In the UK, a brass band is a traditional form of band consisting of a standard number of brass instruments plus percussion (although is practice it may vary from this):
Nine cornets in B♭, including 4 solo cornets, a repriano cornet, two 2nd cornets, two 3rd cornets
A soprano cornet in E♭ (a smaller and higher pitched type of cornet)
A flugelhorn in B♭, 3 tenor horns in E♭, 2 baritone horns in B♭, 2 euphoniums in B♭
Two tenor trombones in B♭ (treble clef), 1 bass trombone in C (bass clef)
Two E♭ tubas, two B♭ tubas
A drum kit and one or more other percussionists playing a variety of percussion instruments e.g. bass drum, timpani, glockenspiel, triangle etc.

FInd out more about traditional brass bands on the Jayess Newbiggin Brass Band website
Wondering what all this B♭ and E♭ is all about? Find out on our Transposing Instruments page.
A Youth Brass Band consists of the same mix of instruments but can often have more players than this, as the photos below show.


You can watch and listen to Gwent Youth Brass Band playing Don’t Stop Now on one of pages of selected brass band music.
What sort of music do brass bands play?
More about the origin of Brass Bands and Colliery Bands
Return to Introduction to Brass Music page