The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 1

THE ROLES OF DRUM MAJOR, MARCHING PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS AND

FEW SELECTED BRASS IN A MARCHING BAND

B Y

JUMARE JAMES (CPL)

10TH SAMARU BATTALION COMPANY ECWA BISHARA NO.1 HAYING DOGO

SAMARU ZARIA, KADUNA NIGERIA.

Mobile Number: 07067447270, 08152953092, 09035834853

Email: Ameyejumare@gmail.com

JULY, 2015

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 2

MARCHING BAND

Marching band is a sport in which instrumental musicians perform outdoors for the purpose of

entertainment, exercise, and sometimes for competition. Instrumentation typically includes brass,

woodwinds, and percussion instruments. Most marching bands use some kind of uniform (often

of a military style) that include the school or organization's name or symbol, shakos, pith

helmets, feather plumes, gloves, and sometimes gauntlets, sashes, and/or capes.

Marching bands are generally categorized by function, size, age, gender, instruments and by the

style of show they perform. In addition to traditional parade performances, many marching bands

also perform field shows at special events like competitions. Increasingly, marching bands are

performing indoor concerts that implement many of the songs, traditions, and flair from outside

performances.

THE DRUM MAJOR AND HIS ROLES IN A MARCHING BAND

The drum major is the leader of the marching band during rehearsals and in performance.

His/her job is to carry-out the instructions of the band director and other instructional staff

regarding what needs to be done with the band.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DRUM MAJOR IN A MARCHING BAND

1. Getting the band out to the rehearsal area, into the proper formation and ready to begin

rehearsal.

2. Taking the band through warm-up exercises.

3. Leading the band through practice runs.

4. Helping rehearsals run smoothly and productively

5. Leading the band in performance

6. Adding to the overall showmanship of the band during performance with their

performance as the drum major.

7. Setting the standard for discipline, bearing, and conduct for the members of the band to

follow

8. Assisting in teaching marching to other members of the band (New Members)

9. Acting as the band’s representative at award ceremonies and special functions

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ASSISTANT DRUM MAJOR:

The assistant drum major is the next-in-command behind the drum major. He/she

assumes the drum major role whenever the drum major is not present or is unable to perform.

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 3

He/she must be able to march as a regular member of the band, as well as step into the drum

major's job at a moment's notice. He/she may also be asked to help during rehearsals.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A SUCCESSFUL DRUM MAJOR

Effective drum majors have a number of things in common:

They have a good and sound understanding of music

They are skilled as a field conductor

They have developed a high level of skill with a drum major baton or mace

They have exceptional marching technique

Their vocal commands are loud and easily understood

They are highly responsible and reliable

They are dedicated to having the band succeed

They work well with both the band director and the membership of the band

They know how to teach and assist other members of the band

They have the ability to inspire the band in performance

TYPICAL TERM OF OFFICE

Both the drum major and assistant drum major are selected for one year. They must tryout and

earn their positions each year.

REPLACEMENT

If the director feels that any drum major is not performing their job at the level required for the

best interests of the band, they may be pulled from the job and replaced by the assistant drum

major. A new assistant is then selected.

SELECTING THE DRUM MAJOR

Any member of the band may tryout to become the drum major for the following year. Try-outs

are held on a pre-announced date and all drum major candidates are evaluated by a qualified

panel selected by the band director.

The panel may select one person to be the drum major for all performances, or may select one

drum major for parade performances and another for field performances.

There are four sections in the tryout (with an optional 5th section). Each section is designed to

show how well a student can perform the different roles of the drum major.

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 4

1. The Parade Section

The purpose of this section is to see how well a student can perform in a band review or parade

situation. This trial is held in an area 250 - 300 feet long. It place of the full band, a recording is

used.

At least two-weeks prior to the tryout, the director will give all drum major candidates a cassette

recording of a march. Each student then creates their own routine.

Each candidate starts on the “Competition Begins” line. They call the band to attention. Next,

they perform an introductory routine and, following that, give the command to start the band.

The march is then played and the student steps-off down the route.

About 150 feet later is the “Salute Line” where candidates salute as part of their routine. At the

end of the competition area, the student gives a mark-time/halt command. They then dismiss the

band.

Drum major candidates are evaluated on their posture, bearing, twirling ability, clarity of beat,

confidence, originality and ability to stay in step with the music.

2. The Field Section

The purpose of this section is to see how well a student can conduct a band in a field show

situation. This section is held in an open area with a drum major's podium. If the full band isn't

available during the tryout, a recording is used.

At least two weeks prior to the tryout, the director will give all drum major candidates a cassette

recording of the music that has been selected for the tryout. Each student then creates his/her

own routine.

Each candidate can start on the field or on the podium. He/she calls the band to attention, then,

executes a series of commands to get the band ready for performance.

As the music plays, the drum major candidate conducts as if they had a full band in front of

them. They should make their performance as realistic as possible. After the music ends, the

candidate turns and does an acknowledgement salute to the audience.

Candidates are evaluated on their musicality, clarity of beat, confidence, command presence and

the loudness of their commands.

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 5

3. The Teaching Section

The purpose of this section is to see how well a candidate can teach and work with other

members of the band. A group of at least six student volunteers are needed to act as a small band

for the candidates to teach.

During this section the other candidates are kept isolated until they too have completed the

teaching section of the tryout. Part of this tryout section is to see how well each person "thinks

on their feet." If candidates are allowed to watch other students teach before them, they have the

advantage of "learning from other's mistakes."

This section is done in an open area. The director selects a simple command or sequence of

commands for the candidates to teach the group. All candidates should be given the same

command or series of commands to teach. Each person then instructs the group to the best of

their ability. Students are evaluated on their confidence, clarity of instruction and ability to work

with the group.

4. The Interview

The purpose of the interview is to determine the skills, expertise and attitudes each contestant has

for performing as the band's leader.

The interview is done privately with each student and the selection committee. The same

questions are asked of all the drum major candidates to assure that they are all being evaluated

using the same criteria.

Candidates are evaluated on their leadership potential, their ability to handle the pressures of the

job and their ability to work with both the instructional staff and the band.

5. Advisory Band Vote (optional)

To provide the selection committee with feedback on the student's preferences, a vote can be

taken. Students are asked to list their first choice for drum major first, their second choice

second, etc. This indicates how the students feel the drum major candidates should be ranked.

This vote is strictly advisory. Since the selection committee often has to decide based on criteria

that the full band may not know (for example, what was said in the private interview), the result

of the vote is for the information of the committee only.

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 6

THE MARCHING PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS IN A MARCHING BAND

MARCHING SNARE DRUMS

Marching snare drums are deeper in size than snares normally used for orchestral or drum kit

purposes. This gives the drum the big, full sound necessary for outdoor use. Standard sizes

(listed as diameter x depth) are 13x11 and 14x12 inches. They can weigh anywhere from 16-

45 lb. Smaller sizes such as 13x9 have become increasingly popular in recent times with the

proliferation of indoor drum lines.

The modern "high tension" snare was developed in response to the higher head tensions made

possible with the development of Kevlar and other high strength fibers bonded into the drum

head. These high tension drums were first developed by Legato of Australia for pipe band snare

drums. High tension drums began and were perfected in the pipe band market and later moved

into the marching band and drum corps areas. The bottom (or resonant) side of the drum has a

tightly tuned head and synthetic gut or metal snare wires, which are often secured to the drum

using a strainer to limit their movement and make the sound more staccato. For outdoor use, a

projector or "scoop" - a piece of curved plastic - may be attached to the back of the bottom hoop

to help project the sound forward to the audience.

Snare drums used in pipe bands are similar in construction to standard marching snare drums,

with two key differences. First, the drum has an additional set of snares, directly under the batter

(top) head. Second, the snares under the bottom head are made of coiled steel wires, similar to a

drum set (as opposed to the synthetic "gut" snares on a corps-style drum). These differences tend

to give the pipe drums a "snappier" snare sound, emphasizing the higher frequencies of the drum.

Recently, corps-style drums have been produced with steel wire snares underneath the batter

head (while remaining the gut snares under the bottom head). These snares are able to be

switched on and off separate from the bottom snares, which allows units to use the second snares

as a specific effect or as a permanent modification to the sound of the drum.

The head of the snare drum can also be varied to give the drum a different sound. Depending on

the music or style that the drumline plays, different brands and types of heads may be used. For

maximum volume and stick articulation, a head made of woven Kevlar fibers is used and usually

tuned to a very high tension. If the player desires a slightly "softer" feel, then an aramid fiber

head (such as Remo's Black Max) is a good choice. Finally, if more overtones and the softest

head-feel are desired, the player may want to consider a heavy clear head with a center

reinforcement dot (such as a Remo Powerstroke 77). This type of head is rarely used today

among competitive drumlines, mostly owing to its lack of outdoor projection in comparison with

Kevlar, but nonetheless it may still be used if a unique timbre is desired. One of the most famous

marching bands utilizing this head is the Ohio State University Marching Band. Though they

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 7

play difficult cadences and drum features, they still use the sling drum and Remo Powerstroke 77

head to remain as traditional and formal as possible.

Below Here are Images of Snare Drum:

MARCHING TENOR DRUMS

Modern marching bands and drum corps use multi-tenors, which consist of several single-headed

tom-toms played by a single drummer. The bottoms of the shells are open and beveled to project

the sound of the drum forward. They are typically played with wooden- or aluminum-shafted

mallets that have disc-shaped heads made of nylon. Mallets with felt or fleece heads, drum

sticks, drum brushes, and other implements are occasionally used to achieve different timbres.

The playing technique used for multi-tenors is somewhat different from that of a snare drum, and

more like that of a timpani because the drumhead is struck closer to the edge instead of in the

center. This creates a sound with more overtone, as opposed to striking the drumhead in the

center, which produces a very short, dull sound with few overtones that is considered undesirable

for multi-tenors.

