- Lip tension: The player can change the tension of their lips to raise or lower the pitch. This is the most basic and fundamental technique for altering notes on a brass instrument.
- Embouchure: The player can change the shape of their embouchure (the way they position their lips and mouth on the mouthpiece) to alter the pitch. This technique can be used to produce specific notes or to create special effects.
- Slides: Some brass instruments, such as the trombone, have slides that can be moved to change the length of the instrument. This changes the pitch of the notes that are produced.
- Valves: Most brass instruments have valves that can be pressed to change the length of the instrument. This changes the pitch of the notes that are produced.
- Fingerings: The player can change the fingerings they use on the instrument to alter the pitch. This technique is used to produce specific notes or to create special effects.