Cornet. Nominal pitch: C

Technical description: Silver-plated brass; water-key. The bell is directed backwards (towards the player).The fingering system for this instrument is identical with Adolphe Sax's independent valves: the shortest tube length (4-ftC) is obtained by operating the first valve, the next shortest (4½-ft B) is obtained by operating the second valve, and so on; the longest tube length (6-ft F♯) is obtained with no valves operated. However, in Sax's design valves 1, 2 and 3 (for the right hand) are placed at 90° to valves 4, 5 and 6 (for the left hand) and each valve has its own tuning slide. By placing the valves in line and spacing them by the correct distances, Bayley eliminated valve tuning slides and made a far lighter instrument than Sax's independent-valve cornet. There may be some disadvantage in not being able to tune the individual valves, but on the other hand the system dispenses with combinations of valves and the associated tuning errors are eliminated. Valve type: 6 Allen-type rotary valves.