A full-size set of tenors consists of 10, 12, 13, and 14-inch (360 mm) toms arranged in an arc,

often with an additional one or two smaller (6 or 8-inch) toms called "gock", "spook", "shot",

"spock", or "sprock" drums inside of the arc. Because a full-sized set of tenors with a carrier can

exceed 55 pounds (recently the Dynasty Quints, thought of as one of the heaviest sets, weighed

in at 32 lbs. without a carrier) smaller and lighter versions of tenors outfitted with 8, 10, 12, and

13-inch (330 mm) toms are often used by lines with smaller or younger players. All multi-tenors

based on the four-drum configuration are called quads despite the fact that there may be a total

of five or six drums counting the shot drums. Sets with one gock drum are called quints, and sets

with two gock drums are called sextets,"squints", hexes, or sixpacks. To produce different sounds

between gock drums with the same diameter, the head type, shell depth, and/or tuning between

the two drums may vary. A common name for all multi-tenors is simply, 'Tenors'. Tenor drums

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 8

have often been compared to the Latin percussion Timbales, as many musicians, including Tito

Puente use a setup similar to modern marching tenors.

Modern multi-tenors evolved from horizontally mounted dual single-headed bass drums first

used by the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps in the late 1960s. Early multi-tenors had

shells with a flat bottom. These drums sounded a lot like timpani, so they were called timp-toms.

As drum sizes got smaller, more drums began to be added to multi-tenor configurations. The

largest sets of multi-tenors had 7 drums and were carried by both the 1977 and 1992 Spirit of

Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps tenor lines.

Scottish pipe bands use a single tenor drum as part of their drum corps. Traditional marching

bands and drum corps may also use single tenors, which are double-headed drums much like

snare drums without snares. Some show bands such as those at historically black colleges and

universities use both single tenors and multi-tenors.

Below are images of tenor drums:

MARCHING BASS DRUMS

Bass drums used by modern ensembles come in a variety of sizes, with a 14-inch (360 mm)

"universal" depth, and diameter measured in 2-inch (51 mm) increments from 14 to 36 inches

(910 mm). The heads of these drums are usually made of a smooth white PET film, which gives

a tonality that is mid-way between clear and coated heads. Unlike tenors and snares, bass drums

are mounted so that the cylindrical shell of the drum is mounted on the player's harness and the

two drum heads of the drum face out sideways. The player can then play on both heads, one arm

for a drum head on either side. Each drummer plays and carries one drum, and a line is created

by having several people carry different-sized drums. Such drums are called tonal bass drums.

The lowest drum in a line, however, is often tuned to have a low "thump" like a traditional bass

drum rather than a tone. The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps were the first marching unit to use

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 9

and standardize tonal bass drum tuning. Many groups try to use the largest size bass drum that is

comfortable for the physically largest bass drummer to carry as the bottom bass drum, as larger

people are generally better able to carry a bigger drum for long periods of time.

In corps-style bands, each bass drummer only plays one segment of the entire bass drum part,

unlike the snares and tenors. This is known as a split part. A unison refers to when all or some

bass drummers play together at the same time. Lines can vary in size from as few as 3 players in

small high schools to as many as 9 in very large college marching bands. A line of 5 (with

individual drum sizes ranging from 18" to 32") is the most common in a drum corps. Some

traditional groups, such as some show-style marching bands from historically black colleges and

universities continue to use a non-tonal bass line, where each drum is roughly the same size and

each drummer plays the same part.

Pipe bands and some traditional groups use a single bass drummer, who typically carries the

pulse of the group. The bass drums used by pipe bands have seen an increase in size and more of

a focus on tone in recent times. Typical sizes range from 12 to 18 inches (460 mm) deep by 28

inches (710 mm) in diameter. The goal is to produced a subtle deep tone which is usually in tune

with the drones of the bagpipe. Various muffling techniques (sometimes referred to as

"treatments") can be used on bass drums to achieve a desired sound. The most common of these

involve applying foam weatherstripping, either on the head directly or on the shell of the drum.

Some drumhead manufacturers make heads that are "pre-muffled." These heads usually have

separate pieces of PET film or other material which are set into the head's flesh hoop and touch

the head to control overtones.

Below here are images of bass drum:

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 10

STICK HEIGHTS

SNARES AND TENORS DRUMS

Marching bands in general and especially marching drum lines emphasize uniformity. To

achieve absolute uniformity, every member of the drumline must play with proper stick heights.

A stick height is an approximate measurement of how high the bead of the stick comes off the

drum head on any given note. Regularly used heights range from 3" to 12", with 1" and 15"

being used mostly for visual effect. Snares and tenors can use this chart to establish guidelines

for stick heights, but techniques and specifications may vary between lines and can be changed

depending on what the music calls for.

BASS DRUMS

Bass drums do not use the same guidelines as snares and tenors. They are grouped in a different

section of the battery. The most important thing to remember is that when playing at a higher

dynamic level, one is not to attempt to play with more height but with more force and through

the head to get more tone and more sound. Playing correct heights is important, but if you're not

getting correct sound quality this means nothing. This will naturally project the sound. Below are

the guidelines for bass drum heights. Again, techniques and specifications vary between

drumlines. (All fractions are based on the Forte / perpendicular height. Establish this height first

and then work the others around it.) Start in “set” position with the mallets about 1 inch away

from the head.

Stick heights are not only important for visual reasons but they also strongly affect the sound

quality. To get a uniform and consistent sound, one must play with even stick heights on the

right and left hand. To practice playing with accurate stick heights, set up your drum or pad in

front of a mirror. Start with a simple exercise and watch to see if your left heights are even with

your right. If you have access to a video camera, you can record yourself and watch it later. It is

easier to watch your heights and critique your performance when you are not focusing on

playing.

CYMBALS

Cymbals are not played in the same manner as orchestral crash cymbals, as there is a change in

the grip of the straps. The hand goes through the hoop and twists, causing the hand to be flat

against the bell of the cymbal, although variations are sometimes used for effect. Each player

carries two cymbals of identical size and crashes them together, in addition to producing other

sound effects by striking or rubbing the cymbals together. Cymbal players often perform

visuals – movements such as twirls and flips that are eye-pleasing and boost the general effect of

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 11

the group. There is generally a 1-to-1 or 1-to-2 ratio of cymbal players to snares, as snare

drummers sometimes play on the cymbals at some point during the performance, much in the

manner that hi-hat cymbals are used on a drum set. The number of cymbal players can vary

according to their use. Cymbal parts are often split in the same manner as bass drum parts – each

cymbalist plays one component of a larger part. Some drum corps (or less often, marching

bands) do not have marching cymbal players at all, instead choosing to march additional hornline

or color guard members, or other percussion instruments. In indoor percussion ensembles, the

trend seems to be towards keeping or expanding cymbal sections.

Among many differences between marching and orchestral cymbals, there are many types of

crashes. Crash-chokes are played beginning with a normal crash, but pulled into the body at the

shoulders or stomach so as to effectively stop the sound after attaining the desired crash. Slides

are played using the right cymbal to drive into the left, where the outer edge hits 1/2 way

between the bell and the edge of the left cymbal. After the right cymbal slides up on the left, it is

brought back straight into the body. The cymbal is stopped by catching the air pocket inside of

the cymbals. The cymbals maintain contact at all times. The desired sound is a "sizzle then

choke" effect. As well as different types of crashes, cymbals can use many types of visuals,

which are only limited to the imaginations of those wielding the cymbals.

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 12

THE ROLE OF BRASS INSTRUMENT IN A MARCHING BAND

THE BRASS INSTRUMENT

A brass instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by sympathetic vibration of air in

a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips. Brass instruments are also

called labrosones, literally meaning "lip-vibrated instruments".[1]

There are several factors involved in producing different pitches on a brass instrument. Slides,

valves, crooks, or keys are used to change vibratory length of tubing, thus changing the available

harmonic series, while the player's embouchure, lip tension and air flow serve to select the

specific harmonic produced from the available series.

The view of most scholars (see organology) is that the term "brass instrument" should be defined

by the way the sound is made, as above, and not by whether the instrument is actually made of

brass. Thus one finds brass instruments made of wood, like the alphorn, the cornett, the serpent

and the didgeridoo, while some woodwind instruments are made of brass, like the saxophone.

Families of Brass Instrument

Modern brass instruments generally come in one of two families:

Valved: brass instruments use a set of valves (typically three or four but as many as seven or

more in some cases) operated by the player's fingers that introduce additional tubing, or crooks,

into the instrument, changing its overall length. This family includes all of the modern brass

instruments except the trombone: the trumpet, horn (also called French horn), euphonium, and

tuba, as well as the cornet, flügelhorn, tenor horn (alto horn), baritone horn, sousaphone,

mellophone, and the saxhorn. As valved instruments are predominant among the brasses today, a

more thorough discussion of their workings can be found below. The valves are usually piston

valves, but can be rotary valves; the latter are the norm for the horn and are also prevalent on the

tuba.

Slide: brass instruments use a slide to change the length of tubing. The main instruments in this

category are the trombone family, though valve trombones are occasionally used, especially in

jazz. The trombone family's ancestor, the sackbut, and the folk instrument bazooka are also in

the slide family.

There are two other families that have, in general, become functionally obsolete for practical

purposes. Instruments of both types, however, are sometimes used for period-instrument

performances of Baroque or Classical pieces. In more modern compositions, they are

occasionally used for their intonation or tone color.

Natural: brass instruments only play notes in the instrument's harmonic series. These include the

bugle and older variants of the trumpet and horn. The trumpet was a natural brass

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 13

instrumentprior to about 1795, and the horn before about 1820. In the 18th century, makers

developed interchangeable crooks of different lengths, which let players use a single instrument

in more than one key. Natural instruments are still played for period performances and some

ceremonial functions, and are occasionally found in more modern scores, such as those by

Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss.

Keyed or Fingered brass instruments used holes along the body of the instrument, which were

covered by fingers or by finger-operated pads (keys) in a similar way to a woodwind instrument.

These included the cornett, serpent, ophicleide, keyed bugle and keyed trumpet. They are more

difficult to play than valved instruments.

Bore taper and diameter

Brass instruments may also be characterised by two generalizations about geometry of the bore,

that is, the tubing between the mouthpiece and the flaring of the tubing into the bell. Those two

generalizations are with regard to

The degree of taper or conicity of the bore and

The diameter of the bore with respect to its length.

Cylindricality vs. Conicality

While all modern valved and slide brass instruments consist in part of conical and in part of

cylindrical tubing, they are divided as follows:

Cylindrical bore brass instruments are those in which approximately constant diameter

tubing predominates. Cylindrical bore brass instruments are generally perceived as

having a brighter, more penetrating tone quality compared to conical bore brass

instruments. The trumpet, baritone horn and all trombones are cylindrical bore. In

particular, the slide design of the trombone necessitates this.

