The
cornets are the instruments that usually carry the tune in brass bands.
Cornets come in various sizes. Pitch depends on the length of tubing in
the instrument. The smaller the instrument, the higher its pitch. The pitch
of a cornet is determined by the note it plays when no valves are pressed
down. Valves allow the player to change the pitch. A B-flat pitched cornet
contains 4 1/2 feet of tubing, which is wound up until the instrument measures
a little over a foot in length. Most cornets in a brass band are pitched
B-flat, but there may also be one E-flat cornet. Information provided by: http://www.gabbf.com