From Reed Sucker to Lip Buzzer - Clarinet to Tuba Switch

7/29/2019 From Reed Sucker to Lip Buzzer - Clarinet to Tuba Switch

1/35

By Jeff Sandberg

Eastmont School DistrictEast Wenatchee, WA

Practical Application #2 - MUSI 5398

1

In partial (pun intended) fulfillment of a master's degree

in band conducting through the American Band College

of Sam Houston State University.

From Reed-Sucker toLip-Buzzer

A Clarinet-To-Tuba

PrimerBook 2 - Pitch Problems


2/35

2

Table of ContentsProposal.......................................................................03Introduction...................................................................03Intonation......................................................................04The Physics of Sound...................................................04The Person...................................................................04Instrument Adjustment..................................................06Variables Between the Instruments..............................06Bringing It All Together..................................................07Pitch Tendencies...........................................................08Exercises......................................................................15Excerpts........................................................................18Works.............................................................................21Bibliography...................................................................33


3/35

Introduction Book 2 of this series was written to be a resource for the clarinet-to-tuba switcher. Thisbook assumes that the student has been playing from 6 months to a year on the tuba afterone full year on the clarinet. If this is not you, please see my first book, "From Reed Sucker toLip Buzzer Book 1." The author assumes that the school-aged student is involved with private orclassroom-based instruction. However, it is the author's hope that this book will encouragestudents to be self-motivated learners. The author recommends students set aside aminimum of 30 minutes per day to set and achieve playing goals. May the information in this

book lead to your improvement as a player and in turn propel you to practice the UniversalLaw of Reciprocation (selfless giving). This book is designed to help intermediate players: Understand pitch tendencies Learn the variables between the instruments Understand how your instrument and body can help or hinder your playing Understand that the tuba has become the primary source of tuning in the wind band

May you benefit from the information contained in this ephemeral manual.Jeffrey C. SandbergDirector of MusicClovis Point Intermediate SchoolEastmont School District #206East Wenatchee, WA

3

Book 2 Proposal New tuba players have had 6 months to a year to get acquainted with theirinstrument. Now is the time to fine-tune their knowledge with understanding the issue ofpitch tendencies. This will aid in intonation with the rest of the band, as the tuba has

become the primary source of tuning in the wind band. Since tubas play a low-soundingfundamental, it is important for them to understand their place in the harmonic structureof the band. Many players who have an instrument they start with relate their firstinstrument to the new instrument they're learning. This would be a handy guide that translates clarinet pitch tendencies for theclarinet-to-tuba student who has spent 6 months or more on the tuba. This book willinclude the first 4 playable partials of the overtone series for each of the two instruments,relate pitch tendencies for those partials, and explains how the instruments key/valvecombinations might have an effect on those tendencies. There will be exercises writtenor audio to practice, as well as excerpts of common band pieces for the purpose ofunderstanding its application in the wind band.


4/35

Tuning & Intonation...Redundant? It all starts with tuning: the foundation for understanding pitch tendencies is in tuning. Ifyou do not know how to tune, the pitch tendencies will not matter at all. Playing in tunerequires three things:

an understanding of the physics of sound (vibrations) that performers have good posture, air production, and embouchure control (the

person)

know how to adjust your instrument (the instrument)The Physics of Sound (Vibrations) A typical band will warm up with scales, chorales and other etudinal passages, followedby a time for individual and/or group tuning. If a player is not knowledgeable about tuning,there will likely be differences in degrees of intonation, or the degree to which two or moreinstrument's sound waves line up. Ed Lisk, author of the Creative Director series, hasreferred to perfect intonation as "beatless tuning." For example, if you and another tubaplayer play the same note, you might experience no vibrations, or beats, in the sound(perfect, beatless tuning), or some frequency of beats between the two of you. The ideals is

to get rid of the beats. What does this mean? The scientific answer is to have the sound waves you producefrom vibrating your lips and passing air through the mouthpiece line up with your neighbors.The musical answer is to create one sound between you and the other player. This happenstypically during the tuning portion of the warmup, in which everyone tunes to a central pitch,usually concert Bb or F. One caveat: though you are tuning to a central pitch, that does not mean that allpitches are now in tune. Because of the varying differences in makeup between theinstruments, there are specific notes that will have to be adjusted by using alternate fingeringsor by loosening/tightening the jaw. As mentioned before, differences between instrumentsand people must be accounted for and considered when attempting to tune and maintain that

