Posted by Kenneth Sloan on March 04, 2002 at 14:12:12:
In Reply to: To buzz, or not to buzz posted by Kenneth Sloan on February 28, 2002 at 08:43:11:
I apologize for choosing a confusing Subject.
"To buzz, or not to buzz" did NOT mean to ask whether it's a good idea to buzz
on the mouthpiece alone, or even if it' a good idea to free buzz without even the mothpiece.
The question was: there is a qualitative difference that I can feel when playing some notes ON THE INSTRUMENT. Sometimes it feels (and perhaps sounds - but I'm not sure about that) like a "buzz", and sometimes it doesn't. When it feels like a buzz, it's fair to say it feels like I'm playing the mouthpiece - and when it doesn't, it feels (perhaps) more like blowing THROUGH the tuba. One feels like a Bronx cheer, and the other feels more like whistling.
There are two questions: which is "better", and how can I promote the "better" version?
Mary Ann and Doug Elliot seem to understand what I was driving at. Doug quite rightly says that the important thing is to be able to do *either* at will. I'm not ther, quite yet...
Dave Zerkel seems to imply (please correct me if I'm wrong here) that buzzing on the mouthpiece is good...but perhaps free buzzing should aim for less buzz and more attention to air and the feeling of "whistling" (my term, not his).
Thanks to all who havce replied.