To paraphrase a famous quote, all a Horn is, is a series of tubes. The lips aren't a perfect frequency generator - and this is why the pitch can sag/rise when we play on a harmonic. However, if we were to put in a set of robotic lips (akin to what Honda/Toyota has done with a few of their robots) we notice that the harmonics are rock solid, very consistent, and all you need is to change the length of the tubing. You want to have as good an embouchure as possible, yes. And if a Horn is properly tuned it is the player's fault for being out of tune due to an imperfect embouchure - so you bring the horn as close as you can to being in tune. A specific tube of a specific length has a very specific and measurable Harmonic frequency. Whether our lips match it or not is a different story. Long tones also help build up that 'imperfect' embouchure too. Then again - I'm only going by what the Physics papers tell me with regards to intonation and harmonics - and by what's demonstrable with robotics. -William In a message dated 11/19/2009 12:02:39 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, [email protected] writes:
Is there a problem playing a horn one's teacher has tuned? I play a Yamaha 666 I bought from fellow list member and horn player extraordinaire Chris Wiljhelm, and I leave the slides all right where he had them. I tended to play sharp early on, and sometimes gave in and lengthened the main tuning slide to compensate, but these days I do my best to leave it right where he had it. I figure it's my problem, not the horn's, to get the thing to play in tune. _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
