an individual order from harmonica player Yakov Orlandsky. It was a completely new instrument with a rich sound, providing the musician with many more possibilities than the accordion. The buttons in the button accordion are located on the sides: 100 on the left and 53 on the right.

Wind instruments- This is a type of musical instrument whose origins go back to the primitive system. Thus, it is believed that the first wind musical instrument was a bone, into which ancient people blew to produce sound, and then began to drill holes to change the sound. In general, it should be noted that they have always had a special influence on their listener. It was thanks to brass music that people could unite into a single whole, disconnect from all their experiences and for a while be transported to a world of euphoria and joy. Now it is impossible to hold a parade, a holiday or a simple folk festival without a brass band.

Nowadays, a wind musical instrument is often used for orchestral playing, but at the same time, the orchestra can be either symphonic or jazz. Precisely because a whole team of musicians is needed to play many compositions on wind instruments, wind instruments are less widespread than, for example, keyboard instruments or guitars. Nowadays, most people who know how to play the wind instruments are students music schools, or professional musicians, but meeting “self-taught” people is almost impossible.

At the same time, all wind instruments are easy to transport, easy to hold and comfortable to play.

To obtain sound from the wind instruments, air is used, which is blown into the required hole and creates an oscillation of the air column in the barrel of the instrument. The most important characteristic Any musical instrument, be it a trombone, a cornet or a viola, is the tone that gives a completely sounding column of air. This indicator depends on the length and size of the pillar. Change the tone to wind instrument by changing the length of the column or by adjusting the volume of air that enters the column ( this method also called overblowing). To change the length of the column, a voice machine is used or by opening and closing a hole in the instrument tube.

Classification

If we talk about the classification of wind musical instruments, they can be divided into: wooden and copper. Wooden ones include, for example, an oboe, and copper ones include a trumpet. The names of these categories tell us about the material that is used in the manufacture of the tool. Nowadays, individual instruments are made of metals or plastics instead of wood.

The most popular woodwind musical instruments are:

• The clarinet, which, thanks to its large range, provides the musician big choice games with melody.
• The flute has a high sound and allows you to perform magnificent solo parts.
• Bassoon, for playing low sounds.

Among the copper musical instruments it is worth highlighting:

• A saxophone that no one can do without jazz orchestra.
• Trombone, filling the orchestra with bass sound.
• Fanfare, which is mandatory attribute any special event.

To summarize, I would like to note that in our time the popularity of wind musical instruments is not as great as it was several centuries ago. But at the same time, we can say with confidence that not a single symphony or jazz orchestra will ever be able to do without them. Therefore, if you want to plunge into the world of spiritual harmony, then be sure to take the time and listen to several works written for brass bands, believe me, this will not only give you a surge of strength, but also guarantee peace of mind.

Wind instruments are very different in their structure and sonority from all other instruments, and they have stood out in the music of all cultures since prehistoric times. The classification of these instruments well reflects the relationship and differences between different types brass.

How are wind instruments constructed?

A wind instrument consists of a certain type of resonator (usually in the form of tubes). In them, vibrations occur in the column of air that the player blows into the wind instrument, and as a result, the sound intensifies.

The sound range of a wind instrument is determined by the size of its resonators. For example, the sound produced from a thick tube is low because the length of its air channel promotes low-frequency vibration of the air flow. And the sound of a thin flute will be high due to the narrower shape of the instrument, and, accordingly, the smaller volume of the resonator: under such conditions, the air column vibrates more often against its walls, therefore, the sound becomes higher.

The oscillation frequency of the column can be increased by accelerating the air injection, that is, by creating a faster and sharper air stream.

Classification of wind instruments

Wind instruments are divided into two groups:

• brass instruments;
• woodwind instruments;
• keyboard wind instruments.

Initially, this distribution arose from the materials used to make a particular instrument, but later it became more related to the way the sound was extracted from it. The material of instruments made in our time is not limited to copper and wood and can be very diverse - from metal to plastic, from brass to glass, but these instruments will still be assigned to one of the above groups.

When playing them, sound is produced by changing the length of the air column. This can be achieved by opening special holes that are on the tool, and which ones exactly depend on the distance at which these holes are located from each other.