throughout the group rehearsal, be it small or large group.The Person How do we create an environment for beatless tuning with all the different instruments?Now that you have a basic understanding of the physics of sound, the next puzzle piece isputting your body in the best possible position for producing the best sound possible on yourinstrument. This is largely what will put the instrument in better shape for proper intonation.Whether you play tuba or oboe, all instrument are responsible for proper posture, airproduction and embouchure control. Let us take a brief look at each of the followingcharacteristics:Posture: Good posture is essential for the opening of the lungs for needed warm air (andappearance). The body should be in position to aid proper production of sound. It isnecessary that all musicians keep their back straight and shoulders relaxed. Body tensioncorrelates to sound tension; if a specific note is sharp, body tension will increase it'ssharpness. Norlan Bewley states, "Always keep the chest up and out for proper breathing.This is the key to correct posture. When you do this, all of the other elements of correctplaying posture fall into place" ( B e w l e y, N o r l a n , 1 9 9 9 ) . In order to get the full benefits of a relaxed body, it might be necessary to stretch yourbody, as stretching exercises will release tension in the body. There are various type of

4


5/35

stretching exercises, including neck rolls, shoulder rolls, trunk rotations, etc. For a full listingof proper stretches and breathing exercises for musicians, see Sam Pilafian and PatSheridan's book and video series, The Breathing Gym.Air Production: Air support exercises should be used on a regular basis. The key is to move

air in and out as uninhibited as possible. Students should practice taking deep breaths withtheir mouths wide open (a two finger-wide opening between the front teeth is a goodguideline). Though there are varying approaches to the physical aspects of breathing, it isbest to focus on the vowel shape "oh," like you've heard juicy gossip. Now, breathe in and outwith that same vowel shape. The air should leave the body exactly as it came in. Be careful to not stop the air while breathing in and out. Stopped air is a result of bodytension. Do not hold breath: air should be constantly moving, whether slow or fast, andnever stopped. If your body is moving in unnatural ways while taking a breath, try lying flat onthe floor and focusing on the core of your body. The following exercise aids in tone development.

5


6/35

Embouchure control: Embouchure control, or the lack thereof, has a huge effect onintonation. Generally speaking, a weak embouchure will generally produce a flat sound and atight, pinched embouchure will produce sharp tones. Remember our anecdote from book 1...

Instrument Adjustment Once the above characteristics are under your control, adjust your instrument to tunethe overall pitch of your instrument. As we will be discussing in future sections, each partialand valve combination on the tuba has its own set of problems. You must know that bandinstruments are not tuned at the factory nor designed to play in tune when pushed snuglytogether. That is not to say that one should not tune the instrument. You should be preparedwith how to adjust individual note problems. Before adjusting specific pitch tendencies, tune to your instrument's central pitch. Ifyour central pitch is sharp, your instrument will need to be lengthened so the waves have alonger way to go to get out of the instrument. Generally speaking, the shorter the instrument,the higher the pitch. That goes for tuba vs. flute, and long flute vs. short flute. It is not recommended to adjust the tuba's tuning slide or clarinet barrel for each notethat is out of tune. If the note is sharp, lower your jaw and/or open up the inside of yourmouth. If the note is flat, firm up the lower jaw and speed up your air. How much you adjustdepends on how out of tune the note is by comparison to the other instruments in your group.Memorize which notes are out of tune on your instrument. Brass instruments are easy,because there's a pattern to it. See the section below titled "Pitch Tendencies" forwritten examples and exercises.Variables Between the Instruments Since it is assumed that the reader is switching from clarinet to tuba, we will press onto differences between the instruments. Seeing we discussed embouchures specifically inthe previous book, we will move on to the instrument mechanics and particular pitch

tendencies and your response to those. Though there are similarities between these two very unique instruments, thedifferences are just as interesting. The variables in the pitch between the instruments includethe mouthpiece, number and size of the tone holes, and the material the instrument is madeof. Below, I will outline in greater detail some of those major differences:

6

"OH OO SQUEEZE THE TUBE"


7/35

( M o u t h p i e c e E x p r e s s . c o m , 2 0 1 1) I hope after viewing this table you can begin to see how the overtones might responddifferently due to sound projecting in different directions, timbres fighting each other fordominance, and the sheer difference in size between the instruments working for presenceamongst the rest of the band. Though these many variations could cause many issues within the band (think balanceand blend, too!), students who practice mastering the previously-mentioned fundamentalscan, in time, overcome those seemingly insurmountable obstacles.Bringing It All Together The question now is where do we go from here? That is what the rest of thispublication is dedicated to. You can, indeed, control many of these variables through properhandling of the instrument, regular practice on fundamentals, and taking note of what yourteacher instructs you to do. Later, I will also be discussing the importance of playing in astudent-directed small ensemble, which will better allow you to internalize what you havelearned from your band teacher. For now, I will ask you to become familiar with partials twothru five. The first partial on tubs, the fundamental, requires incredible lip flexibility and airsupply, and will likely require private instruction from a master tuba teacher.

