Piccolo Intonation

NCTrumpet · Veteran Member Joined: 03 Jan 2002 Posts: 113

Since being instructed to play the "A" on piccolo with third valve, I quickly became amazed at how I could have tollerated playing it 1&2 for so many years. Darned if it wasn't sharp as a tack. So I am switching to playing all "A"s with the third valve, or as many as practical. In addition, fourth valve for high "D" seems to be much more in tune.

There are great piccolos out there and some real dogs, too, but I think that all piccolos have common intonation characteristics. It's just that the great one's are much more manageable.

What are some good tricks to keep in mind when playing your picc's in tune? Does anyone consistantly use third valve for "A"?

JC.

PC · Posted: Mon May 27, 2002 1:03 am Post subject:

Hello JC,

I have a Selmer picc and I find the A played with 3 slightly too flat on it, while 12 is a bit sharp. Depending on the mood, I eother lip up or lip down, but I am more successful in lipping down convincingly from 12. I guess it must vary with the instrument you have. I also do not bother with high D with 0 as I get by nicely with regular fingering.

But this is automatic pitch correction which is lost whenever I spend too long away from the picc. I then have to relearn to play it when I take it up again.

Pierre.

William F. Dishman · New Member Joined: 11 May 2002 Posts: 7

Use of the 3rd valve for "A's" can be useful and much more in tune however it is not always the best option. Obviously G/A trills are usually the best using 3rd valve. Hickman recommends pulling the 1st valve slide slightly on picc. This may be all that is needed to get 1-2 valve combination in tune.

The direction of the musical line also dictates to me which fingering to use. While ascending in a scale pattern either fingering can be managed, but when approached by a leap as in an ascending arpeggio, 3rd works best for me on my Schilke P-54 and my Selmer (Paris)

Descending patterns by step or by leap I usually use 1-2 with no problems.

Bill Dishman
Gainesville, Florida

Strawdoggy · Posted: Mon May 27, 2002 6:21 am Post subject:

When I am playing on the "A pipe" (which is most of my picc. playing), I pull the first valve slide out slightly to compensate for the A pipe being longer than the Bb pipe. Since the 3rd valve slide is longer than it needs to be on most trumpets, I find that on my horn (Selmer) the A (note) is pretty much in tune using only the third valve.

I guess the only way to be sure is to get out a tuner and check different valve combinations.

Steve

_PhilPicc · Posted: Mon May 27, 2002 6:45 am Post subject:

I adjust my slides with a turner and then basically rely on lipping after that. I do some alternate fingering on A and D depending on the passage.

Picc can certainly keep you busy at times;
Phil
_________________
Philip Satterthwaite

We cannot expect you to be with us all the time, but perhaps you could be good enough to keep in touch now and again."
- Sir Thomas Beecham to a musician during a rehearsal

mcstock · Posted: Mon May 27, 2002 6:57 pm Post subject:

My favorite drill for piccolo is the Stamp scale exercie (#6 in the old book with the green cover). I usually do these on the A side of the horn in the key of F (seems to be the key I perform in most often). Start the pattern on the low F (1 & 4) and go up as high as can be done easily. Something about this pattern makes it easy to keep thinking "forward" rather than "upward" as you go on. If you have a willing partner, doing these along with someone playing a B flat trumpet (unison at first, then in octaves) is a real eye opener.
Best wishes,
Matt Stock