[Trombone-l] Tuning Slide becomes Timbre adjustment?

[Jeff Albert]

On Mar 27, 2006, at 9:30 AM, Wessner, John wrote:
> If you deviate from proper tuning and try to do it with your face,  
> no notes will be centered.  If you're a sixth grader, it's going to  
> sound pretty stuffy and out of tune.

But what determines where "proper tuning" is?  I always say that  
proper tuning is where you are both in tune, and your sound is  
together, but different people have different goals in terms of sound.

I see how one could use the tuning slide as a way to affect timbral  
changes. I have one student who routinely shows up with his tuning  
slide WAY out.  It is because the band director goes from player to  
player with the tuner and says "pull out" or whatever.  I usually  
have this student push in to a reasonable length and play in tune  
anyway, and he sounds better.  You can force different lengths to  
play the same pitch, and that affects the timbre.  I don't know that  
using that as a timbral tool will have long term beneficial impact on  
the chops, but if one is confident in their chops and the method  
works...

I wouldn't teach it as a timbral control method, but I guess there  
could be a situation where i wouldn't discourage a student from doing  
it.

Jeff


=====================
Jeff Albert

www.jeffalbert.com
www.scratchmybrain.com