Conical bore brass instruments are those in which tubing of constantly increasing

diameter predominates. Conical bore instruments are generally perceived as having a

more mellow tone quality than the cylindrical bore brass instruments. The "British brass

band" group of instruments fall into this category. This includes the flugelhorn, cornet,

tenor horn (alto horn), horn, euphonium and tuba. Some conical bore brass instruments

are more conical than others. For example, the flugelhorn differs from the cornet by

having a higher percentage of its tubing length conical than does the cornet, in addition to

possessing a wider bore than the cornet. In the 1910s and 1920s, the E.A. Couturier

company built brass band instruments utilizing a patent for a continuous conical bore

without cylindrical portions even for the valves or tuning slide.

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 14

Whole-tube vs. half-tube

The second division, based on bore diameter in relation to length,[2] determines whether the

fundamental tone or the first overtone is the lowest partial practically available to the player:

Neither the horns nor the trumpet could produce the 1st note of the

harmonic series ... A horn giving the C of an open 8 ft organ pipe

had to be 16 ft (5 m). long. Half its length was practically useless

... it was found that if the calibre of tube was sufficiently enlarged

in proportion to its length, the instrument could be relied upon to

give its fundamental note in all normal circumstances. – Cecil

Forsyth, Orchestration,

Whole-tube instruments have larger bores in relation to tubing length, and can play the

fundamental tone with ease and precision. The tuba and euphonium are examples of whole-tube

brass instruments.

Half-tube instruments have smaller bores in relation to tubing length and cannot easily or

accurately play the fundamental tone. The second partial (first overtone) is the lowest note of

each tubing length practical to play on half-tube instruments. The trumpet and horn are examples

of half-tube brass instruments.

Other brass instruments

The instruments in this list fall for various reasons outside the scope of much of the discussion

above regarding families of brass instruments.

Alphorn (wood)

Conch (shell)

Didgeridoo (wood, Australia)

Natural horn (no valves or slides—except tuning crook)

Keyed bugle (keyed brass)

Keyed trumpet (keyed brass)

Serpent (keyed brass)

Ophicleide (keyed brass)

Shofar (animal horn)

Vladimirskiyrozhok (wood, Russia)

Vuvuzela (simple short horn, origins disputed but achieved fame or notoriety through

many plastic examples in the 2010 World Cup)

Lur

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 15

Valves

There are majorly two types of valves, the piston valve and rotary valve

Piston valve Rotary valve

Rotary valve

Slide

Valves are used to change the length of tubing of a brass instrument allowing the player to reach

the notes of various harmonic series. Each valve pressed diverts the air stream through additional

tubing, individually or in conjunction with other valves. This lengthens the vibrating air column

thus lowering the fundamental tone and associated harmonic series produced by the instrument.

Designs exist, although rare, in which this behaviour is reversed, i.e., pressing a valve removes a

length of tubing rather than adding one. One modern example of such an ascending valve is the

Yamaha YSL-350C trombone,[4] in which the extra valve tubing is normally engaged to pitch the

instrument in Bb, and pressing the thumb lever removes a whole step to pitch the instrument in

C. Valves require regular lubrication.

A core standard valve layout based on the action of three valves had become almost universal by

(at latest) 1864 as witnessed by Arban's Method published in that year. The effect of a particular

combination of valves may be seen in the table below. This table is correct for the core 3-valve

layout on almost any modern valved brass instrument. The most common four-valve layout is a

superset of the well-established 3-valve layout and is noted in the table, despite the exposition of

four-valve and also five-valve systems (the latter used on the tuba) being incomplete in this

article.

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 16

Valve combination and effect on pitch

Valve combination Effect on pitch Interval Tuning problems

2 1/2 step Minor second

1 1 step Major second

1+2 or 3 1½ step Minor third Flat

2+3 2 steps Major third Slightly sharp

1+3 or 4 2½ steps Perfect fourth Sharp

1+2+3 or 2+4 3 steps Tritone Very sharp

1+4 3 ½ steps Perfect fifth

1+2+4 or 3+4 4 steps Augmented fifth

2+3+4 4 ½ steps Major sixth

1+3+4 5 steps Minor seventh

1+2+3+4 5 ½ steps Major seventh

Tuning

Since valves lower the pitch, a valve that makes a pitch too low (flat) creates an interval wider

than desired, while a valve that plays sharp creates an interval narrower than desired.Intonation

deficiencies of brass instruments that are independent of the tuning or temperament system are

inherent in the physics of the most popular valve design, which uses a small number of valves in

combination to avoid redundant and heavy lengths of tubing[5] (this is entirely separate from the

slight deficiencies between Western music's dominant equal (even) temperament system and the

just (not equal) temperament of the harmonic series itself). Since each lengthening of the tubing

has an inversely proportional effect on pitch (Pitch of brass instruments), while pitch perception

is logarithmic, there is no way for a simple, uncompensated addition of length to be correct in

every combination when compared with the pitches of the open tubing and the other valves.[6]

Absolute tube length

For example, given a length of tubing equaling 100 inches when open, one may obtain the

following tuning discrepancies:

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 17

Valve combination and creation of pitch discrepancies

Valve(s) Desired pitch Necessary

valve length

Component

tubing length Difference Slide positions

Open tubing A♯/B♭ 0" – – 1

2 A 5.9" – – 2

1 G♯/A♭ 12.2" – – 3

1+2 or 3 G 18.9" 18.1" 0.8" 4

2+3 or F♯/G♭ 25.9" 24.8" 1.1" 5

1+3 or 4 E♯/F 33.5" 31.1" 2.4" 6 or T

1+2+3 or 2+4 E/F♭ 41.4" 37" 4.4" 7 or T+2

1+4 D♯/E♭

45.7"

T+3

1+2+4 or 3+4 D

52.4"

T+4

2+3+4 C♯/D♭

58.3"

T+5

1+3+4 B♯/C

64.6"

T+6

1+2+3+4 B/C♭

70.5"

T+7

Playing notes using valves (notably 1st + 3rd and 1st + 2nd + 3rd) requires compensation to

adjust the tuning appropriately, either by the player's lip-and-breath control, via mechanical

assistance of some sort, or, in the case of horns, by the position of the stopping hand in the bell.

'T' stands for trigger on a trombone.

Relative tube length

Traditionally[7] the valves lower the pitch of the trumpet, by adding extra lengths of tubing based

on a just tuning:

1st valve: 1/8 of main tube, making an interval of 9:8, a pythagorean major second

2nd valve: 1/15 of main tube, making an interval of 16:15, a just minor second

3rd valve: 1/5 of main tube, making an interval of 6:5, a just minor third

Combining the valves and the harmonics of the instrument leads to the following ratios and

comparisons to 12-tone equal tuning and to a common five-limit tuning in C:

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 18

Valves Harmonic Note Ratio Cents Cents from

12ET

Just tuning Cents from

just

○○○ 2 C 1:1 0 0 1:1 0

●●● 3 C♯/D♭ 180:167 130 30 16:15 18

●○● 3 D 60:53 215 15 9:8 11

○●● 3 D♯/E♭ 45:38 293 -7 6:5 -23

●●○ 3 E 180:143 398 -2 5:4 12

●○○ 3 F 4:3 498 -2 4:3 0

○●○ 3 F♯/G♭ 45:32 590 -10 45:32 0

○○○ 3 G 3:2 702 2 3:2 0

○●● 4 G♯/A♭ 30:19 791 -9 8:5 -23

●●○ 4 A 240:143 896 -4 5:3 12

●○○ 4 A♯/B♭ 16:9 996 -4 9:5 -22

○●○ 4 B 15:8 1088 -12 15:8 0

○○○ 4 C 2:1 1200 0 2:1 0

●●○ 5 C♯/D♭ 300:143 1283 -17 32:15 -29

●○○ 5 D 20:9 1382 -18 9:4 -22

○●○ 5 D♯/E♭ 75:32 1475 -25 12:5 -41

○○○ 5 E 5:2 1586 -14 5:2 0

Tuning compensation

The additional tubing for each valve usually features a short tuning slide of its own for fine

adjustment of the valve's tuning, except when it is too short to make this practicable. For the first

and third valves this is often designed to be adjusted as the instrument is played, to account for

the deficiencies in the valve system.

In most trumpets and cornets, the compensation must be provided by extending the third valve

slide with the third or fourth finger, and the first valve slide with the left hand thumb (see Trigger

or throw below). This is used to lower the pitch of the 1-3 and 1-2-3 valve combinations. On the

trumpet and cornet, these valve combinations correspond to low D, low C♯, low G, and low F♯,

so chromatically, to stay in tune, one must use this method.

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 19

In instruments with a fourth valve, such as tubas, euphoniums, piccolo trumpets, etc. that valve

lowers the pitch by a perfect fourth; this is used to compensate for the sharpness of the valve

combinations 1-3 and 1-2-3 (4 replaces 1-3, 2-4 replaces 1-2-3). All three normal valves may be

used in addition to the fourth to increase the instrument's range downwards by a perfect fourth,

although with increasingly severe intonation problems.

When four-valved models without any kind of compensation play in the corresponding register,

the sharpness becomes so severe that players must finger the note a half-step below the one they

are trying to play. This eliminates the note a half-step above their open fundamental.

Manufacturers of low brass instruments may choose one or a combination of four basic

approaches to compensate for the tuning difficulties, whose respective merits are subject to

debate:

Compensation system

In the Compensation system, each of the first two (or three) valves has an additional set of tubing

extending from the back of the valve. When the third (or fourth) valve is depressed in

combination with another one, the air is routed through both the usual set of tubing plus the extra

one, so that the pitch is lowered by an appropriate amount. This allows compensating

instruments to play with accurate intonation in the octave below their open second partial, which

is critical for tubas and euphoniums in much of their repertoire.

The compensating system was applied to horns to serve a different purpose. It was used to allow

a double horn in F and B flat to ease playing difficulties in the high register. In contrast to the

system in use in tubas and euphoniums, the default 'side' of the horn is the longer F horn, with

secondary lengths of tubing coming into play when the first, second or third valves are pressed;

pressing the thumb valve takes these secondary valve slides and the extra length of main tubing

out of play to produce a shorter B-flat horn. A later "full double" design has completely separate

valve section tubing for the two sides, and is considered superior, although rather heavier in

weight.

