Posted by js on July 05, 2002 at 22:42:12:
In Reply to: Ear buzzing when playing in quintet posted by Josh Whitlow on July 05, 2002 at 21:27:23:
This is not likely to be what you are experiencing but sometimes when two trumpets are playing in harmony (especially when doing so loudly), the difference between the frequencies of their two pitches is heard as (what I call) an "undertone"...again a "buzzy" pitch UNDER the pitches of the two trumpet pitches which is the mathematical difference (in "vibrations per second) of the two trumpet pitches. Most often (due to the way trumpet harmonies are written), these "undertone" pitches end up being in the bass-baritone range. Surprisingly often, these "undertones" end up being the appropriate bass note for the defined trumpet harmony, and when this pitch is the correct one but out-of-tune, often it is because the trumpet interval is faulty.
This phenomenon can occasionally be troubling when the trumpets in a quintet are playing without the other instruments - very loudly in harmony and you, the tuba person, are expected to enter on a pitch that is a step or two AWAY from the currently-sounding trumpet "undertone"...' quite a distraction.