Re: Lippin'n' Slidin'


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

Posted by Jay Bertolet on June 12, 2002 at 12:34:40:

In Reply to: Lippin'n' Slidin' posted by circusboy on June 12, 2002 at 11:38:03:

I think the answer depends on your approach to playing. For some players, lipping everything in tune is just fine. For me, I never adjust the embouchure to correct intonation unless there is absolutely no other alternative. Basically, that means I don't lip ever. To my concept of playing, moving the embouchure means changing the sound. Because I put such a high priority on the consistency of my sound, that's unacceptable. I much prefer to use alternate fingerings or move slides to adjust intonation. These are always the first things I try. For those of you who saw my masterclass at ITEC, you probably noticed that I never moved any slides on any of the instruments I played. You may also have noticed that I didn't use the same sets of fingerings for each excerpt on the different horns. That's because I did my homework prior to the conference and had developed the sets of fingerings for each excerpt, on each instrument, that yielded good intonation. Of course, it helps when you regularly play with musicians who are so consistently accurate with their intonation. The trombone section from the NCSO was just such a group. Even so, it really pays to have a working pattern of alternate fingerings to choose from, on every instrument you play and depending on playing conditions, such that you can adjust intonation with different fingerings rather than resort to embouchure contortions that might change the sound or have other undersirable side effects.

My opinion for what it's worth...


Follow Ups: