Sackbut used as a clash until the Renaissance, when it became consonant in compositions, which went hand-in-hand with the widespread use of meantone temperament. During the 17th century, Well temperament began to become more and more popular as the range of keys increased. Temperament affects the colour of a composition, and therefore modern performances, typically employing equal temperament, may not be true representations of the composers' intentions. These old tunings are the result of the natural harmonic series of a brass instrument such as the sackbut. As the bell is smaller than a modern trombone, the harmonic series is closer to
Musical Instrument Museum (Brussels) instruments are shown in the basement, traditional instruments on the ground floor, the development of the modern orchestral instruments on the first floor, and keyboard and stringed instruments on the second floor. Visitors are given infrared headphones in order to listen to almost 200 musical extracts of the instruments on display. Information is provided in French and Dutch, though not in English. Among the notable pieces of the collection are the famous Rottenburgh Alto recorder, instruments invented by Adolphe Sax, a unique set of giant Chinese stone chimes, and the only existing copy of the luthéal, an instrument used by