The Playing Techniques of Historical Low-Brass Instruments

The documents below form a guide for performers and composers interested in the playing techniques and sonic material provided by historical low-brass instruments, otherwise known as low-pitched labrosones, or members of the tuba family. It will focus on the instruments which predate the invention of the valve; the serpent and bass horn, including the keyed ophicleide. Later guides will be produced for early valved instruments; the valved ophicleide and early models of tuba. Focus will be given to the acoustic and technical properties of these instruments regarding how they can be performed on and composed for today. Future additions to this page will include audio examples taken from new works as they are written for these instruments.

Fundamental information regarding tuba family acoustics, performance practice, and composition can be found in Die Spieltechnik der Tuba / The Playing Techniques of the Tuba (Kassel: Bärenreiter, 2020), and study of this work is strongly advised before approaching historical instruments. References to chapters or subchapters in this work are identified with the abbreviation TU, for example, → TU 5.2. These guides are interlinked texts, and therefore study of the text on the serpent is necessary before moving on to the bass horn. References between guides will use the following abbreviations: serpent = S, keyed ophicleide and other bass horns = BH.

Until now, these instruments have been exposed to very limited experimental practices or acoustic investigations. The data and descriptions contained within this document should therefore be treated as nascent and subject to revision and expansion in the near future. As objects which often pre-date mass manufacturing procedures, technical and acoustic properties can vary significantly between individual instruments.

These guides do not contain instrument illustrations or references to other documents. These resources can be found in Die Spieltechnik der Tuba / The Playing Techniques of the Tuba or other research publications, or by contacting the author directly.

This project was realised through a research scholarship granted from Berlin Senatsverwaltung für Kultur und Gesellschaftlichen Zusammenarbeit.

The Playing Techniques of the Serpent - v1.1 (April 2024)

The Playing Techniques of the Ophicleide and other Bass Horns - v1.0 (April 2024)