The modern band developed during the 19th century out of military bands, which had combined wind and brass instruments. The clarinet, which was the leading band instrument in the late 18th century, kept its central role in the next century. The invention of the saxophone added a full-bodied reed instrument to the band repertoire. In the early 19th century, valves were applied to brass instruments, like horns and trumpets, producing a fuller sound and a wider range of notes.

From the early to mid-20th century American black music became a major force in popular entertainment. The blues, ragtime, and jazz all influenced popular music in Europe. Tours by jazz musicians like Louis Armstrong (cornet and trumpet) and Sidney Bechet (soprano saxophone) helped to spread the popularity of band music. The success of dance bands in Europe and America between the wars led to the ‘Big Bands’ of the 1940s.

Big bands included as many as a dozen clarinets, with piccolos, flutes, oboes, bassoons and saxophones. Large brass sections contained horns, trumpets, trombones and tubas. Percussion, strings and a piano completed the ensembles. Jazz bands had low strings like cellos and double basses. Many jazz bands were small combinations with perhaps a clarinet, trumpet, trombone, saxophone and a rhythm section comprising piano, double bass and percussion with drums.