Characteristic Clarinet Tuba

Mouthpiece Material: plastic, rubber,sometimes woodcharacteristics include facing (tip

opening), facing length, bank, tiprail, table, baffle, chamber, shank(exterior stem), backbore (interiorstem)Sound production: a woodenreed is attached to the mouthpiece;the player's mouth covers abouthalf of the mouthpiece and reed;reed vibrates as air passes throughthe facing as reed rests on bottomlip causing a vibration point

Material: metalcharacteristics include rim, cup,throat, shank (exterior stem),

backbore (interior stem)Sound production: as lips rest onthe rim of the mouthpiece in an 'm'position, sound is propelled by airpassing through the lips, causing thelips to buzz

Tone Holes Tone holes: 17-25 tone holes,used more like ventsSize of bell: 2.75"

Bell: anywhere from 361mms to 441mms, depending on the size and keyof the instrument

Material plasticwood

brasssilverfiberglass (sousaphones)

7


8/35

Pitch Tendencies and the Overtone Series As discussed in book 1 of this series, the tuba has 16 partials per valve combination,while the clarinet has 5 (partials 1, 3, 5, 7, & 9). Unlike the tuba which can overblown to thenext octave, the clarinet does not; it skips the even-numbered partials. What we will nowdiscuss is their distance from the fundamental, the pitch discrepancies, and their relation tothe clarinet. As Max McKee stresses, "you must be able to determine any partial or find any fundamentalfrom a given pitch within five seconds" (McKee, 1986). Here's a test:

The neat thing about the tuba is all the overtone intervals are identical in each series. Partials1, 2, 4 and 8 are the fundamental and it's octaves. 3, 6, and 12 are perfect 5ths. Now, try thismind-bending exercise:

Why is this exercise important? You will not need to pick up a fingering chart after a week ofworking persistently on this. Realistically, how handy is a chart in the middle of rehearsalwhere time and stand space is limited? And, does a fingering chart allow you to think aboutpossible alternative fingerings without even looking?As a point of review from book 1, the tuba has seven valve combo series :

8

Name the 4th partial of the C series [C]Name the 3rd partial of the Bb series [F]Name the 2nd partial of the Ab series [Ab]Name the 5th partial of the G series [B]

D is the 5th partial of the what series [Bb]D is the 4th partial of the what series [D]C is the 3rd partial of the what series [Ab]C is the 2nd partial of the what series [C]


9/35

For example, it is easy to determine all the possible fingerings for D in the staff:

There are three possible fingerings: 5th partial of the Bb series, 6th partial of the G series,and 7th partial of the E series. Which one is the best fingering? Use the following rule:Let us look at our 3rd line D for tuba and, using the above rule, decipher which fingering is the

best choice. 123 requires all of the valves, includes 3rd valve and is the 7th partial of it'sseries, which breaks every rule. This leaves us with combos 12/3 or open. The best choice isopen, because it uses the least number of valves and doesn't involve 3rd valve or the 7th

partial.Here is an exercise to help you internalize these partials and their fingerings: make a tubafingering chart from low Bb down to lowest E. Use the overtone series listed above andcheck your best answers against the rule. When you finish, you will likely have a better chartthan most commercial charts.After you have completed all previously-mentioned exercises, we can discuss the next bigquestion - what about the intonation traits associated with those fingerings? "I'll never learnthis," you say. Quite the contrary! It requires memorizing only a few basic concepts, not abunch of small details. We will continue with the rules regarding intonation traits within the

natural overtone series. If you can sing even remotely in tune and know the melody to "ThreeBlind Mice," you can learn this rule in no time at all.

9

Select the fingering which requires theleast number of valves;

Unless it involves using 3rd valve;Or playing the 7th partial of any series


10/35

Now, memorize the traits associated with valve combinations.

