Re: Re: Re: Slide Tuning


[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TubeNet BBS ] [ FAQ ]

Posted by AW on October 02, 2003 at 22:19:45:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Slide Tuning posted by Rick Denney on October 02, 2003 at 09:34:53:

Rick, you have given excellent practical advice on tuba-playing issues like dealing with a flat 3rd partial, but I would like to take issue with you on some aspects of pitch and intonation.

First, I agree with you that equal temperament is mainly a workable compromise for keyboard instruments playing music written after around 1800 to 1850. Professional players of non-keyboard instruments can do better and do. However, I have heard plenty of amateur players who would have greatly improved intonation if only they could conform to an equally-tempered scale -- the kind of scale most tuners adhere to. If we are going to talk about matching "intonation tendencies" of brasswind instruments, we have not yet gotten to the point where a discussion of temperaments is even pertinent.

My second point is that different Bb brass instruments have different scales (not to mention different players!). It's true that we can make a few generalities, but the individual differences I regularly hear are larger than (say) the inherent sharpness of low C fingered 13 on a BBb tuba. Recently, I was between a BBb player and a CC player. The note to be held was A below the staff. I played A, the player to my right played A, but I heard Ab from the BBb player on my left. I was going to tell him that he missed an accidental, but I looked over and he was fingering 2. His low A was about 75 cents flat. This was not a BBb versus CC issue. This was plain and simple not playing in tune.

I haven't even mentioned being in tune with the various woodwinds, which have their own various "tendencies."

I would like to suggest that it would be best for players to at least take a few lessons. A good teacher can help get slides adjusted, advise on instruments, and help a player learn to play in tune. If a player by him/herself can play in tune with an equally tempered scale by him/herself, that's a great basis for starting on the journey of learning to make wonderful harmonious sounds with an ensemble.

Myself, I love using my ear, and adjusting my pitch to make the best sound in an ensemble. I do sometimes have to make a choice: do I tune with the rest of the ensemble, or do I tune with an out of tune tuba player in the section? Root tones from a tuba that don't match all of the higher instruments in the ensemble don't do much toward making the band sound good.

I don't care what pitch tuba I play. I do care about matching the rest of the ensemble. I don't see that choosing either a BBb or a CC tuba will help or hinder that goal -- I'll still have to work around the quirks of the individual instrument, probably including a bit of slide pulling and pushing.

Still, I don't want to discount Rick's pitch advice entirely. Perhaps Rick could suggest which people should really consider matching equipment with the rest of their section, and what criteria should be met before people should feel free to choose any instrument that pleases them. I suggest this because I have the impression that Rick has had a number of experiences that I have not, and we may really have rather different kinds of musical adventures in mind.

Allen Walker
pipes2000ATtheatreorgans.com
substitute (AT) for AT



Follow Ups: