The cornett (not to be confused with the modern brass cornet) was one of the most important instruments of the Renaissance and early Baroque. It is a fascinating hybrid: it is made of wood and has finger holes like a recorder, but it is played with a tiny cup-shaped mouthpiece like a trumpet. This combination allowed the instrument to have the agility of a woodwind and the brilliance of a brass instrument. It was famously said that the cornett’s sound most closely resembled the human voice, making it perfect for doubling vocal lines in church music. However, it is notoriously difficult to play; the player must have an extremely precise 'embouchure' (lip position) to keep it in tune. As the violin became more popular and technical, and as trumpets improved, the cornett fell out of use by the late 17th century, though it has seen a revival in the modern era of historical performance.