Without wishing to appear contrarian, but speaking again from personal experience -- having written multiple pieces that employ this effect -- it is perfectly possible to make pitchless, audible (if faint) sounds by blowing air (usually augmented by a slight whistling effect) through a brass instrument without buzzing the lips. The instruction "blow air" usually suffices. It's a very common effect. It sounds like the trumpet player in Robert's anecdote was being deliberately difficult/obtuse.
I've never seen anyone invert the mouthpiece as Robert suggests. That seems like it would generate a different kind of sound, but now I'm eager to have my band try it out! Cheers, - DJA ----- WEB: http://www.secretsocietymusic.org On 12 Mar 2010, at 6:27 PM, Robert Patterson wrote: > On Fri, Mar 12, 2010 at 3:29 PM, Neal Gittleman <[email protected]> > wrote: >> >> Me: >> But just as the bumblebee that theoretically can't fly flies just fine, the >> effect seems to work. I suspect what's happening is that the players are >> making all the noise in their mouths/lips and using the instruments, in > > Speaking only from personal experience (which extends to no more than > a handful of times having to do it), it worked because the brass > players knew to invert their mouthpieces without being told. (Or > rather, enough did so that the effect was audible in the audience.) > > I clearly remember what our principal trumpet said one time to a > composer who had asked fro the effect (n the middle of rehearsal in > front of the entire orch. and conductor). "You know, I have spent a > lot of money to have a trumpet that doesn't make any noise when I just > blow air through it." There was awkward silence from the composer in > return. I submit that no composer wants to be in that position, esp. > with a professional orchestra. Later I suggested the inverted > mouthpiece to the trumpeter and there was no more problem. > > If you want to look like you know what you are talking about, specify > inverting the mouthpiece. > _______________________________________________ > Finale mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [email protected] http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
