[Trombone-l] intonation

[Jeff Adams]

On Mar 11, 2007, at 12:00 PM, trombone-l- 
request at maillists.samford.edu wrote:
> "I think using a tuner wisely and occasionally can be helpful,  
> using one too
> much can be detrimental.  I often find the people who have tuners  
> on their
> stands the most are the people with the worst intonation."
> I really like this line!  I suspect the truth in it is due to those  
> with
> tuners on their stands the most are using their eyes to tune their
> instruments rather than their ears.

I just want to add a bit to this discussion from my experience.   
Honestly, I wish people would throw out all the personal tuners.  I'm  
sure we all know this but it always bears repeating.  These devices  
are all equal temperament, which means equally out of tune--all a  
compromise so that piano keyboard instruments could play in all key  
signatures.

When playing with any type of ensemble which has one fixed pitch  
instrument you must "get in the ballpark" pitch of that instrument-- 
but that is the extent to which that instrument "owns the pitch."   
Especially since it will frequently not be playing.

Since I'm playing in a big band 90% of the time, we get in the  
ballpark of the piano, as does the bass player.  For the rest of each  
performance though, we are attempting (with very good success most of  
the time) to tune chords vertically with the Bass player as our root  
reference.

People who practice with/rely on personal tuners or piano all the  
time, and who also develop their pitch center based on these, are the  
worst to work with in an ensemble setting because they do not have  
the concept of correct vertical harmonic construction.  They play  
equally out of tune on every note just like a piano does.

"For music to modulate freely, and for all intervals to remain in  
perfect harmonic relationship, the actual frequency of all notes must  
be flexible. Furthermore, to be practical, the changes must be  
instantaneous in real time."  Musicians who are chained to the  
intonation they have become accustomed to in a practice room with a  
piano or a tuner are generally incapable of playing in tune in an  
ensemble where these instantaneous adjustments must be made  
immediately and instinctively, without conscious thought.  Being a  
trombonist puts one in a prime position to be able to make these  
adjustments since we are holding a tuning slide in our right hand.

My $.02 from the middle of our current tour (schedule on my website)
Best regards to ya'll (in Oklahoma now and heading to Texas in two  
days LOL!)

Jeff Adams
www.SlideAdams.com
A Kanstul Artist/Clinician
www.Kanstul.com