338
7 The Amazing Diversity of Brass Instruments
7.1.1 Taxonomic Labels Based on Tube Length
In the later sections of this chapter instruments are discussed in subgroups based on
their nominal pitch. We adopt the widely used convention, explained in Sect. 1.2.3,
in which the nominal pitch is specified by a number of feet (ft) coupled with a
musical pitch name. Table 7.1 shows the nominal fundamentals and equivalent
cone lengths for the more common nominal pitches, and gives some examples of
instruments commonly made at these pitches. Various pitch standards have been
adopted at different times and in different places, some more than a semitone above
A4 = 440 Hz and some significantly lower, resulting in a corresponding variation
in the equivalent cone lengths corresponding to a nominal pitch. The values in
Table 7.1 are calculated for A4 = 440 Hz.
The nominal equivalent cone length L ecN of an instrument is related to the
frequency F N of its nominal fundamental by the formula
L ecN =
c
2F N
,
(7.1)
Table 7.1 Nominal fundamental frequency F N , nominal fundamental pitch P N , and nominal
equivalent cone length L ecN for common brass instruments with different nominal pitches (at
A4 = 440 Hz)
Nominal pitch F N (Hz) P N L ecN (m) Examples
2
1
4 -ft B
233.1
B 3 0.74
Piccolo trumpet
2
3
4 -ft G
196.0
G3 0.83
Piccolo trumpet
3-ft F
174.6
F3 0.99
High F trumpet
3
1
4 -ft E
155.6
E 3 1.11
Soprano cornet, soprano flugelhorn
3
1
2 -ft D
146.8
D3 1.18
Bugle horn, ‘Bach’ trumpet
4-ft C
130.8
C3 1.32
Orchestral trumpet
4
1
2 -ft B
116.5
B 2 1.48
Bugle, cornet, flugelhorn, B valve trumpet
5-ft A
110.0
A2 1.57
Post-horn
5
1
2 -ft G
98.0
G2 1.77
Keyed and early valve trumpets; American bugle
6-ft F
87.3
F2 1.98
Low F trumpet, English slide trumpet, mellophone
6
1
2 -ft E
77.8
E 2 2.22
Alto trombone, tenor horn
7-ft D
73.4
D2 2.36
Natural trumpet
8-ft C
65.4
C2 2.65
Serpent, ophicleide, high C tuba
9-ft B
58.3
B 1 2.97
Tenor trombone, B french horn, baritone,
euphonium
11-ft G
49.0
G1 3.53
G bass trombone, alphorn
12-ft F
43.7
F1 3.96
F french horn, F bass tuba
13-ft E
38.9
E 1 4.45
E bass tuba
14-ft D
36.7
D1 4.71
Trompe de chasse
16-ft C
32.7
C1 5.29
C contrabass tuba
18-ft B
29.1
B 0 5.94
french horn crooked in B basso, B contrabass
tuba
7 The Amazing Diversity of Brass Instruments
7.1.1 Taxonomic Labels Based on Tube Length
In the later sections of this chapter instruments are discussed in subgroups based on
their nominal pitch. We adopt the widely used convention, explained in Sect. 1.2.3,
in which the nominal pitch is specified by a number of feet (ft) coupled with a
musical pitch name. Table 7.1 shows the nominal fundamentals and equivalent
cone lengths for the more common nominal pitches, and gives some examples of
instruments commonly made at these pitches. Various pitch standards have been
adopted at different times and in different places, some more than a semitone above
A4 = 440 Hz and some significantly lower, resulting in a corresponding variation
in the equivalent cone lengths corresponding to a nominal pitch. The values in
Table 7.1 are calculated for A4 = 440 Hz.
The nominal equivalent cone length L ecN of an instrument is related to the
frequency F N of its nominal fundamental by the formula
L ecN =
c
2F N
,
(7.1)
Table 7.1 Nominal fundamental frequency F N , nominal fundamental pitch P N , and nominal
equivalent cone length L ecN for common brass instruments with different nominal pitches (at
A4 = 440 Hz)
Nominal pitch F N (Hz) P N L ecN (m) Examples
2
1
4 -ft B
233.1
B 3 0.74
Piccolo trumpet
2
3
4 -ft G
196.0
G3 0.83
Piccolo trumpet
3-ft F
174.6
F3 0.99
High F trumpet
3
1
4 -ft E
155.6
E 3 1.11
Soprano cornet, soprano flugelhorn
3
1
2 -ft D
146.8
D3 1.18
Bugle horn, ‘Bach’ trumpet
4-ft C
130.8
C3 1.32
Orchestral trumpet
4
1
2 -ft B
116.5
B 2 1.48
Bugle, cornet, flugelhorn, B valve trumpet
5-ft A
110.0
A2 1.57
Post-horn
5
1
2 -ft G
98.0
G2 1.77
Keyed and early valve trumpets; American bugle
6-ft F
87.3
F2 1.98
Low F trumpet, English slide trumpet, mellophone
6
1
2 -ft E
77.8
E 2 2.22
Alto trombone, tenor horn
7-ft D
73.4
D2 2.36
Natural trumpet
8-ft C
65.4
C2 2.65
Serpent, ophicleide, high C tuba
9-ft B
58.3
B 1 2.97
Tenor trombone, B french horn, baritone,
euphonium
11-ft G
49.0
G1 3.53
G bass trombone, alphorn
12-ft F
43.7
F1 3.96
F french horn, F bass tuba
13-ft E
38.9
E 1 4.45
E bass tuba
14-ft D
36.7
D1 4.71
Trompe de chasse
16-ft C
32.7
C1 5.29
C contrabass tuba
18-ft B
29.1
B 0 5.94
french horn crooked in B basso, B contrabass
tuba