More on our continuing discussion on “Why do the bands still tune to the tuba”?
Sound as if only one person has an opinion on how a band should be tuned. Or maybe he/she is the only one with the courage to voice his/her view?
Again, my comments are in bold type and the comments are in regular type.
“Oh yes, a couple more things”…
“The tuba is the foundation of most chords in band music”,
The tuba has usually the lowest note of the band but when trying to get a chord in tune, my focus first goes to my section (trumpets) who are sometimes doubling the tubas note several octaves higher than the tuba. I seldom concern myself with the pitch of the tuba for it is so far from the lowest trumpet and even the lowest trombone it is inconsequential.
“you can complain all you want but if the bottom note isn’t in tune, the upper harmonics and higher brass have nothing to rely on”.
I think you are overrating the importance of a tuba in this case. If the upper instruments are in tune, an out of tune tuba will be much less a problem. As an example, have an oboe tune flat to another oboe. Have a tuba tune flat to another tuba. Which pair of instruments would you want to be in the same room with?
“You never tune to a triple high C on trumpet do you”?
I don’t even like being in the same room with a trumpet playing a triple high C!
“Why are most women on woodwinds and most men on brass? Gender stigmatization”.
Even though we are again off the subject, I agree with your observation.
“Unless you look at, say any band before 1950 or even some European bands today, where men were only allowed to play (except for the few all-female jazz bands/orchestra during the early 1900s).
“When kids are in high school boys want to play the trumpet and trombone, because if they chose flute or clarinet … well you know”…
I’m sorry, I don’t know and if you do, don’t be surprised if you are accused of sexism after that comment…….
“Girls have it easier because they don’t have the same stigmatization to play a certain instrument”,
OH REALLY! Obviously you have not read my post entitled ” Sexism- Is It Still Present In the Trumpet World.
yes they play most often the woodwinds because all the boys are playing the heavier, larger instruments (like having the lung power for the tuba or holding up the trombone and having the reach for 7th position). Men are simply larger (on average) than women.
Oh where do I begin?
1. Yes they play most often the woodwinds because all the boys are playing the heavier, larger instruments”
My thought on that is that the females play the instruments they are attracted to, not on how much the instrument weighs.
2. “(like having the lung power for the tuba”
Please read the history of the world renowned tubbiest with the Chicago Symphony, Arnold Jacobs. Mr. Jacobs did quite well throughout his career on a collapsed lung.
3. “or holding up the trombone”
Take the time to research the number of female trombonist in the leading symphony orchestras as well as service bands, shows, stage shows; not to mention the increasing number of college and university trombone instructors around the world.
4. “and having the reach for 7th position)”.
Can you say “F’ attachment?
” Men are simply larger (on average) than women”.
This is true. “But women are smarter”.
I would like to thank our contributor again for standing up for his/her convictions and I’m sure that we both are still holding to our own opinion. It is not his/her intent to sway me, nor is it my intent to change his/her view. The point of all of this is to hold with your truths and if no one can change them through civil discussion, so be it.
What are your thoughts on this topic?
Take the plunge as our friend has and send us your opinion.
Hi Mr.Bruce,
Your blog is really helpful to beginners, I’ve learned a lot in just a few articles. Since you’re so experienced I was wondering if you could help me. I went to my third cornet lesson today and my teacher was showing me some (rhythm studies I think they’re called). I had a really hard time knowing when I had completed a whole note. He said that I’ll develop a sense of the length of beats later after I’m used to playing notes. I didn’t find this particularly helpful. How do you keep time while playing your instrument? Can I use a metronome for cornet? I tried tapping my foot but I couldn’t maintain a constant beat.
Thanks
First, I would like to thank you for your kind words and secondly I agree with your teacher. Rhythm is in all of us and how we learn to recognize and develop it is very interesting.
Here are some suggestions which should answer your concern.
Step one-
1. Turn on the radio in your home to a station which you enjoy the music being played.
2. Listen to the songs and see if you can find beat “one” in the music. This is most often the beginning of a phrase or sentence.
3. Sit down in a chair and as beat one comes around, stomp your “left” foot softly on the floor.
4. Once you recognize and are able to stomp your left foot on beat one, try stomping your left foot on beat one and your right foot on beat two followed by left and right throughout the song.
5. Next , get out of the chair and start marching around the room, keeping beat one on your left foot, followed by the next beat on your right and the next back on your left, etc.
6. Be sure that the first count or beat is always on your left foot. (Beat one and beat three will be on your left foot and beat two and four will be on your right foot).
7. Now as you’re marching around the room, clap your hands on the beats were your left foot strikes the ground. Clap only on the beats were your left foot hits the ground.
8. Once you have that down, snap your fingers on the beats that your right foot hits the ground.
9. So… as you are marching to the music you should be clapping you hands when your left foot hits the floor and snapping your fingers when your right foot hits the floor. If you can’t snap your fingers, find something else to do on beat two.
10. If you have an adult in the room with you, have them work with you to make sure all is going the way it should.
11. Start slow and as it becomes more natural to you, pick faster songs to march to.
12. Once you are to the point where you can do all of this without thinking about it, practice twice a day doing this exercise to one or two songs at a time.
13. By the end of the week, you should have established where the beats are in a song, how to “feel” and recognize the different beats and be able to transfer this knowledge to your trumpet/ cornet playing.
WE are very proud that you have chosen to join the world of trumpet/cornet players. Listen to your teacher and remember this, “It is more important how much you improve, not how long you practice”.