Hi David, This is deja vu. On this list I've already made the point that in the late 70's when I was in the City of Birmingham Orchestra, Paxman's offered us a choice of 8Ds, so for a whole season the section played on identical horns with only one on a significantly different mouthpiece. Pete Dyson on 4th (still there) played a Halstead/Chiddell 'potty trainer'. We didn't make the same sound, in fact it's probably true to say we carried on with the sound we all had before.
The point I've made on this list previously is that the body cavities, some of which you mention, have a significant part to play in dictating the sound we make. These are unalterable whereas instruments can be changed. This is why we all have individual voices, easily recognisable by those we know. To say we make the sound that's in our heads is partly, physiologically true but omits the body cavities that are resonating chambers below the neckline. Ralph R. Hall On 13 Jun 2011, at 01:43, David McClellan wrote: > Over the years i have heard that each of the following can have an > effect on an individual's sound. Some are obvious, some not quite > so, but here goes: The material of the horn, the wrap of the horn, > whether the horn is lacquered or not, whether a leather grip/wrap is > used, right hand position, mouthpiece used, embouchure, tongue > position, shape of the sinus cavity, size of the thorax cavity, > openess of the throat, how the breath is used, and probably as many > more that I haven't listed. > > This leads me to something I have always wondered. Why do many > sections insist on playing the same horn? Cleveland and Conn 8ds. > Atlanta and Lawsons. Chicago and Lewis. With so many variables, > wouldn't it be reasonable to expect that in order to match the sound > of Person A, who plays an unlacquered brass Alex 103 with a given > mouthpiece and given personal physical characteristics, that Person > B with his/her personal physical characteristics and mouthpiece > would have to play, say, a nickel silver lacquered Kruspe wrap Yamaha? > > I am reminded of something the trombone professor where I studied > horn some 40 years ago told us. He had read a study whereby several > professionals were recorded on their own instruments and > mouthpieces, then given different instruments and mouthpieces. They > sounded different, but over time (several weeks as I recall) they > each regained their original sound on the new gear. I believe > someone on this list posited and posted something similar during > this thread. > > David McClellan > _______________________________________________ > post: [email protected] > unsubscribe or set options at > https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/ralph%40brasshausmusic.com Ralph R. Hall [email protected] Ralph R. Hall http://www.brasshausmusic.com _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
