Air Pressure / Air Flow etc


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Posted by Jim Andrada on April 08, 2002 at 01:00:46:

There were a couple of posts recently about how Arnold Jacobs et al had stated that the air flow/air pressure for the same note were approximately the same regardless of the instrument.

The implication was that it should be just as "easy" to play high notes on the tuba as to play the same note on the trumpet.

But I wonder if there isn't another variable here that would have a major effect, i.e. the mouthpiece size.

It would seem to me that the tension on the embouchure required to produce high air pressure (even at low flow rates) would be significantly higher with a tuba-sized mouthpiece than with a small horn or trumpet mouthpiece which would provide significantly more support for the central region of the embouchure.

Any thoughts???


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