[Trombone-l] intonation

[John Burton]

Jeff...

There's the secret I've always used, not always in Big Band, but nearly
any music type.  

Quote --

> 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.

UnQuote --

That's the secret. Play with your ears.  

This rule is sometimes difficult to apply when I'm playing the bass line
on a Bass Trombone, or Contra-Bass trombone.  Then, I play the note with
assertiveness and confidence born of years of wrong notes.  Remember
you're only a half-step away from the right note....


~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~= 
 
john burton
Bach 50B3 Bass Trombone
Kanawha Valley Community Band / Slide-by-Slide
South Charleston, West Virginia
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: trombone-l-bounces at maillists.samford.edu 
> [mailto:trombone-l-bounces at maillists.samford.edu] On Behalf 
> Of Jeff Adams
> Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2007 12:40 PM
> To: trombone-l at server5.samford.edu
> Subject: [Trombone-l] intonation
> 
> 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
> 
> 
> 
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