Woodwind instruments are divided into two subgroups: labial and reed. The distribution depends on how the air is blown into the instrument.

IN labial air is blown through a transverse slot located on the head of the instrument itself: thanks to this, the air stream is cut and promotes internal air vibration.

Labial wind instruments include the pipe, as well as the flute and its varieties.

IN reed injection occurs with the help of a tongue - a thin plate at the top of the instrument, as a result of which the air column vibrates.

Reed wind instruments include: saxophone, clarinet, bassoon and their varieties, as well as instruments such as balaban and zurna.

The method of sound production, caused by a certain position of the lips on the instrument and the force of blowing the air stream, determines whether the instrument belongs to a brass wind instrument. These wind instruments were there before copper, later brass, and sometimes silver.

Brass instruments are also divided into subgroups.

Peculiarity valve instruments is that they are, in fact, equipped with three or four valves, which the player controls with his fingers. They are needed in order to increase the length of the air stream by increasing the length of the instrument itself and thus reduce the sound. This happens when you press the valve, when an additional crown is turned on in the tube and the tool is further extended.

Valve instruments include: trumpet, horn, tuba, saxhorn and others.

But at natural wind instruments have no additional tubes at all: they extract sounds only from the natural scale and are not able to play melodic lines, so they practically ceased to be used back in early XIX century. This subgroup includes the bugle, fanfare, hunting horn and similar instruments.

An additional retractable tube in the shape of the letter U, which is called backstage, characterizes a type of brass instrument such as the trombone. The movement of this tube affects the length of the air flow and, accordingly, the tone of the sound.

Keyboard wind instruments

Separately in this classification are keyboard wind instruments. Their peculiarity is that their structure contains reed and movable tubes - air is pumped into them through special bellows.

Among them there are two subgroups:

• reed - harmonium, accordion, melodica, button accordion;
• pneumatic - organ and some of its types.

Wind instruments of a symphony orchestra

Flute, bassoon, oboe, tuba, horn, trombone, clarinet and trumpet are those wind musical instruments that are part of a symphony orchestra. Let's consider some of them.

Flute

Initially, the flute was indeed made of wood, but later, in the 19th century, silver became the main material for this instrument. The word “flute” itself goes back to ancient times; then this name applied to all wind instruments without exception. It is believed that the flute is one of the most ancient musical instruments in principle - the first ancestors of this instrument appeared about 43 thousand years ago.

Previously, there was a longitudinal flute, which the musician holds in front of him, like a pipe, but in the post-Baroque period it was replaced by a transverse one, which is held at the side, with the arms moving to the side. It is the transverse version that most people imagine when they hear the concept of “flute.” A symphony orchestra primarily uses two flutes. The flute is most often used for classical works. Among other wind instruments, mastering the flute is best for most people, and learning notes for the flute is no more difficult than learning notes for the piano or guitar.

Trombone

The trombone is the only brass instrument that has not undergone any changes after centuries of its existence, and remains the same as the ancient musicians knew it. The trombone is the only instrument that does not transpose, that is, the pitch of the real sound coincides with the pitch of the sound in musical notation. The word “trombone” usually refers to a variety of it called a tenor trombone. There are also alto and bass trombones, but they are used very rarely.

A symphony orchestra usually has three trombones. Most often the trombone is found in such musical genres, like jazz and ska-punk.

Oboe

The oboe has the appearance it has now in the 18th century. Its predecessors since ancient times were such instruments as aulos, zurna, bagpipes and others. The oboe is characterized by a melodious timbre, similar to the human voice. It itself has a conical shape and a set of twenty-three cupronickel valves on the body.

The symphony orchestra includes two oboes. Works from the Classical and Baroque eras are the main repertoire of this instrument.

Pipe

Among the brass instruments, it is the trumpet that can sound the highest. It is made from materials such as brass, copper or silver. It is one of the most ancient instruments. Initially it was used as a signaling instrument, but with XVII century it became an element of the symphony orchestra.

A symphony orchestra uses three trumpets. This instrument is used in a wide variety of genres: classical, jazz, etc.

