To me it's less matter of who CAN play in tune and more a matter of who DOES play in tune. I believe just about anyone ciran play in tune. Playing in tune largely depends on how much time a person invests with their horn to their lips. For example, I'm personally acquainted with brass players who usually play in tune, but if they fall into a practicing slump, they don't play in tune simply because they're out of shape, struggling to control the instrument, etc. I'm personally acquainted with a brass player who once gave a beautiful, perfectly "in-tune" performance on a very difficult piece of music, a piece that is considered one of the most challenging pieces ever written for his instrument... then just six months later he slaughtered something that was much simpler. His wife told me he had gotten too busy with his day job to put in the practice time like he had before. I believe that's the main reason amatuer groups often have intonation problems because amatuers often don't get in as much regular and consistent "play time" (both in private practice and ensemble work) as full time students and professionals do.
Valerie -- Valerie Wells The Balanced Embouchure Method http://bebabe.wordpress.com/ http://www.beforhorn.blogspot.com/ _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
