Re: Brass instruments

[Jim Green <JMGreen@SISNA.COM>]

At 05:11 PM 7/8/99 -0400, Michael Edmiston wrote:
> I got a kick out of Jim Green's response about kissing, and also about
> not wanting to play any instrument that he must put in his mouth.  But
> maybe that's what Jim needs to do (play the instrument... kissing is
> optional).

Oh, but Michael, I do play the guitar, but that has not been any help in
understanding what you brass people are saying -- it doesn't make me a
better kisser either -- I am told that there is enough talent in that
regard -- and I don't have to put it into my mouth.

However, I do think that I now understand what is being said here -- and I
find it very interesting.  Let me extrapolate to the reeds to see if I do
understand:

In the case of the clarinet (single reed) it is NOT the case that the reed
just makes noise and the tube selects only the frequency it wants to
"amplify".  The tube _forces_  the reed to vibrate at the selected
frequency -- selected by musician key press -- and the mouth does little
more than supply air.

On the other hand for double reeds one CAN play a tune with just the mouth
and reeds so I take it that the oral cavity (by changing shape) can force
the reeds to vibrate at the frequency of choice -- and the note is
"amplified" by the tube accompanied by the simultaneous key pressing.

Sort of.

I still don't understand how the bugle works -- but must confess that I no
longer care; I must say that this is enough music lesson for a day or two.
(:-)  When I was a kid, I paid my piano teacher $0.25 a lesson.  I wondered
if the $0.25 was paid just to be permitted to leave and go play.  What
would the fee be here?

Jim Green
mailto:JMGreen@sisna.com
http://users.sisna.com/jmgreen