Re: Re: Going Back To Small Bore Brass.


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Posted by Rick Denney on April 23, 2003 at 13:16:23:

In Reply to: Re: Going Back To Small Bore Brass. posted by John Swadley on April 22, 2003 at 22:37:47:

This may be relevant with trombones, but I think it is too general for big conical-bore instruments like tubas. The contribution of bore size is a small factor in the overall performance of the instrument, it seems to me. There are large-bore tubas with a wide tonal palette, and pea-shooter tubas that can't make even one decent sound. One of the reasons behind the current fixation on grand orchestral tubas is the wide palette, yet these instruments have a large bore (and even larger outer branches). This does not make them "dark" in the sense of damping out those lively upper harmonics.

To me, a dark sound is one that has tremendous focus and tuning in the lower harmonics so that its four or five strong overtones will sound powerfully. A deep sound, on the other hand, may have half again as many loud harmonics, entailing a lot of high-frequency content. The tuning of those harmonics (when it is right) provides a clear difference tone on the pitch being played, even though that first overtone is not usually strong by itself. This establishes that low pitch and sense of depth in the ear, even though the higher harmonics also provide other tonality. If those higher harmonics aren't well-tuned, the difference tone doesn't come out and the sound lacks depth. This is the common pea-shooter result.

The most character I hear from tuba players comes from those instruments with a wide array of harmonic content, though that sort of character is not always the musical objective.

Rick "who thinks tuba character isn't that closely related to bore size" Denney


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