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The easiest way for a horn player to alter his tone is to get a new horn with a different brass. The type of brass used in construction greatly changes that horn’s voice. The most common type is "Yellow Brass." It's straight brass (with a small amount of zinc,) and is basically the starting point. It's got a bright, even tone. "Rose Brass," an alloy of brass and copper, has a mellower, richer tone. Gold plated brass, because gold is such a soft metal, has the mellowest tone and is great for blues or cool jazz. Silver plating, because it resonates at a slightly higher frequency, gives a brighter, crisper tone and is greatly favored by trumpet players, leads especially, because they need to cut through the band and deliver the lead line. Some horns are now also being made with anodized nickel over the brass. The horn is covered with a powder, put into an acid bath and shot with a current of electricity. The nickel bonds to the brass and, depending on what mixture of nickel is used, can color the horn black, gray, silver, or many other shades. This coating also changes the horns voice and allows the creation of a horn perfectly voiced to the player's own style.
Also, when listening to a horn player, the sound you're hearing is actually being created between that players lungs and mouth. The instrument is only a resonating chamber. That's why a master player can be instantly recognized merely by listening to a few notes. Their tone is as personal and distinctive as their own voice.
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