The following is a comparison table of the pitch

Pitch (music)

Pitch is an auditory perceptual property that allows the ordering of sounds on a frequency-related scale.Pitches are compared as "higher" and "lower" in the sense associated with musical melodies,...

 of the common brass instrument

Brass instrument

A brass instrument is a musical instrument whose sound is produced by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips...

s in descending order of pitch.

Comparison of pitch

Whereas it is usually quite easy to determine whether an instrument is pitched in, say, F or B♭ or E♭, it is not always obvious which octave

Octave

In music, an octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems"...

 of F or B♭ is being referred to. In the following table, the second harmonic

Harmonic

A harmonic of a wave is a component frequency of the signal that is an integer multiple of the fundamental frequency, i.e. if the fundamental frequency is f, the harmonics have frequencies 2f, 3f, 4f, . . . etc. The harmonics have the property that they are all periodic at the fundamental...

 (the lowest normally playable open note, written as middle C) is presented using scientific pitch notation

Scientific pitch notation

Scientific pitch notation is one of several methods that name the notes of the standard Western chromatic scale by combining a letter-name, accidentals, and a number identifying the pitch's octave...

 to identify the octave. For example, the second harmonic of a B♭ trumpet or cornet is B♭₃ which is just below middle C.

B♭4 or A4	piccolo trumpet Trumpet The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
E♭4	soprano trumpet Trumpet The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...  or cornet Cornet 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. It is not related to the renaissance and early baroque cornett or cornetto.-History:The cornet was...
B♭3	trumpet Trumpet The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air... , cornet Cornet 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. It is not related to the renaissance and early baroque cornett or cornetto.-History:The cornet was... , flugelhorn Flugelhorn The flugelhorn is a brass instrument resembling a trumpet but with a wider, conical bore. Some consider it to be a member of the saxhorn family developed by Adolphe Sax ; however, other historians assert that it derives from the valve bugle designed by Michael Saurle , Munich 1832 , thus... , soprano trombone Trombone The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
E♭3	alto horn Alto horn The alto horn is a brass instrument pitched in E... , alto trombone Trombone The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate... , alto trumpet
B♭2	tenor trombone Trombone The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate... , baritone horn Baritone horn The baritone horn is a member of the brass instrument family. The baritone horn has a predominantly cylindrical bore as do the trumpet and trombone. A baritone horn uses a large mouthpiece much like those of a trombone or euphonium, although it is a bit smaller. Some baritone mouthpieces will sink... , euphonium Euphonium The euphonium is a conical-bore, tenor-voiced brass instrument. It derives its name from the Greek word euphonos, meaning "well-sounding" or "sweet-voiced"... , B♭ horn Horn (instrument) The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player .... , bass trumpet Bass trumpet The bass trumpet is a type of low trumpet which was first developed during the 1820s in Germany. It is usually pitched in 8' C or 9' B today, but is sometimes built in E and is treated as a transposing instrument sounding either an octave, a sixth or a ninth lower than written, depending on the...
F2	F horn Horn (instrument) The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
E♭2 or F2	bass tuba Tuba The tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped mouthpiece. It is one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra, first appearing in the mid-19th century, when it largely replaced the...
B♭1 or C2	contrabass tuba Tuba The tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped mouthpiece. It is one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra, first appearing in the mid-19th century, when it largely replaced the... , sousaphone Sousaphone The sousaphone is a type of tuba that is widely employed in marching bands. Designed so that it fits around the body of the musician and is supported by the left shoulder, the sousaphone may be readily played while being carried... , contrabass trombone Trombone The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...

Range

In modern times, the range of most three-valved brass instrument is formally considered to extend from three whole tones below the 2nd harmonic to the 10th harmonic of the unlengthened instrument, though skilled players can produce tones outside this range. For transposing instruments this is from written F♯ below middle C, to E two octaves and a third above middle C.

Whole tube vs half tube

The downward range limitation applies to the high brass that are three-valved half-tube instruments (e.g., trumpet

Trumpet

The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...

