View source for Overtone

===Brass Instruments===

Brass instruments originally had no valves, and could only play the notes in the natural overtone, or harmonic series.<ref name=sj1>{{cite book |last1=Schmidt-Jones |first1=Catherine |title=Sound, Physics, and Music |date=2015 |publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform}}</ref>

Brass instruments still rely heavily on the overtone series to produce notes: the [[tuba]] typically has 3-4 valves, the tenor [[trombone]] has 7 slide positions, the [[trumpet]] has 3 valves, and the [[French horn]] typically has 4 valves. Each instrument can play (within their respective ranges) the notes of the overtone series in different keys with each fingering combination (open, 1, 2, 12, 123, etc). The role of each valve or rotor (excluding trombone) is as follows: 1st valve lowers major 2nd, 2nd valve lowers minor 2nd, 3rd valve-lowers minor 3rd, 4th valve-lowers perfect 4th (found on piccolo trumpet, certain euphoniums, and many tubas).<ref name=BTP>{{cite journal |title=Brass Techniques and Pedagogy |url=https://pressbooks.palni.org/brasstechniquesandpedagogy/chapter/brass-acoustics/ |website=PalniPress|date=24 August 2020 |last1=Weidner |first1=Brian }}</ref> The French horn has a trigger key that opens other tubing and is pitched a perfect fourth higher; this allows for greater ease between different registers of the instrument.<ref name=BTP/> Valves allow brass instruments to play chromatic notes, as well as notes within the overtone series (open valve = C overtone series, 2nd valve = B overtone series on the C Trumpet) by changing air speed and lip vibrations.

The [[tuba]], [[trombone]], and [[trumpet]] play notes within the first few octaves of the overtone series, where the partials are farther apart. The [[French horn]] sounds notes in a higher octave of the overtone series, so the partials are closer together and make it more difficult to play the correct pitches and partials.<ref name=sj1/>