Trigger or throw

Some valved brass instruments provide triggers or throws that manually lengthen (or, less

commonly, shorten) the main tuning slide, a valve slide, or the main tubing. These mechanisms

alter the pitch of notes that are naturally sharp in a specific register of the instrument, or shift the

instrument to another playing range. Triggers and throws permit speedy adjustment while

playing.

Trigger is used in two senses:

A trigger can be a mechanical lever that lengthens a slide when pressed in a contrary

direction. Triggers are sprung in such a way that they return the slide to its original

position when released.

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 20

The term "trigger" also describes a device that lengthens certain brass instruments' main

length of tubing to shift its range to another playing range, as with certain trombones.

A throw is a simple metal grip for the player's finger or thumb, attached to a valve slide. The

general term "throw" can describe a u-hook, a saddle (u-shaped grips), or a ring (ring-shape grip)

in which a player's finger or thumb rests. A player extends a finger or thumb to lengthen a slide,

and retracts the finger to return the slide to its original position.

Mechanism

The two major types of valve mechanisms are rotary valves and piston valves. The first piston

valve instruments were developed just after the start of the 19th century. The Stölzel valve

(invented by Heinrich Stölzel in 1814) was an early variety. In the mid 19th century the Vienna

valve was an improved design. However many professional musicians preferred rotary valves for

quicker, more reliable action, until better designs of piston valves were mass manufactured

towards the end of the 19th century. Since the early decades of the 20th century, piston valves

have been the most common on brass instruments except for the orchestral horn and the tuba. [10]

See also the article Brass Instrument Valves.

Sound production in brass instruments

Because the player of a brass instrument has direct control of the prime vibrator (the lips), brass

instruments exploit the player's ability to select the harmonic at which the instrument's column of

air vibrates. By making the instrument about twice as long as the equivalent woodwind

instrument and starting with the second harmonic, players can get a good range of notes simply

by varying the tension of their lips (see embouchure).

Most brass instruments are fitted with a removable mouthpiece. Different shapes, sizes and styles

of mouthpiece may be used to suit different embouchures, or to more easily produce certain tonal

characteristics. Trumpets, trombones, and tubas are characteristically fitted with a cupped

mouthpiece, while horns are fitted with a conical mouthpiece.

One interesting difference between a woodwind instrument and a brass instrument is that

woodwind instruments are non-directional. This means that the sound produced propagates in all

directions with approximately equal volume. Brass instruments, on the other hand, are highly

directional, with most of the sound produced traveling straight outward from the bell. This

difference makes it significantly more difficult to record a brass instrument accurately. It also

plays a major role in some performance situations, such as in marching bands.

Manufacture

Traditionally the instruments are normally made of brass, polished and then lacquered to prevent

corrosion. Some higher quality and higher cost instruments use gold or silver plating to prevent

corrosion. A few specialty instruments are made from wood.

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 21

Alternatives to brass include other alloys containing significant amounts of copper or silver.

These alloys are biostatic due to the oligodynamic effect, and thus suppress growth of molds,

fungi or bacteria. Brass instruments constructed from stainless steel or aluminiumhave good

sound quality but are rapidly colonized by microorganisms and become unpleasant to play.

Most higher quality instruments are designed to prevent or reduce galvanic corrosion between

any steel in the valves and springs, and the brass of the tubing. This may take the form of

desiccant design, to keep the valves dry, sacrificial zincs, replaceable valve cores and springs,

plastic insulating washers, or nonconductive or noble materials for the valve cores and springs.

Some instruments use several such features.

The process of making the large open end (bell) of a brass instrument is called metal beating. In

making the bell of, for example, a trumpet, a person lays out a pattern and shapes sheet metal

into a bell-shape using templates, machine tools, handtools, and blueprints. The maker cuts out

the bell blank, using hand or power shears. He hammers the blank over a bell-shaped mandrel,

and butts the seam, using a notching tool. The seam is brazed, using a torch and smoothed using

a hammer or file. A draw bench or arbor press equipped with expandable lead plug is used to

shape and smooth the bell and bell neck over a mandrel. A lathe is used to spin the bell head and

to form a bead at the edge of bell head. Previously shaped bell necks are annealed, using a hand

torch to soften the metal for further bending. Scratches are removed from the bell using abrasive-

coated cloth.

Ensembles

Brass instruments are one of the major classical instrument families and are played across a

range of musical ensembles.

Orchestras include a varying number of brass instruments depending on music style and era,

typically:

two to five trumpets

two to eight horns

two tenor trombones

one bass trombone

one tuba

o Baroque and classical period orchestras may include valveless trumpets or bugles, or

have valved trumpets/cornets playing these parts, and they may include valveless

horns, or have valved horns playing these parts.

o Romantic, modern, and contemporary orchestras may include larger numbers of

brass including more exotic instruments.

Concert bands generally have a larger brass section than an orchestra, typically:

four to seven trumpets or cornets

four to eight horns

two to four trombones

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 22

one to two bass trombones

two to three euphoniums or baritone horns

two to three tubas

Big bands and other jazz bands commonly contain cylindrical bore brass instruments.

A big band typically includes:

o four trumpets

o four tenor trombones

o one bass trombone (in place of one of the tenor trombones)

Smaller jazz ensembles may include a single trumpet or trombone soloist.

Single brass instruments are also often used to accompany other instruments or ensembles such

as an organ or a choir.

Brass instruments are also known as labrosones or lip-vibrated instruments. The pitch of brass

instruments is affected by the player's lip vibration, or embouchure, and the airflow. Other

components of the instrument like crooks adjusted by slides or valves can change the length of

the tubing and alter the harmonic series of some instruments. It is generally held that the

classification of instruments should be decided based on how the sound is produced rather than

the material of the instrument. For this reason some brass instruments may be made of wood like

certain alp horns, cornets, and serpents. Additionally an instrument like the saxophone, while

commonly constructed out of brass, is classified as a woodwind as its sound is produced by a

vibrating reed rather than the vibration of the lips on the mouthpiece.

Early brass instruments include those in the natural or keyed families and are nearly obsolete.

Natural instruments are without valves or slides to provide key changes, so they only play the

notes in their harmonic series. There are natural versions of instruments like the bugle, trumpet,

and horn which are typically only played in Baroque or Romantic concerts.

The two predominant contemporary families of brass instruments are valved brass and slide

brass. Valves began to be used on instruments as early as the late 18th century but were first

patented by Friedrich Bluhmel and Heinrich Stolzel in 1818. These early valves were

manufactured by W. Schuster. It is common for an instrument to have three to four valves

although there may be as many or more than seven. The three valve standard was published in

Arban's Method in 1864 and remains predominate today. Valved instruments make up the

majority of modern brass. There are some instruments like the trombone which more commonly

falls into the slide brass family which utilize a slide to change the length of tubing and adjust the

pitch rather than valves.

Brass instruments can also be classified as cylindrical bore or conical bore. Cylindrical

instruments have tubing which maintains the same diameter like the trumpet, baritone horn, and

trombone. These tend to have a brighter and more penetrating tone. Big Bands contain primarily

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 23

cylindrical bore bass with trumpets and trombones. The tubing of conical instruments is

constantly increasing in diameter allowing for a mellow, subdued sound as found in the cornet,

tenor horn, euphonium, and tuba. British brass bands are composed entirely of conical brass

instruments such as these.

We have different series and types of brass instrument but for the cause of this study we are

going to dwell on few of the instrument:-

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 24

TRUMPET AS AN BRASS INSTRUMENT

A trumpet is a musical instrument. It has the highest register in the brass family. As a signaling

device, trumpets have a very long history, dating back to at least 1500 BC; they have been used

as musical instruments since the 15th century. They are played by blowing air through closed

lips, producing a "buzzing" sound that starts a standing wave vibration in the air column inside

the instrument. Since the late 15th century they have primarily been constructed of brass tubing,

usually bent twice into a rounded oblong shape.

There are several types of trumpet. The most common is a transposing instrument pitched in B♭

with a tubing length of about 1.48 m (4 ft10 in). Earlier trumpets did not have valves, but modern

instruments generally have either three piston valves or, more rarely, three rotary valves. Each

valve increases the length of tubing when engaged, thereby lowering the pitch.

A musician who plays the trumpet is called a trumpet player or trumpeter.

Image of Various Trumpets

History

The earliest trumpets date back to 1500 BC and earlier. The bronze and silver trumpets from

Tutankhamun's grave in Egypt, bronze lurs from Scandinavia, and metal trumpets from China

date back to this period. Trumpets from the Oxus civilization (3rd millennium BC) of Central

Asia have decorated swellings in the middle, yet are made out of one sheet of metal, which is

considered a technical wonder. The Moche people of ancient Peru depicted trumpets in their art

going back to 300 AD. The earliest trumpets were signaling instruments used for military or

religious purposes, rather than music in the modern sense; and the modern bugle continues this

signaling tradition.

The trumpet players were often among the most heavily guarded members of a troop, as they

were relied upon to relay instructions to other sections of the army.

Improvements to instrument design and metal making in the late Middle Ages and Renaissance

led to an increased usefulness of the trumpet as a musical instrument. The natural trumpets of

this era consisted of a single coiled tube without valves and therefore could only produce the

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 25

notes of a single overtone series. Changing keys required the player to change crooks of the

instrument.

The attempt to give the trumpet more chromatic freedom in its range saw the development of the

keyed trumpet, but this was a largely unsuccessful venture due to the poor quality of its sound.

Although the impetus for a tubular valve began as early as 1793, it was not until 1818 that

Friedrich Bluhmel and Heinrich Stölzel made a joint patent application for the box valve as

manufactured by W. Schuster. The symphonies of Mozart, Beethoven, and as late as Brahms,

were still played on natural trumpets. Crooks and shanks (removable tubing of various lengths)

as opposed to keys or valves were standard, notably in France, into the first part of the 20th

century. As a consequence of this late development of the instrument's chromatic ability, the

repertoire for the instrument is relatively small compared to other instruments. The 20th century

saw an explosion in the amount and variety of music written for the trumpet.

