Listen for the Buzz!

[_Don Herman]

When we play together, on different notes, difference tones are generated. These are pitches that are "differences" of the pitches we are playing, e.g. a third and fifth can generate a fundamental difference "false" tone. False in the sense that we aren't really playing it, but it's there anyway! These tones generally sound like a "buzz" to the player and can be pitched above or below the two tones we (me and you, or you and a friend) are playing. Most often they will be heard a third below, but virtually any pitch is possible. There's actually a range of these tones generated, and are one thing which allows a brass section (or any other, but who cares about them? ) to sound "fuller" and "bigger" to the audience.

Now, the trick is to listen for -- and to -- this buzz, and try to get it to sound "nice" when you're playing. If the difference tone (buzz) is off pitch, it means you and your partner ain't quite together. This works better than listening for "beats', which get pretty hard to hear and hold, and works better in ensemble (band, orchestra, etc.) playing. It also works to help you tune the third down and fifth up, or whichever way that goes! Once you start hearing these tones, you'll find yourself subconsciously using them to dial in the pitches, matching the principal (or whomever) to get a nice buzz going. If your pitch is off, the buzz will become grating and make you feel uncomfortable. I suspect a lot of good players do this unknowingly -- that is, they may not consciously listen to the buzz, but their mind knows it's there and makes them uncomfortable until the pitch gets right and a nice buzz results.

Try it sometime, and see if it doesn't help get better sound!

FWIW, HTH, UDA (usual disclaimers apply) - Don

_________________
Don Herman/Monument, CO
"After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music." - Aldous Huxley

[ This Message was edited by: Don Herman on 2002-05-25 18:01 ]

[PH]

This "buzz" is also stronger if all of the players have resonant opulent sounds in addition to properly aligned intonation. The overtones of each pitch interact, not just the primary pitch. There is much more richness to the resulting chord and the sum and difference combination tones if all of the players have great sounds.

I suspect that this (the harmonic spectrum of the timbre and the resultant "buzz" of these tones in combination) is the primary reason why professionals who specialize in live performance in an unamplified trumpet section seem to prefer certain makes and models of instruments (i.e. Bachs, Kanstuls, New Vintages, or old Callichios).