The trombone is part of the brass family but there is something different about the trombone compared to the other brass instruments. The difference is that the other brass instruments have valves to push down to achieve the pitch but with a trombone there is a slide and positions you need to hit so they can achieve the pitch they would like. The trombone was made to hit notes that the trumpet could not hit. The name means large trumpet when translated, 'trumba' means trumpet and 'one' means big.