Types

The most common type is the B♭ trumpet, but A, C, D, E♭, E, low F, and G trumpets are also

available. The C trumpet is most common in American orchestral playing, where it is used

alongside the B♭ trumpet. Its slightly smaller size gives it a brighter, more lively sound.

Orchestra trumpet players are generally adept at transposing music at sight, sometimes playing

music written for the A, B♭, D, E♭, E, or F trumpet on the C trumpet or B♭ trumpet.

Piccolo trumpet in B♭, with swappable leadpipes to tune the instrument to B♭ (shorter) or A

(longer)

The smallest trumpets are referred to as piccolo trumpets. The most common of these are built to

play in both B♭ and A, with separate leadpipes for each key. The tubing in the B♭ piccolo

trumpet is one-half the length of that in a standard B♭ trumpet. Piccolo trumpets in G, F and C

are also manufactured, but are rarer. Many players use a smaller mouthpiece on the piccolo

trumpet, which requires a different sound production technique from the B♭ trumpet and can

limit endurance. Almost all piccolo trumpets have four valves instead of the usual three the

fourth valve lowers the pitch, usually by a fourth, to assist in the playing of lower notes and to

create alternate fingerings that facilitate certain trills. Maurice André, HåkanHardenberger,

David Mason, and Wynton Marsalis are some well-known trumpet players known for their

additional virtuosity on the piccolo trumpet.

Trumpets pitched in the key of low G are also called sopranos, or soprano bugles, after their

adaptation from military bugles. Traditionally used in drum and bugle corps, sopranos have

featured both rotary valves and piston valves.

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 26

The bass trumpet is usually played by a trombone player, being at the same pitch. Bass trumpet

is played with a shallower trombone mouthpiece, and music for it is written in treble clef. The

most common keys for bass trumpets are C and B♭. Both C and B♭ bass trumpets are transposing

instruments sounding an octave (C) or a major ninth (B♭) lower than written.

The Modern Slide Trumpet

The modern slide trumpet is a B♭ trumpet that has a slide instead of valves. It is similar to a

soprano trombone. The first slide trumpets emerged during the Renaissance, predating the

modern trombone, and are the first attempts to increase chromaticism on the instrument. Slide

trumpets were the first trumpets allowed in the Christian church.

The historical slide trumpet was probably first developed in the late 14th century for use in

altacapella wind bands.

The Pocket Trumpet

The pocket trumpet is a compact B♭ trumpet. The bell is usually smaller than a standard trumpet

and the tubing is more tightly wound to reduce the instrument size without reducing the total

tube length. Its design is not standardized, and the quality of various models varies greatly. It can

have a tone quality and projection unique in the trumpet world: a warm sound and a voice-like

articulation. Unfortunately, since many pocket trumpet models suffer from poor design as well as

cheap and sloppy manufacturing, the intonation, tone color and dynamic range of such

instruments are severely hindered. Professional-standard instruments are, however, available.

While they are not a substitute for the full-sized instrument, they can be useful in certain

contexts. The jazz musician Don Cherry was renowned for his playing of the pocket instrument.

The Herald Trumpet

The herald trumpet is a B♭ trumpet with an elongated bell extending far in front of the player.

Due to its showy appearance, this type of trumpet is mostly used for ceremonial events such as

parades and fanfares.

There are also rotary-valve, or German, trumpets, (which are commonly used in professional

European orchestras) as well as alto and Baroque trumpets.

The trumpet is often confused with its close relative the cornet, which has a more conical tubing

shape compared to the trumpet's more cylindrical tube. This, along with additional bends in the

cornet's tubing, gives the cornet a slightly mellower tone, but the instruments are otherwise

nearly identical. They have the same length of tubing and, therefore, the same pitch, so music

written for cornet and trumpet is interchangeable. Another relative, the flugelhorn, has tubing

that is even more conical than that of the cornet, and an even richer tone. It is sometimes

augmented with a fourth valve to improve the intonation of some lower notes.

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 27

Fingering

On any modern trumpet, cornet, or flugelhorn, pressing the valves indicated by the numbers

below produces the written notes shown. "OPEN" means all valves up, "1" means first valve, "1-

2" means first and second valve simultaneously, and so on. The concert pitch that sounds

depends on the transposition of the instrument. Engaging the fourth valve, if present, drops any

of these pitches by a perfect fourth as well. Within each overtone series, the different pitches are

attained by changing the embouchure, or lip-aperture size and "firmness". Standard fingerings

above high C are the same as for the notes an octave below (C♯ is 1-2, D is 1, etc.)

A step = a tone; a half step = a semitone

Each overtone series on the trumpet begins with the first overtone—the fundamental of each

overtone series cannot be produced except as a pedal tone. Notes in parentheses are the sixth

overtone, representing a pitch with a frequency of seven times that of the fundamental; while this

pitch is close to the note shown, it is slightly flat relative to equal temperament, and use of those

fingerings is generally avoided.

The fingering schema arises from the length of each valve's tubing (a longer tube produces a

lower pitch). Valve "1" increases the tubing length enough to lower the pitch by one whole step,

valve "2" by one half step, and valve "3" by one and a half steps. This scheme and the nature of

the overtone series create the possibility of alternate fingerings for certain notes. For example,

third-space "C" can be produced with no valves engaged (standard fingering) or with valves 2-3.

Also, any note produced with 1-2 as its standard fingering can also be produced with valve 3 -

each drops the pitch by 1-1/2 steps. Alternate fingerings may be used to improve facility in

certain passages, or to aid in intonation. Extending the third valve slide when using the

fingerings 1-3 or 1-2-3 further lowers the pitch slightly to improve intonation.

Range

The standard trumpet range extends from the written F♯ immediately below Middle C up to

about three octaves higher. Traditional trumpet repertoire rarely calls for notes beyond this

range, and the fingering tables of most method books peak at the high C, two octaves above

middle C. Several trumpeters have achieved fame for their proficiency in the extreme high

register, among them Maynard Ferguson, Cat Anderson, Dizzy Gillespie, Doc Severinsen, and

more recently Wayne Bergeron, Thomas Gansch, James Morrison, Jon Faddis and Arturo

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 28

Sandoval. It is also possible to produce pedal tones below the low F♯, which is a device

commonly employed in contemporary repertoire for the instrument.

Extended technique

Contemporary music for the trumpet makes wide uses of extended trumpet techniques.

Flutter tonguing: The trumpeter rolls the tip of the tongue to produce a 'growling like' tone. It is

achieved as if one were rolling an R in the Spanish language. This technique is widely employed

by composers like Berio and Stockhausen.

Growling: Simultaneously humming while playing a note creates two sets of vibrations that

interfere with each other and create a characteristic 'growling' sound. Many jazz players use the

technique which is different from flutter-tonguing, where the tongue modifies the sound.

Double tonguing: The player articulates using the syllables ta-ka ta-ka ta-ka

Triple tonguing: The same as double tonguing, but with the syllables ta-ta-ka ta-ta-ka ta-ta-ka or

ta-ka-ta ta-ka-ta.

Doodle tongue: The trumpeter tongues as if saying the word doodle. This is a very faint

tonguing similar in sound to a valve tremolo.

Glissando: Trumpeters can slide between notes by depressing the valves halfway and changing

the lip tension. Modern repertoire makes extensive use of this technique.

Vibrato: It is often regulated in contemporary repertoire through specific notation. Composers

can call for everything from fast, slow or no vibrato to actual rhythmic patterns played with

vibrato.

Pedal tone: Composers have written for two-and-a-half octaves below the low F♯, which is at

the bottom of the standard range. Extreme low pedals are produced by slipping the lower lip out

of the mouthpiece. Claude Gordon assigned pedals as part of his trumpet practice routines, that

were a systematic expansion on his lessons with Herbert L. Clarke. The technique was pioneered

by BohumirKryl.

Microtones: Composers such as Scelsi and Stockhausen have made wide use of the trumpet's

ability to play microtonally. Some instruments feature a fourth valve that provides a quarter-tone

step between each note.

Mute belt: Karlheinz Stockhausen pioneered the use of a mute belt, worn around the player's

waist, to enable rapid mute changes during pieces. The belt allows the performer to make faster

and quieter mute changes, as well as enabling the performer to move around the stage.

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 29

Valve tremolo: Many notes on the trumpet can be played in several different valve

combinations. By alternating between valve combinations on the same note, a tremolo effect can

be created. Berio makes extended use of this technique in his Sequenza X.

Noises: By hissing, clicking, or breathing through the instrument, the trumpet can be made to

resonate in ways that do not sound at all like a trumpet. Noises may require amplification.

Preparation: Composers have called for trumpeters to play under water, or with certain slides

removed. It is increasingly common for composers to specify all sorts of preparations for

trumpet. Extreme preparations involve alternate constructions, such as double bells and extra

valves.

Singing: Composers such as Robert Erickson and Mark-Anthony Turnage have called for

trumpeters to sing during the course of a piece, often while playing. It is possible to create a

multiphonic effect by singing and playing different notes simultaneously.

Split tone: Trumpeters can produce more than one tone simultaneously by vibrating the two lips

at different speeds. The interval produced is usually an octave or a fifth.

Lip Trill or Shake: By rapidly varying lip tension, but not changing the depressed valves, the

pitch varies quickly between adjacent harmonics. These are usually done, and are more

straightforward to execute, in the upper register.

Construction

The trumpet is constructed of brass tubing bent twice into a rounded oblong shape. As with all

brass instruments, sound is produced by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing"

sound into the mouthpiece and starting a standing wave vibration in the air column inside the

trumpet. The player can select the pitch from a range of overtones or harmonics by changing the

lip aperture and tension (known as the embouchure). The mouthpiece has a circular rim, which

provides a comfortable environment for the lips' vibration. Directly behind the rim is the cup,

which channels the air into a much smaller opening (the back bore or shank) that tapers out

slightly to match the diameter of the trumpet's lead pipe. The dimensions of these parts of the

mouthpiece affect the timbre or quality of sound, the ease of playability, and player comfort.

Generally, the wider and deeper the cup, the darker the sound and timbre.

