Brass instruments: what makes the sound?

Question:

Brass instruments: what makes the sound?

I have so many friends who play the trumpet and I love brass music, you'd think I'd know this. There obviously is more invovled than just blowing in the mouthpiece. So what do you do to make the sound?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: It's a combination of three things... Tension (or lack of) in the lips, air between them (to make them buzz), and the qualities of the instrument and mouthpiece. (Bigger instrument, lower sound or larger bore/ darker sound)

In short, put your lips together and blow to make a ppppppppppppp sound. Source(s):
Bachelor's Degree in Music Education You blow, and resonate your lips too, like blowing a raspberry. ITS ALL IN UR OMBECURE (LIPS)... the vibration of the lips and air in the instrument. Embouchure - your lips posture and how the passing air through your lips causes them to vibrate as reeds All the horn does is amplify the sound you lips make in the mouthpiece. So, the most important ingredient to this all is air, and how efficiently you can move it. The diaphragm is the foundation to the whole process. If you push your air from your throat, you will get a throaty sound, so make sure you push from the gut. Then all you have to do is coordinate the rest of your body (tongue, lips, fingers, hands) with your air! Good luck!