, cornet

Cornet

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. It is not related to the renaissance and early baroque cornett or cornetto.-History:The cornet was...

, flugelhorn

Flugelhorn

The flugelhorn is a brass instrument resembling a trumpet but with a wider, conical bore. Some consider it to be a member of the saxhorn family developed by Adolphe Sax ; however, other historians assert that it derives from the valve bugle designed by Michael Saurle , Munich 1832 , thus...

). The low brass instruments such as trombone

Trombone

The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...

, tuba

Tuba

The tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped mouthpiece. It is one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra, first appearing in the mid-19th century, when it largely replaced the...

, euphonium

Euphonium

The euphonium is a conical-bore, tenor-voiced brass instrument. It derives its name from the Greek word euphonos, meaning "well-sounding" or "sweet-voiced"...

, and alto horn

Alto horn

The alto horn is a brass instrument pitched in E...

 are whole-tube and can play the fundamental tone

Fundamental frequency

The fundamental frequency, often referred to simply as the fundamental and abbreviated f0, is defined as the lowest frequency of a periodic waveform. In terms of a superposition of sinusoids The fundamental frequency, often referred to simply as the fundamental and abbreviated f0, is defined as the...

 (1st partial) of each harmonic series

Harmonic series (music)

Pitched musical instruments are often based on an approximate harmonic oscillator such as a string or a column of air, which oscillates at numerous frequencies simultaneously. At these resonant frequencies, waves travel in both directions along the string or air column, reinforcing and canceling...

. Furthermore, the low brass often have extra valves to extend their range uniformly, since the fundamental is chromatically discontinuous with the lowest 2nd partial reachable on three-valve instrument or via the seven-position slide on a trombone. Trombone and tuba in particular are often called upon in modern music of all genres to play pedal notes (1st partial notes) and so-called "false harmonics" and "false tones" below their formal range.

Special case of the Horn

Classifying the horn

Horn (instrument)

The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....

 as pitched in B♭ is somewhat controversial. Its fundamental pitch is F near that of the bass tuba, but it is normally played much higher in its register. This is aided by the narrower bore and much smaller mouthpiece. What is written as middle C for a horn is in fact the fourth harmonic, not the second. However, most horns are fitted with a fourth valve which puts the horn into B♭ a fourth higher, which alleviates the problem in the higher register of the harmonics being uncomfortably close together. In fact, much of the time the horn is played in B♭, and its range corresponds more with an instrument of that pitch.

Modern bass trombone

The modern bass trombone is like a tenor trombone but has two valves, one pitched in F and one in G♭. When combined, these valves put the instrument into D. Bass trombones have a wider bore and mouthpiece

Mouthpiece (brass)

On brass instruments the mouthpiece is the part of the instrument which is placed upon the player's lips. The purpose of the mouthpiece is a resonator, which passes vibration from the lips to the column of air contained within the instrument, giving rise to the standing wave pattern of vibration in...

 to facilitate the production of lower notes. In the past, single valve instruments were popular, with the valve adjustable to produce F, E, or E♭. Before the advent of the tenor-bass trombone (the modern tenor trombone with trigger), bass trombones were simply made in lower keys, the most popular being G.

Modern contrabass trombones are constructed in F and BB♭. The F contrabass trombone is often fitted with a valve that puts it into D, and a valve that puts it into E♭, and when combined these put the instrument into the key of BB♭. The BB♭ contrabass is often fitted with a valve in F, and has been fitted with both a valve in F and a valve in G♭, so that it matches its bass trombone counterpart, but is pitched an octave lower.

See Types of trombones

Types of trombones

There are many different types of trombone. The most frequently encountered trombones today are the tenor and bass, though as with other Renaissance instruments such as the recorder, the trombone has been built in every size from piccolo to contrabass...

Tuba

The bass tuba is also available in F and E♭, and contrabass tubas in C and B♭. The B♭ and E♭ tuba are found in brass bands, and the F Tuba along with the C tuba are played in orchestra

Orchestra

An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...

s. The E♭ tuba is also played in British military bands.