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brass instrument

brass instrument

1 3.4
A musical instrument played by blowing and making your lips buzz on a metal mouthpiece, like a trumpet or trombone
  • noun
  • /bræs ˈɪnstrəmənt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : instrumento de metal de viento
  • The band featured a variety of brass instruments, including trumpets and trombones, during their lively performance.
  • brass instrument with valves

Examples

  • Those of you who may have played brass instruments in high school, you know that was triple-tonguing, baby.

  • The student part begins following a three-measure introductory fanfare of the French national anthem played by brass instruments.

    Academic text (2012)
  • Further research is necessary to see if that tendency would hold for other brass instruments.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Apparently no one ever told the Japanese that girls aren't supposed to play brass instruments.

    Blog text (15)
  • Now, let's have a brass instrument, the trumpet.

  • Brass instruments can help students with asthma increase their lung capacity.

    Academic text (2006)
  • Brass instruments are also naturally suited to demonstrating the harmonic series.

    Academic text (2004)
  • The Dallas Brass, a six-member ensemble featuring traditional brass instruments and a full complement of percussion instruments, will be performing at the Northwest Division conference in February.

    Academic text (2000)
  • Before and during the charreada, mariachi musicians play traditional charro songs, the brass instruments enhancing the military overtones of the grand entry and enlivening the crowd during the competitive action.

    Academic text (1994)
  • He played the brass instrument with great skill, captivating the audience with his soulful melodies.

Synonyms

horn
vsbrass instrument
55 2.9

A brass instrument with a coiled tube and flared bell

is the general family covering coiled and other tube shaped instruments
trombone
vsbrass instrument
31 3.0

A brass instrument with a long slide that makes higher or lower sounds

is the broader group that also includes valve operated pitch devices
tuba
vsbrass instrument
20 3.7

A large metal wind instrument with a deep low sound

is the broader family term that also includes higher pitched members
French horn
vsbrass instrument
6 4.2

A metal wind instrument with a long coiled tube that makes a warm, rounded sound

is the broader family term covering coiled or uncoiled tube designs
cornet
vsbrass instrument
3 6.1

A brass instrument like a small trumpet that makes a bright sound

is the general family encompassing instruments with varied tubes and tones
sousaphone
vsbrass instrument
2 9.2

A large brass instrument like a tuba that wraps around the player to make it easy to carry while marching

is the general family term covering both stationary and marching low instruments
euphonium
vsbrass instrument
1 9.8

A brass instrument like a small tuba that plays lower middle notes

is the broader family covering instruments across several pitch ranges
baritone
vsbrass instrument
1 6.7

A brass instrument like a small tuba with a low warm sound

is the general name covering different medium low pitched types
flugelhorn
vsbrass instrument
1 8.4

A brass instrument like a trumpet with a softer, rounder sound

is the broader category covering both bright and mellow sound types
flugel
vsbrass instrument
1 8.8

A brass instrument like a trumpet but with a softer, warmer sound

is the full name rather than the short or informal form
fluegelhorn
vsbrass instrument
9.9

A brass instrument like a trumpet that has a warm, soft sound

is the general group that includes both bright and softer bore designs
baritone horn
vsbrass instrument
6.1

A brass instrument like a small tuba that makes a warm low sound

is the broader family term covering instruments across wider pitch ranges
saxhorn
vsbrass instrument
9.9

A brass instrument like a small tuba with valves used in brass bands

is the broader category that includes both band and orchestral instrument types
bass horn
vsbrass instrument
  • Specialized
7.0

A brass instrument with a very low sound used in orchestras and bands

is the broader name that includes other lower and mid range members

How Low

tuba
20 3.7
trombone
31 3.0
brass instrument
  • Specialized
1 3.4
trumpet
125 2.5
cornet
3 6.1

Surface Forms

Morphology

brass + instrument

The phrase is directly compositional: 'brass' (the metal or the brass family) combined with 'instrument' yields an instrument made of brass or belonging to the brass family. This is a regular noun–noun combination found across languages and follows straightforward semantic composition, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will understand the meaning.

Etymology

Brass instrument is a name that comes from the simple picture of an instrument made of shiny brass metal and played by 'buzzing' the lips into a round mouthpiece. So, it means any metal instrument you blow into to make music.