Tuba

The tuba, unlike the trumpet, on the contrary, is the lowest-sounding element. In addition, the tuba also exceeds all other brass instruments in size and weight. Because of this, it is often played standing up, which, among other things, implies appropriate physical training for the musician. It is an invention of the 19th century Belgian Adolphe Sax. Like the trumpet, the tuba is a valve instrument.

The orchestra mainly uses one single tuba.

A more or less serious level of playing any wind instrument can be achieved in three to four years of systematic practice. Developing an ear for music will help speed up progress. Woodwind instruments are considered to be slightly easier to learn than brass instruments; and the most difficult things for students to learn are the horn and trombone.

It will be easier to explain to young children what brass instruments are with the help of a video. We invite you to watch the following video:

The principle of the game on which, of course, is carried out:

• sound production by blowing air flow and the position of the musician’s lips,
• regulating the strength and tone of the sound according to the strength and length of the air flow issued.

Encyclopedic YouTube

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  The name “copper” historically goes back to the material from which these instruments were made; in our time, in addition to copper, brass is often used for their manufacture, less often silver, or the material of manufacture is covered with a silver film (silver plated). Some of the medieval and baroque instruments with a similar method of sound production (for example, the serpent) were made of wood, but covered with sheet copper.

  Brass instruments include modern ones: horn, trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn, trombone, tuba. A separate group make up the saxhorns. Ancient brass instruments: sakbut (predecessor of the modern trombone), serpent, etc. Some are also brass folk instruments, for example, Central Asian karnai.

  History of copper instruments

  The art of blowing the hollow horn of an animal or a shell was known already in ancient times. Subsequently, people learned to make special instruments from metal, similar to horns and intended for military, hunting and religious purposes.

  The ancestors of modern brass instruments were hunting horns, military signal trumpets, postal bugles and ancient Greek fanfares (the pioneer bugle may also be mentioned). These instruments, which did not have a valve mechanism, produced several sounds of a natural scale, extracted only with the help of the performer’s lips. From here came military and hunting fanfares and signals based on the sounds of a natural scale, which became firmly established in musical practice.

  With the advancement of metal processing and production technology metal products It became possible to produce pipes for wind instruments of certain dimensions and the required degree of finishing. As copper wind trumpets improved and the art of producing a significant number of natural scale sounds on them developed, the concept of natural instruments, that is, instruments without a mechanism, capable of producing only a natural scale.

  At the beginning of the 19th century, a valve mechanism was invented, which dramatically changed the performance technique and increased the capabilities of brass instruments.

  Classification of copper instruments

  Brass instruments are divided into several families:

  Nowadays, with the revival of interest in ancient music, performance on natural and valve instruments is once again becoming a practice.

  Brass instruments can also be classified according to their acoustic properties:

  • Full - instruments on which you can extract the fundamental tone of the harmonic scale.
  • Half - instruments on which the fundamental tone cannot be extracted, and the scale begins with the second harmonic consonance.

  The use of brass instruments in music

  Brass instruments are widely used in various musical genres and compositions. As part of a symphony orchestra, they form one of its main groups. The standard composition of a brass section in a symphony orchestra includes:

  • Horns (an even number from two to eight, most often four)
  • Pipes (from two to five, most often two or three)
  • Trombones (usually three: two tenors and one bass)
  • Tuba (usually one)

  In 19th-century scores, cornets were also often included in the symphony orchestra, but with the development of performance technology, their parts began to be played on trumpets. Other brass instruments appear in the orchestra only sporadically.

  Brass instruments are the basis of the brass orchestra, which, in addition to the above instruments, also includes saxhorns of various sizes.

  Solo musical compositions for brass instruments are quite numerous - virtuoso performers on natural trumpets and horns already existed in the early Baroque era, and composers willingly created their works for them. After a slight decline in interest in wind instruments during the era of romanticism, in the 20th century there was a discovery of new performing capabilities of brass instruments and a significant expansion of their repertoire.

  IN chamber ensembles Brass instruments are used relatively rarely, but they can themselves be combined into ensembles, of which the most common is the brass quintet (two trumpets, horn, trombone, tuba).

  Trumpets and trombones play important role in jazz and a number of other genres of modern music.

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