Modern trumpets have three (or infrequently four) piston valves, each of which increases the

length of tubing when engaged, thereby lowering the pitch. The first valve lowers the

instrument's pitch by a whole step (2 semitones), the second valve by a half step (1 semitone),

and the third valve by one-and-a-half steps (3 semitones). When a fourth valve is present, as with

some piccolo trumpets, it usually lowers the pitch a perfect fourth (5 semitones). Used singly and

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 30

in combination these valves make the instrument fully chromatic, i.e., able to play all twelve

pitches of classical music. For more information about the different types of valves, see Brass

instrument valves.

The pitch of the trumpet can be raised or lowered by the use of the tuning slide. Pulling the slide

out lowers the pitch; pushing the slide in raises it. To overcome the problems of intonation and

reduce the use of the slide, RenoldSchilke designed the tuning-bell trumpet. Removing the usual

brace between the bell and a valve body allows the use of a sliding bell; the player may then tune

the horn with the bell while leaving the slide pushed in, or nearly so, thereby improving

intonation and overall response.

A trumpet becomes a closed tube when the player presses it to the lips; therefore, the instrument

only naturally produces every other overtone of the harmonic series. The shape of the bell makes

the missing overtones audible. Most notes in the series are slightly out of tune and modern

trumpets have slide mechanisms for the first and third valves with which the player can

compensate by throwing (extending) or retracting one or both slides, using the left thumb and

ring finger for the first and third valve slides respectively.

Trumpet valve bypass (depressed)

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 31

TROMBONE AS A BRASS INSTRUMENT

The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is

produced when the player’s vibrating lips (embouchure) cause the air column inside the

instrument to vibrate. Nearly all trombones have a telescoping slide mechanism that varies the

length of the instrument to change the pitch. Special variants like the valve trombone and

superbone have three valves like those on the trumpet.

The word trombone derives from Italiantromba (trumpet) and -one (a suffix meaning "large"), so

the name means "large trumpet". The trombone has a predominantly cylindrical bore like its

valved counterpart the baritone and in contrast to its conical valved counterparts, the euphonium

and the horn. The most frequently encountered trombones are the tenor trombone and bass

trombone. The most common variant, the tenor, is a non-transposing instrument pitched in B♭, an

octave below the B♭ trumpet and an octave above the B♭tuba. The once common E♭alto

trombone became less widely used as improvements in technique extended the upper range of

the tenor, but it is now enjoying a resurgence due to its lighter sonority which is appreciated in

many classical and early romantic works. Trombone music, along with music for euphonium and

tuba, is typically written in concert pitch, although exceptions do occur, notably in almost all

brass-band music where tenor trombone is presented as a B♭transposing instrument, written in

treble clef.

A tenor trombone mouthpiece

Construction

Basic trombone anatomy

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 32

1. tuning slide

2. counterweight

3. mouthpiece

4. slide lock ring

5. bell

6. knob/bumper

7. water key/spit valve

8. main slide

9. second slide brace/stay

10. first slide brace/stay

11. bell lock nut

The trombone is a predominantly cylindrical tube bent into an elongated "S" shape. Rather than

being completely cylindrical from end to end, the tube is a complex series of tapers with the

smallest at the mouthpiece receiver and the largest just before the bell flare. The design of these

tapers affects the intonation of the instrument. As with other brass instruments, sound is

produced by blowing air through pursed lips producing a vibration that creates a standing wave

in the instrument.

The detachable cup-shaped mouthpiece is similar to that of the baritone horn and closely related

to that of the trumpet. It has the venturi: a small constriction of the air column that adds

resistance greatly affecting the tone of the instrument, and is inserted into the mouthpiece

receiver in the slide section. The slide section consists of a leadpipe, the inner and outer slide

tubes, and the bracing, or stays. Modern stays are soldered, while sackbuts (medieval precursors

to trombones) were made with loose, unsoldered stays (this remained the pattern for German

trombones until the mid-20th century).

The 'slide', the most distinctive feature of the trombone (cf. valve trombone), allows the player to

extend the length of the air column, lowering the pitch. To prevent friction from slowing the

action of the slide, additional sleeves were developed during the Renaissance, and these

stockings were soldered onto the ends of the inner slide tubes. Nowadays, the stockings are

incorporated into the manufacturing process of the inner slide tubes and represent a fractional

widening of the tube to accommodate the necessary method of alleviating friction. This part of

the slide must be lubricated frequently. Additional tubing connects the slide to the bell of the

instrument through a neckpipe, and bell or back bow (U-bend). The joint connecting the slide

and bell sections is furnished with a ferrule to secure the connection of the two parts of the

instrument, though older models from the early 20th century and before were usually equipped

with friction joints and no ancillary mechanism to tighten the joint.

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 33

The adjustment of intonation is most often accomplished with a tuning slide that is a short slide

between the neckpipe and the bell incorporating the bell bow (U-bend); this device was designed

by the French maker François Riedlocker during the early 19th century and applied to French

and British designs and later in the century to German and American models, though German

trombones were built without tuning slides well into the 20th century. However, trombonists,

unlike other instrumentalists, are not subject to the intonation issues resulting from valved or

keyed instruments, since they can adjust intonation "on the fly" by subtly altering slide positions

when necessary. For example, second position "A" is not in exactly the same place on the slide

as second position "E." Many types of trombone also include one or more rotary valves used to

increase the length of the instrument (and therefore lower its pitch) by directing the air flow

through additional tubing.

Like the trumpet, the trombone is considered a cylindrical bore instrument since it has extensive

sections of tubing, principally in the slide section, that are of unchanging diameter. Tenor

trombones typically have a bore of 0.450" (small bore) to 0.547" (large or orchestral bore) after

the leadpipe and through the slide. The bore expands through the backbore to the bell, which is

typically between 7" and 8½". A number of common variations on trombone construction are

noted below.

History

Etymology

"Trombone" is the Italian word for the sackbut, the earliest common form of trombone, and is

derived from trumpet in the Latin tromba or drompten, used in the Low Countries. The first

records of it being used are around 1440, but it is not clear whether this was just a nickname for a

trumpet player. In 1487 a writer links the words trompone and sacqueboute and mentions the

instrument as playing the contratenor part in a danceband.

Twentieth century

20th-century orchestras

In the 20th century the trombone maintained its important place in the orchestra with prominent

parts in works by Richard Strauss, Gustav Mahler, Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, Maurice

Ravel, Darius Milhaud, Olivier Messiaen, Igor Stravinsky, Dmitri Shostakovich, Sergei

Rachmaninov, Sergei Prokofiev, Ottorino Respighi, Edward Elgar, Gustav Holst, Ralph

Vaughan Williams, Benjamin Britten, William Walton, Jean Sibelius, Carl Nielsen,

LeošJanáček, George Gershwin, Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein and BélaBartók.

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 34

With the rise of recorded music and music schools, orchestral trombone sections around the

world began to have a more consistent idea of a standard trombone sound. British orchestras

abandoned the use of small bore tenors and G basses in favor of an American/German approach

of large bore tenors and B♭ basses in the 1940s. French orchestras did the same in the 1960s.

Contemporary use

Today, the trombone can be found in wind ensembles/concert bands, symphony orchestras,

marching bands, military bands, brass bands, and brass choirs. In chamber music, it is used in

brass quintets, quartets, or trios, or trombone trios, quartets, or choirs. The size of a trombone

choir can vary greatly from five or six to twenty or more members.

Trombones are also common in swing, jazz, merengue, salsa (e.g., Jimmy Bosch, Luis Bonilla,

and Willie Colón), R&B, ska (e.g., Don Drummond), and New Orleans brass bands.

Types

The most frequently encountered trombones today are the tenor and bass, though as with many

other Renaissance instruments, the trombone has been built in sizes from piccolo to contrabass.

Trombones are usually constructed with a slide that is used to change the pitch. Valve trombones

use three valves (singly or in combination) instead of the slide. The valves follow the same

schema as other valved instruments-the first valve lowers the pitch by 1 step, the second valve by

1/2 step, and the third valve by 1-1/2 steps.

Some slide trombones have one or (less frequently) two rotary valves operated by a left-hand

thumb trigger. The single rotary valve is part of the F attachment, which adds a length of tubing

to lower the instrument's fundamental pitch from B♭ to F. Some bass trombones have a second

trigger with a different length of tubing. The second trigger facilitates playing the otherwise

problematic low B.

Technique

Basic slide positions

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 35

The modern system of seven chromatic slide positions on a tenor trombone in B♭ was first

described by Andre Braun circa 1795. In 1811 Joseph Fröhlich wrote on the differences between

the modern system and an old system where four diatonic slide positions were used and the

trombone was usually keyed to A. To compare between the two styles the chart below may be

helpful (take note for example, in the old system contemporary 1st-position was considered

"drawn past" then current 1st) In the modern system, each successive position outward

(approximately 3.25") will produce a note which is one semitone lower when played in the same

partial.

New system 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Old system - 1 - 2 - 3 4

Partials and intonation

Trombone first position harmonic series, "where additional overtones may be used to stretch the

upper range a bit higher."[9]

Trombone seventh position harmonic series

As with all brass instruments, progressive tightening of the lips and increased air pressure allow

the player to move to different partial in the harmonic series. In the first position (also called

closed position) on a B♭ trombone, the notes in the harmonic series begin with B♭2 (one octave

higher than the pedal B♭1), F3 (a perfect fifth higher than the previous partial), B♭3 (a perfect

fourth higher), D4 (a major third higher), and F4 (a minor third higher).

F4 marks the sixth partial, or the fifth overtone. Notes on the next partial, for example A♭4 (a

minor third higher) in first position, tend to be out of tune in regards to the twelve-tone equal

temperament scale. A♭4 in particular, which is at the seventh partial (sixth overtone) is nearly

always 31 cents, or about one third of a semitone, flat of the minor seventh. On the slide

trombone, such deviations from intonation are corrected for by slightly adjusting the slide or by

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 36

using an alternate position.[9] It should be noted that though much of Western music has adopted

the even-tempered scale, it has been the practice in Germany and Austria to play these notes in

position, where they will have just intonation (see harmonic seventh as well for A♭4).

The next higher partials—B♭4 (a major second higher), C5 (a major second higher), D5 (a major

second higher)—do not require much adjustment for even-tempered intonation, but E♭ (a minor

second higher)is almost exactly a quarter tone higher than it would be in twelve-tone equal

temperament. E♭ and F5 (a major second higher) at the next partial are very high notes; a very

skilled player with a highly developed facial musculature and diaphragm can go even higher to

G5, A♭5, B♭5 and beyond.

