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Piccolo trombone

The piccolo trombone is a member of the brass (Hornbostel–Sachs 423.22). Learn how it makes its sound and explore related instruments.

How the piccolo trombone makes its sound

In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the piccolo trombone belongs to the brass (lip-vibrated aerophones): the player's buzzing lips set the air column vibrating – trumpets, horns, trombones, tubas and the didgeridoo.

More broadly it is one of the aerophones (wind instruments), where sound comes from vibrating air.

Its timbre – the colour that lets you tell it apart from other instruments playing the same note – comes from the mix of overtones its body and resonator emphasise.

From Wikipedia

The soprano trombone (sometimes called a slide trumpet or slide cornet, especially in jazz) is the soprano instrument in the trombone family of brass instruments, pitched in B♭ an octave above the tenor trombone. As the bore, bell and mouthpiece are similar to the B♭ trumpet, it tends to be played by trumpet players rather than trombonists.

Compared to tenor, bass, or even uncommon alto, the soprano is a rare trombone. Seldom used in classical music since its first known appearance in 1677, it survived principally in the trombone ensembles of Moravian Church music. During the 20th century some soprano trombones—dubbed slide cornets—were made as novelties or for use by jazz trumpet players including Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie. A small number of contemporary proponents of the instrument include jazz artists Wycliffe Gordon and Christian Scott, and classical trumpeter Torbjörn Hultmark, who advocates for its use as an instrument for young children to learn the trombone.

Other brass

Frequently asked questions

What does a piccolo trombone sound like?

As one of the brass, its sound comes from the way the player's buzzing lips set the air column vibrating.

What type of instrument is the piccolo trombone?

It is classified as brass (lip-vibrated aerophones) (Hornbostel–Sachs 423.22).

Sources & credits