Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Bflat trumpet to BBflat Tuba?


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Posted by Klaus on August 13, 2002 at 15:33:30:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Bflat trumpet to BBflat Tuba? posted by Josh on August 13, 2002 at 01:38:09:

(Initial disclaimer:

As usual I write longer than acceptable for the little Mick and his fellows with their short attention spans and their limited perceptions of music and tubas. So to those of you already feeling offended: Please skip this posting. That will save you from protesting it.)


It is no secret, that Mary Ann and I profoundly agree on the importance of learning the fundamentals of music and its notation. No matter which instrument one plays.

MA is blessed/cursed with a perfect perfect pitch, and she has the speed and organisation of her brain, that is needed to handle this blessing cum curse.

My perfect pitch is much less perfect, as it is, what some might call circumstantial. It depends on the instrument I have in my hands. I can play recorders in C, but the few times I have tried CC tubas I had severe problems with sounding just the open notes, as I aimed a major second too low. Whereas getting sensible results on BBb contrabasses has been very much, by dimensions actually, easier. Because I come out of a Bb and Eb brass band tradition. Playing F horns has not been as hard as expected. And having accumulated 5 instruments in G has made that pitch of brasses fairly accessible also. Still the single C brass in the collection, a flugelhorn, poses big problems, that are not there when I play its collection mates in Eb and Bb.

The point of this postings is, that we have to live with and yet fight our limitations (a situation MA hardly encounters in pitch and key matters). That might temporarily involve the application of a few ad hoc tricks to get through transitional periods and still be able to fulfil everyday obligations in ensembles.

But to keep oneself musically alive and versatile, one should always strive to incorporate the ad hoc tricks in an extended and extending holistic perception of music in all its aspects. Well aware, that few of us will ever achieve perfection.

Brass players are often considered hunky brutes by their woodwind and string ensemble fellows. Lets be honest: outside the upper range pro ensemble levels they are not always wrong.

Klaus


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