Trombone with F attachment slide position second harmonics

The higher in the harmonic series any two successive notes are, the closer they tend to be (as

evidenced by the progressively smaller intervals noted above). A byproduct of this is the

relatively few motions needed to move between notes in the higher ranges of the trombone. In

the lower range, significant movement of the slide is required between positions, which becomes

more exaggerated on lower pitched trombones, but for higher notes the player need only use the

first four positions of the slide since the partials are closer together, allowing higher notes in

alternate positions. As an example, F4 (at the bottom of the treble clef) may be played in first,

fourth or sixth position on a B♭ trombone. The note E1 (or the lowest E on a standard 88-key

piano keyboard) is the lowest attainable note on a 9' B♭ tenor trombone, requiring a full 2.24 m

of tubing. On trombones without an F attachment, there is a gap between B♭1 (the fundamental

in first position) and E2 (the first harmonic in seventh position). Skilled players can produce

"falset" notes between these, but the sound is relatively weak and not usually used in

performance. The addition of an F attachment allows for intermediate notes to be played with

more clarity.

Pedal tones

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 37

Trombone slide position "pedal tones"

The pedal tone on B♭ is frequently seen in commercial scoring but much less often in symphonic

music while notes below that are called for only rarely as they "become increasingly difficult to

produce and insecure in quality" with A♭ or G being the bottom limit for most trombonists.[9]

Valve attachments

The Thayer valve is an advanced, conically shaped rotary valve that has become very popular in

recent trombone design due to the open air flow it allows. The Thayer valve bends the air

flowing through the trombone as little as 25 degrees.

The Hagmann valve is a rotary valve variation that has become popular in recent years. It was

invented following the Thayer valve as a response to maintenance issues of the Thayer valve.

Many trombones have valve attachments to aid in increasing the range of the instrument while

also allowing alternate slide positions for difficult music passages. In addition, valve attachments

make trills much easier. Valve attachments appear on alto, tenor, bass, and contrabass

trombones. It is rare on the alto, but when the instrument does have it, the valve attachment

changes the key of the instrument from E♭ to B♭, allowing the alto trombone to play in the tenor

trombone range. Tenor trombones commonly have valve attachments, the most common being

the F-attachment, which changes the pitch of the instrument from B♭ to F, increasing the range of

the instrument downward and allowing alternate slide positions for notes in 6th or 7th position.

Bass trombones also very commonly have F-attachments, which serve exactly the same function

as on the tenor trombone. Some single valve bass trombones have E-attachments instead of F-

attachments, or sometimes there is extra tubing on the F-Attachment to allow it to be used as an

E-attachment if desired. However, many bass trombones have a second valve attachment instead,

which increases their range downward even more. The most common second valve attachment is

the G♭-attachment, which changes the instrument's key to D when used in combination with the

F-Attachment (or D♭ if used with the less common E-attachment). There are other configurations

other than the G♭-attachment however.

The two valves on a bass trombone can either be independent or dependent. Double rotor

dependent valve bass trombones were created in the late 1950s, and double rotor independent

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 38

valve bass trombones were created in the late 1960s/early 1970s. Dependent means that the

second valve only works when used in combination with the first, as it is located directly on the

F- or E-Attachment tubing. Newer bass trombones have independent (in-line) valves instead,

meaning that the second valve is located on the neckpipe of the instrument and can therefore

operate independently of the other.[13] Contrabass trombones also can have valve attachments.

Contrabass trombones in the key of F typically have two valves tuned to C and D♭ respectively.

Contrabass trombones in BB♭ on the other hand typically only have one valve, which is tuned to

F, though some have a second valve tuned to G♭.

Valves

Some trombones have valves instead of a slide (see valve trombone). These are usually rotary

valves, or piston valves.

A cross section of a valve trombone

Tubing

More often than not, tenor trombones with an F attachment, or trigger, have a larger bore through

the attachment than through the 'straight' section (the portion of the trombone through which the

air flows when the attachment is not engaged). Typically, for orchestral instruments, the slide

bore is 0.547" and the attachment tubing bore is 0.562". A wide variety of valve attachments and

combinations are available. Valve attachment tubing usually incorporates a small tuning slide so

that the attachment tubing can be tuned separately from the rest of the instrument. Most B♭/F

tenor and bass trombones include a tuning slide long enough to lower the pitch to E with the

valve tubing engaged, enabling the production of B2.

Whereas older instruments fitted with valve attachments usually had the tubing coiled rather

tightly in the bell section (closed wrap or traditional wrap), modern instruments usually have the

tubing kept as free as possible of tight bends in the tubing (open wrap), resulting in a freer

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 39

response with the valve attachment tubing engaged. While open-wrap tubing does offer a more

open sound, the tubing sticks out from behind the bell and is more vulnerable to damage. For that

reason, closed-wrap tubing remains more popular in trombones used in marching bands or other

ensembles where the trombone may be more prone to damage.

Tuning

Some trombones are tuned through a mechanism in the slide section rather than via a separate

tuning slide in the bell section. This method preserves a smoother expansion from the start of the

bell section to the bell flare. The tuning slide in the bell section requires two portions of

cylindrical tubing in an otherwise conical part of the instrument, which affects the tone quality.

Tuning the trombone enables it to play with other instrumentswhich are essential for the

trombone.

Slides

Common and popular bore sizes for trombone slides are 0.500", 0.508", 0.525" and 0.547" for

tenor trombones, and 0.562" for bass trombones. The slide may also be built with a dual bore

configuration, in which the bore of the second leg of the slide is slightly larger than the bore of

the first leg, producing a step-wise conical effect. The most common dual bore combinations are

0.481"-0.491", 0.500"-0.508", 0.508"-0.525", 0.525"-0.547", 0.547"-0.562" for tenor trombones,

and 0.562"-0.578" for bass trombones.

Mouthpiece

The mouthpiece is a separate part of the trombone and can be interchanged with similarly sized

trombones from different manufacturers. Available mouthpieces for trombone (as with all brass

instruments) vary in material composition, length, diameter, rim shape, cup depth, throat

entrance, venturi aperture, venturi profile, outside design and other factors. Variations in

mouthpiece construction affect the individual player's ability to make a lip seal and produce a

reliable tone, the timbre of that tone, its volume, the player's subjective level of comfort, and the

instrument's playability in a given pitch range.Mouthpiece selection is a highly personal

decision.

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 40

A bass trombone Cross section of trombonist presenting

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 41

BARITONE HORN AS AN BRASS INSTRUMENT

The baritone horn is a low-pitched brass instrument. It is a piston valve brass instrument with a

predominantly cylindrical bore like the trumpet and uses a wide-rimmed cup mouthpiece like

that of its peers the trombone and euphonium. Like the trombone and the euphonium, the

baritone can be considered either a transposing or non-transposing instrument.

In the UK the baritone is frequently found in brass bands. The baritone horn in the United States

is common in school and university bands, the baritones found in school inventories often being

older models as the instrument over time is yielding in popularity to the euphonium.

Furthermore, marching baritone horn are specially wrapped versions of the baritone horn they

have been created for use in marching bands and drum and bugle corps. They have three valves

and a front-facing bell and are the tenor voice of a drum and bugle corps, below the soprano

voice of the trumpet, the alto voice of alto horn or mellophone, and above the low tubas.

Some high school and college bands do not use marching baritones and continue to use upright-

bell front baritone horns on the field, and some marching bands substitute a section of baritones

for the trombone or euphonium section.

A person who plays a baritone horn is a baritone (horn) player or baritonist.

Below here are images of a baritone horn and a marching baritone horn

Baritone Horn Marching Baritone Horn

Construction and general characteristics

The baritone, like the trombone and euphonium, is a nine-foot brass tube. Valves are most often

piston-style. It is predominately of cylindrical bore, in contrast to the more conical bore of the

euphonium, rendering its attack more distinct than the rounder attack of the euphonium.

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 42

Key

The baritone is pitched in concert B♭, meaning that when no valves are in use, the instrument

will produce partials of the B♭harmonic series. Music for the baritone horn can be written in

either the bass clef or the treble clef. When written in the bass clef, the baritone horn is a non-

transposing instrument. However, when written in the treble clef, it is often used as transposing

instrument, transposing downward a major ninth, so that written middle C for the baritone is

concert B♭ below low C, with the fingerings thus matching those of the trumpet but sounding an

octave lower. It is often used to play parts written for the similarly pitched tenor trombone or

euphonium.

Range

The baritone is part of the tenor section of a band. Its second partial with no valves pressed is

concert B♭ on the second line from the bottom of the bass clef (B♭2 in scientific pitch notation).

The eighth partial with no valves pressed is concert B♭ in the center of the treble clef (B♭4).

Experienced amateur players can often reach a fifth above that to the concert F at the top of the

treble clef (F5), with higher notes reachable by the virtuoso.

Tone

The baritone sounds with a timbre between the brightness of the trombone and the more mellow

tone of the euphonium.

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 43

CLARINET AS AN BRASS INSTRUMENT

The clarinet is a family of woodwind instruments that have a single-reed mouthpiece, a straight

cylindrical tube with an approximately cylindrical bore, and a flaring bell. A person who plays

any type of clarinet is called a clarinetist or clarinettist.

The word clarinet may have entered the English language via the Frenchclarinette (the feminine

diminutive of Old Frenchclarin or clarion), or from Provençalclarin, "oboe". It "is plainly a

diminutive of clarino, the Italian for trumpet", and the Italian clarinetto is the source of the name

in many other languages. According to Johann Gottfried Walther, writing in 1732, the reason for

the name is that "it sounded from far off not unlike a trumpet". The English form clarinet is

found as early as 1733, and the now-archaic clarionet appears from 1784 until the early years of

the 20th century. Johann ChristophDenner invented the clarinet in Germany around the turn of

the 18th century by adding a register key to the earlier chalumeau. Over time, additional

keywork and airtight pads were added to improve the tone and playability.

The term clarinet now normally refers to the B♭ clarinet (also B♭soprano clarinet). However, the

clarinet in A, just a semitone lower, is commonly used in orchestral music. Since the middle of

the 19th century the bass clarinet (nowadays invariably in B♭ but with extra keys to extend the

register down a few notes) has become an essential addition to the orchestrat. The clarinet family

ranges from the (extremely rare) BBB♭octo-contrabass to the A♭piccolo clarinet. Today, the

clarinet is commonly used in classical music (such as concert bands, orchestras, chamber music,

and solo repertoire), military bands, marching bands, klezmer, and jazz.

