The Trumpet is an aerophone musical instrument with a metal mouthpiece, which belongs in the family of brass wind instruments. The Trumpet, as we know it today, first appeared during the late 18th or the early 19th century. Its earliest predecessor is the Cornet, made out of wood or animal horns, which first appeared in Ancient Egypt and was in use until the time of the Roman Empire. As the instrument could not play all notes of a scale, a mechanism that helped produce all notes was added during the late 18th century, while piston valves (initially two and later three) were added in the early 19th century, enabling the trumpet to produce all chromatic sounds on a scale.