Posted by MA on August 21, 2002 at 14:00:47:
In Reply to: Re: Horn-Size Relative to Player-Size posted by lisa on August 21, 2002 at 13:03:14:
As a really small tuba player, lung capacity 1.5 liters (I haven't heard of smaller) I think that you do approach limits. My take on instrument size is that a larger instrument on average takes more energy to make it vibrate. More energy will translate to at least incrementally more air. If I have a long loud low note, I have to take a breath before the end of it sometimes, while the 5 liter guy next to me does not. My lung capacity may not have changed since I started playing brass instruments, but it has become more efficient. I went back in the last few days to an etude I learned at the beginning of my horn playing. I distinctly remember running out of air after one line of music. This time I was able to get through twice as much, at the same tempo. I guess that's the fight in the dog?? It was a surprise that it had gone up so much.
MA