Re: Re: "tromboning"


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Posted by Chuck(G) on March 31, 2003 at 11:18:43:

In Reply to: Re: "tromboning" posted by Doc on March 31, 2003 at 07:08:56:

Well, yes and no. We all lip to some extent--the resonance peaks on our instruments are broad enough to allow a certain amount of flexibility (particularly in the very low register) and we unconsciously exploit that phenomenon, because after all, you play the note you hear in your head.

Moving a slide for the occasional out-of-tune note is okay, but I wonder about those fellows that I see who will pull the first slide a half- or quarter-inch this way or that. (A half-inch pull on a CC tuba, equating to a one-inch extension of the air column, represents about 6 cents of tuning--something which should be easily within the range of a simple embouchure adjustment.)

Bottom line--it's good to know your instrument's peculiarities and what you have to do to make it work, whether it's alternate fingerings, slide pulling or lipping. Some instruments are more work to play than others; really badly out of tune ones take your mind away from the music and move you into the mechanics.




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