The next exercise combines four components: Using whole notes, draw the notes for partials 1-8 of the seven series Identify the natural partial tendencies on the side by marking flat (b), sharp (#), or ok Identify the valve combination tendencies below the first partial using the above system In the boxes underneath each note partial, identify the OVERALL pitch problem as it relates

to partial and valve combination pitch

10

23 valve combination is moderately flat

12 valve combination are slightly sharp13 valve combination is moderately sharp

123 valve combination is very sharp

3, 6, 12... 3, 6, 12Are slightly sharp, are slightly sharp

5 and 12 are moderately flat;5 and 12 are moderately flat;

and 7 is very flat, 7 is very flat

My suggestion is to place the average into one of threecategories: sharp, ok, or flat. Each will have varyingdegrees to which it is out of tune, but the point of theexercises is to determine which direction out of tune thepartial and it's accompanying fingering.


11/35

11


12/35

Just in case you do like pretty charts, below is one with partials 2-5 alongside clarinet. Forour purposes, The clarinet portion of the chart will sound two octaves higher, and will read anoctave a 9th higher.

12


13/35

Before we hit the excises, the question is asked, "How can all this knowledge of the overtoneseries improve your musicianship?" First of all, the above information relates to all otherbrass instruments. Secondly, you have easy access to alternate fingerings without having apaper chart clutter your music stand. As Samantha Blake elaborates in her overtone seriespresentation, "How can an in depth knowledge and understanding of the overtone

series and brass instrument fingerings make you a better musician? Theability to substitute on, or transfer to another brass instrument with ease willnot only help your band if needed, but it also opens up opportunities for youas a musician. [For instance,] the fingering system for the trombone isexactly the same as for the trumpet, except the trombone is major ninthlower in pitch. If you are asked to play music that seems impossible,chances are, there is an easier way to finger it. Knowing where the notes layin other overtone series, helps you decide an alternate route.

( B l a k e , S a m a n t h a , 2 0 1 0 ) Let's take a look at the trombone and tuba side-by-side:

The trombone lays one octave above the tuba, making it and the euphonium themost immediately accessible. To extend the usage of the overtone principles to theother brass instruments, consider the following:INSTRUMENT READ THEN MENTALLY TRANSPOSE THEN THINKF Horn

F Part & transpose up a M9

Tuba fingerings

Bb Horn F part & transpose up octave+5th Tuba fingeringsTrumpet Bb part & transpose up 2 octaves+2nd Tuba fingeringsB.C. Baritone B.C. part & transpose up one octave Tuba fingeringsT.C. Baritone Bb part & transpose up 2 octaves+2nd Tuba fingeringsWhen you use these rules for brass fingerings, it is easy to look at pitches on anyvalved instrument and quickly relate them to tuba:

13


14/35

Max McKee relates, The exciting thing about this concept is that not only do youcover the bases to know fingerings (everything possible!) on each of the valvedbrasses, but you also can carry along important recognition of pitch problemscommon to specific valve combinations and natural overtones. Again, you have theknowledge necessary to be a go-to person when other classmates are unsure.However, be sure to heed what St. Peter wrote in 1 Peter 3:15 of the Holy BibleKJV: "Be ready always to give an answer ... with meekness and fear (emphasis

mine). In other words, youre not just a fountain of knowledge; youre a helpful bandmember.Now, even if you are not interested in transferring instruments, this information willbe helpful to you as a team member. If there is a less experienced player in yourorganization, passing this information along to that person will result in you fulfillingthe Law of Reciprocation (selfless giving).Heres a quick aside: switches are constantly needed in the band world. It doesntmatter if you are in a concert band, marching band (especially with the oboe andbassoon), or the contemporary music scene, if you are able to play two, three ore

more instruments proficiently, you are valuable in the music world. So, knowing afew basic rules will allow you to pick up an instrument and learn it within a matter ofdays.

14


15/35

Written ExercisesFor the following exercises, circle every possible valve combination. Then, label thepartial for that fingering beneath each answer. ( C a r r o l l , D a v e , 1 9 9 9 ) 1. 2. 3. 4.5. 6.7. 8.

15


16/35

Written Exercises (continued)9. 10.11. 12.13. Circle in the correct fingerings below each note. ( R o h r e r , T h o m a s R . , 2 0 1 1 )

14. Write the correct note name below each note. Challenge: list the fingering and partial.

16


17/35

Written Exercises (continued)

( D e e , M o l l y , 2 0 0 6 ) 17

by Molly Dee


18/35

Clarinet and Tuba Comparison ExcerptsThese exercises are done best alongside a clarinet bandmate, a recording of aclarinetist, or yourself going back and forth between clarinet and tuba. You findclarinet midi files to play along with plus other tuba resources at:

www.jcsandberg.com/lipbuzzerThe purpose of these exercises is to train your ear to make appropriate valve and/orembouchure adjustments when intonation becomes a problem. Refer to thefingering chart only as a reference. Again, it is best to memorize a few basic rulesrather than a dragging around a paper chart to clutter up your stand.

