Instruments
Sackbut
"Sackbut" is essentially the name given in English to a slide trombone during the Renaissance era. The sackbut differs from the modern trombone in that it lacks valves, but the terminological shift did not coincide with the technical one; the word "trombone" was used in Italian at the same time and simply supplanted the older word in English as Italian-driven instrumental genres rose during the Baroque era. The rather odd-looking word "sackbut" probably derives from an old French root also related to the modern Spanishsacar, to draw out. It is spelled various ways; one modern group of players devoted to festive music of the Renaissance styles itself His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts. The sackbut was part of the contingent of Renaissance instruments that were used for large public events, whether outdoors or otherwise. It evolved from earlier trumpet-type instruments that featured a slide mechanism.