Re: Brass instruments

[John Gastineau <john@GASTINEAU.ORG>]

> On Wed, 7 Jul 1999, Jim Green wrote:
The lip can be tightened muscularly or loosened to shift
> the maximum in the vibrational spectrum of the input to the mouthpiece but
> it is definitely a broad spectrum emission.  The 'tone' of a beginner
> sounds funky compared to that of an experienced player because the latter
> is more skilled at approximating the input spectrum's maximum to the
> desired output, but even a Maynard Ferguson's input was a spectrum broad
> enough to make its 'pitch' indeterminate.

I'm not sure that my experience matches this last claim. From back in my
low-brass playing days, I recall the supreme test of a player's chops: to play
the Star Spangled Banner with no horn, no mouthpiece, just the lips. So, the
pitch of the sound emitted by the lips alone, and even more so with the
mouthpiece, is far from pitch indeterminate. You can play a melody, although
it is hard.

JEG

BTW, the address info below is new, for those keeping track of such things.

 __________________________________

John E. Gastineau                                 john@gastineau.org
PMB #163                        http://gastineau.home.mindspring.com
953 National Road                               (304) 243-9636 voice
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