Brass instruments

Brass instruments are musical instruments that produce sound by directing an airstream into a mouthpiece, causing the player’s lips to vibrate. They are also referred to as “labrosones,” which literally means “instruments of lip vibration” (Baines). To change the pitch on a keyed brass instrument, there are two methods: first, pressing keys alters the length of the tubing; second, the player adjusts the airflow to modify the frequency of lip vibration.