Topic Three (1.3): Brass Instruments

Topics Icon.png Objectives for this topic

In this topic, you will learn about brass instruments. These are instruments made from brass that produce music from vibrations. The musician creates the ‘buzz’ movement with their lips by blowing air through a fixed mouth position, which causes vibrations in the mouthpiece. The vibrations travel as sound waves through the tubes of the brass instrument before finally reaching the ‘bell’, as a sound that we recognise as the musical note. 

Begin by watching this video to learn about this journey in detail and about how exactly notes are achieved by brass musicians: 

Skills Icon.png Instructions

Research the history, purpose and music of brass bands. Firstly, watch this video of a famous brass band in concert, to see this traditional form of music in action: 

Now use the suggested website to learn about the history, purpose and performances of brass bands and about how they remain popular today:  

READ - INTRODUCTION TO BRASS BANDS (MAKINGMUSIC.ORG) Links to an external site. 

Create a fact file that explains: 

  • When they began 
  • Where they are typically found 
  • What the original purpose of brass bands was 
  • The typical instruments that you would find in a brass band 

Use any form of media you like to create your fact file, e.g. a poster, a short video, etc. 

Review Icon.png Review

  • Can you name one famous brass band?  
  • Can you name four instruments that you would hear in a brass band?  
  • What is the first part of a brass instrument that vibrates?  
  • Why were brass bands good for employers? 

Bridge Icon.png  Support activity for this topic

Complete the fact file template Download fact file template to consolidate the knowledge you have gained of the history and purpose of brass bands from reading the introduction page of the suggested website. Remember to refer back to the text to find the answers! 

Stretch Icon.png Extension activity for this topic

Now that you have learnt about how brass instruments create a sound, draw a diagram to show the journey of the sound, from the vibration of the musician’s lips to the ultimate note at the ‘bell’. This could be a hand-drawn diagram or a diagram that you create on Canva (or a similar document creator tool).