Image of a Clarinet

Characteristics

Sound

The cylindrical bore is primarily responsible for the clarinet's distinctive timbre, which varies

between its three main registers, known as the chalumeau, clarion, and altissimo. The tone

quality can vary greatly with the musician, the music, the instrument, the mouthpiece, and the

reed. The differences in instruments and geographical isolation of players in different countries

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 44

led to the development, from the last part of the 18th century onwards, of several different

schools of clarinet playing. The most prominent were the German/Viennese traditions and the

French school. The latter was centered on the clarinetists of the Conservatoire de Paris. The

proliferation of recorded music has made examples of different styles of clarinet playing

available. The modern clarinetist has a diverse palette of "acceptable" tone qualities to choose

from.

Construction

Materials

Clarinet bodies have been made from a variety of materials including wood, plastic, hard rubber,

metal, resin, and ivory. The vast majority of clarinets used by professional musicians are made

from Africanhardwood, mpingo (African Blackwood) or grenadilla, rarely (because of

diminishing supplies) Honduran rosewood and sometimes even cocobolo. Historically other

woods, notably boxwood, were used.

Most modern, inexpensive instruments are made of plastic resin, such as ABS. These materials

are sometimes called resonite, which is Selmer's trademark name for its type of plastic. Metal

soprano clarinets were popular in the early 20th century, until plastic instruments supplanted

them; metal construction is still used for the bodies of some contra-alto and contrabass clarinets,

and for the necks and bells of nearly all alto and larger clarinets. Ivory was used for a few 18th-

century clarinets, but it tends to crack and does not keep its shape well.

Buffet Crampon's Greenline clarinets are made from a composite of grenadilla wood powder and

carbon fiber. Such instruments are less affected by humidity and temperature changes than

wooden instruments but are heavier. Hard rubber, such as ebonite, has been used for clarinets

since the 1860s, although few modern clarinets are made of it

Mouthpieces are generally made of hard rubber, although some inexpensive mouthpieces may be

made of plastic. Other materials such as crystal/glass, wood, ivory, and metal have also been

used. Ligatures are often made out of metal and plated in nickel, silver or gold.

Reed

The instrument uses a single reed made from the cane of Arundodonax, a type of grass. Reeds

may also be manufactured from synthetic materials. The ligature fastens the reed to the

mouthpiece. When air is blown through the opening between the reed and the mouthpiece facing,

the reed vibrates and produces the instrument's sound.

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 45

Basic reed measurements are as follows: tip, 12 millimetres (0.47 in) wide; lay, 15 millimetres

(0.59 in) long (distance from the place where the reed touches the mouthpiece to the tip); gap, 1

millimetre (0.039 in) (distance between the underside of the reed tip and the mouthpiece).

Adjustment to these measurements is one method of affecting tone color.

Reeds come in varying degrees of hardness, generally indicated on a scale from one (soft)

through five (hard). This numbering system is not standardized reeds with the same hardness

number often vary in hardness across manufacturers and models. Reed and mouthpiece

characteristics work together to determine ease of playability, pitch stability, and tonal

characteristics.

Keywork

Theobald Boehm did not directly invent the key system of the clarinet. Boehm was a flautist who

created the key system that is now used for the transverse flute. Klosé and Buffet applied

Boehm's system to the clarinet. Although the credit goes to those people, Boehm's name was

given to that key system because it was based on that used for flute.

The current Boehm key system consists of generally 6 rings, on the thumb, 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th and

6th holes, a register key just above the thumb hole, easily accessible with the thumb. Above the

1st hole, there is a key that lifts two covers creating the note A in the throat register (high part of

low register) of the clarinet. A key at the side of the instrument at the same height as the A key

lifts only one of the two covers, producing G♯ a semitone lower. The A key can be used in

conjunction solely with the register key to produce A♯/B♭.

History

The clarinet has its roots in the early single-reed instruments or hornpipes used in Ancient

Greece, old Egypt, Middle East and Europe since the Middle Ages, such as the albogue, alboka,

and double clarinet.

Around the turn of the 18th century, the chalumeau was modified by converting one of its keys

into a register key to produce the first clarinet. This development is usually attributed to German

instrument maker Johann ChristophDenner, though some have suggested his son Jacob Denner

was the inventor. This instrument played well in the middle register with a loud, shrill sound, so

it was given the name clarinetto meaning "little trumpet" (from clarino + -etto). Early clarinets

did not play well in the lower register, so players continued to play the chalumeaux for low

notes. As clarinets improved, the chalumeau fell into disuse, and these notes became known as

the chalumeau register.

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 46

Clarinets were soon accepted into orchestras. Later models had a mellower tone than the

originals. Mozart (d. 1791) liked the sound of the clarinet (he considered its tone the closest in

quality to the human voice) and wrote numerous pieces for the instrument, and by the time of

Beethoven (c. 1800–1820), the clarinet was a standard fixture in the orchestra.

Pads

The next major development in the history of clarinet was the invention of the modern pad.

Because early clarinets used felt pads to cover the tone holes, they leaked air. This required pad-

covered holes to be kept to a minimum, restricting the number of notes the clarinet could play

with good tone. In 1812, Iwan Müller, a Russian-born clarinetist and inventor, developed a new

type of pad that was covered in leather or fish bladder. It was airtight and let makers increase the

number of pad-covered holes. Müller designed a new type of clarinet with seven finger holes and

thirteen keys. This allowed the instrument to play in any key with near-equal ease. Over the

course of the 19th-century makers made many enhancements to Mueller's clarinet, such as the

Albert system and the Baermann system, all keeping the same basic design. Modern instruments

may also have cork or synthetic pads.

Arrangement of keys and holes

Oehler system clarinets use additional tone holes to correct intonation (patent C♯, low E-F

correction, fork-F/B♭ correction and fork B♭ correction)

The final development in the modern design of the clarinet used in most of the world today was

introduced by HyacintheKlosé in 1839. He devised a different arrangement of keys and finger

holes, which allow simpler fingering. It was inspired by the Boehm system developed for flutes

by Theobald Boehm. Klosé was so impressed by Boehm's invention that he named his own

system for clarinets the Boehm system, although it is different from the one used on flutes. This

new system was slow to gain popularity but gradually became the standard, and today the Boehm

system is used everywhere in the world except Germany and Austria.

Cornet as a brass instrument

The cornet is a brass instrument very similar to the trumpet, distinguished by its conical bore,

compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument

in B♭ though there is also a soprano cornet in E♭. Both are unrelated to the renaissance and

early baroque cornet.

Below is an image of cornet

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 47

History

The cornet was initially derived from the post horn around 1820 in France. Among the first

manufacturers of modern cornets was Parisian Jean Asté in 1828. Cornets first appeared as

separate instrumental parts in 19th century French compositions.

This instrument could not have been developed without the improvement of piston valves by

Heinrich Stölzel and Friedrich Blühmel. In the early 19th century these two instrument makers

almost simultaneously invented the valves still used today. They jointly applied for a patent and

were granted this for a period of ten years. The first notable virtuoso player was Jean-Baptiste

Arban, who studied the cornet extensively and published La grandeméthodecomplète de cornet à

piston et de saxhorn, commonly referred to as the Arban method, in 1864. Up until the early 20th

century, the trumpet and cornet coexisted in musical ensembles. Symphonic repertoire often

involves separate parts for trumpet and cornet. As several instrument builders made

improvements to both instruments, they started to look and sound more alike. The modern day

cornet is used in brass bands, military bands, marching bands,concert bands, and in specific

orchestral repertoire that requires a more mellow sound.

The name cornet derives from corne, meaning horn, itself from Latin cornus. While not

musically related, instruments of the Zink family (which includes serpents) are named "cornetto-

" with a tonal or pitch related Latin word following the hyphen to describe the particular variant.

The 11th edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica referred to serpents as "old wooden

cornets".The Roman/Etruscan cornu (or simply "horn") is the lingual ancestor of these. It is a

predecessor of the post horn from which the cornet evolved and was used like a bugle to signal

orders on the battlefield.

Playing technique

Like the trumpet and all other modern brass wind instruments, the cornet makes a sound when

the player vibrates ("buzzes") the lips in the mouthpiece, creating a vibrating column of air in the

tubing. The frequency of the air column's vibration can be modified by changing the lip tension

The Roles of Drum Major, Percussion Instrument and Few Selected Brass Instrument In a Marching Band

Compiled By Jumare James [Corporal] Email: ameyejumare@gmail.comMobile Number: 07067447270 Page 48

and aperture or "embouchure", and by altering the tongue position to change the shape of the oral

cavity, thereby increasing or decreasing the speed of the airstream.

Without valves, the player could only produce a harmonic series of notes like those played by the

bugle and other "natural" brass instruments. These notes are far apart for most of the instrument's

range, making diatonic and chromatic playing impossible except in the extreme high register.

The valves change the length of the vibrating column and provide the cornet with the ability to

play chromatically.

Ensembles with cornets

Brass band

British style brass band ensembles consist completely of brass instruments (except for the

percussion section). The cornet is the leading melodic instrument in this ensemble and trumpets

are never used. The ensemble consists of about thirty musicians, including nine B♭ cornets and

one E♭ cornet (soprano cornet) in the higher registers. In England, companies such as Besson

and Boosey and Hawkes specialized in these instruments. In America, 19th century

manufacturers such as Graves and Company, Hall and Quinby, E.G. Wright and the Boston

Musical Instrument Manufactury built lines of instruments for this format of ensemble.

Concert band

Early American concert band pieces, particularly those written or transcribed before 1960, often

feature distinct, separate parts for trumpets and cornets. Cornet parts are rarely ever included in

later pieces, however. The cornet also features in the British-style concert band, unlike the

contemporary American concert band or wind band, where it is replaced by the trumpet. This

slight difference in instrumentation derives from the British concert band's heritage in military

bands, where the highest brass instrument is always the cornet. There are usually four to six B♭

cornets present in a concert band, but no E♭ instrument, as this role is taken by the E♭ clarinet.