( W a s h i n g t o n M u s i c E d u c a t o r s A s s o c i a t i o n , 2 0 11 )

18


19/35

( W a s h i n g t o n M u s i c E d u c a t o r s A s s o c i a t i o n , 2 0 11 ) Following is a well-known holiday carol that most people know and enjoy. Once youlean this really well, and using the above rules to aid with transposition, switch parts.

19


20/35

Tuba Excerpts

Indiana Bandmasters Junior All-State Audition excerpts

( I n d i a n a B a n d m a s t e r s A s s o c i a t i o n , 2 0 11 ) 20


21/35

Small Group Score and PartsSmall ensembles are featured here because of it's immense capacity to forge leaders,improve ear training and build musical interdependence. Here is one of many small grouppieces that will build your overall musicianship. Featured here are two pieces that areattainable at the middle school and junior high levels.

21


22/35

22


23/35

23


24/35

24


25/35

( V a r i o u s M i x e d E n s e m b l e s , 2 0 11 )

25


26/35

26


27/35

27


28/35

28


29/35

29


30/35

30


31/35

( V a r i o u s M i x e d E n s e m b l e s , 2 0 11 )

31


32/35

Tuba Solo with Piano Accompaniment

( B i n d n e r , B r i a n , 2 0 0 9 )

32


33/35

Sources CitedM o u t h p i e c e E x p r e s s . c o m . ( 2 0 1 1 , J u l y 2 1 ) . M o u t h p i e c e a n a t o m y 1 0 1 . R e t r i e v e d f r o m http://www.mouthpieceexpress.com/specshub/ a n a t o m y _ w w . h t m l M o u t h p i e c e E x p r e s s . c o m , . ( 2 0 1 1 , J u l y 2 1 ) . B r a s s m o u t h p i e c e s . R e t r i e v e d f r o m http://www.mouthpieceexpress.com/specshub/ a n a t o m y _ w w . h t m l R o h r e r , T h o m a s R . , T S R . ( 2 0 1 1 , M a r c h 2 9 ) . I n s t r u m e n t a l m e t h o d s q u i z # 1 8 . R e t r i e v e d f r o m http://www.usu.edu/music/ensembles/ b a n d / U S U b a n d s / h t m l _ p a g e s _ f o l d e r / 3 2 4 0 % 2 0 Q u i z % 2 0 1 8 . p d fI n d i a n a B a n d m a s t e r s A s s o c i a t i o n , I B A . ( 2 0 1 1 , J u l y 2 1 ) .

i n d i a n a j u n i o r a l l s t a t e b a n d a u d i t i o n e x c e r p t. R e t r i e v e d f r o m h t t p : / / www.indianabandmasters.org/All-state/ijasb/Tuba.pdf

W a s h i n g t o n M u s i c E d u c a t o r s A s s o c i a t i o n , W M E A . ( 2 0 1 1 , J u l y 2 1 ) . W m e a j u n i o r a l l - s t a t e b a n d a u d i t i o n m a t e r i a l s . R e t r i e v e d f r o m http://www.eskimo.com/~psywe/word_and_pdf/A u d i t i o n M a t e r i a l s . p d fC a r r o l l , D a v e , D C . ( 1 9 9 9 , N o v e m b e r 2 5 ) . M u s i c r a c e r . R e t r i e v e d f r o m h t t p : / / w w w . m u s i c r a c e r . c o m D e e , M o l l y, M D . ( 2 0 0 6 , J a n u a r y 1 ) . A n a b c m a s t e r s c a n d i d a t e s p e c i a l p r e s e n t a t i o n - t u b a s w i t c h . B a n d w o r l d , 2 1 ( 3 ) , R e t r i e v e d f r o m http://www.bandworld.org/MagOnline/MagOnline.aspx?i=6&p=35B l a k e , S a m a n t h a , S B . ( 2 0 1 0 , J a n u a r y 1 ) . A n a b c m a s t e r s c a n d i d a t e s p e c i a l p r e s e n t a t i o n - t h e o v e r t o n e s e r i e s . B a n d w o r l d , 2 5( 3 ) , R e t r i e v e d f r o m http://www.bandworld.org/MagOnline/MagOnline.aspx? i = 6 & p = 3 5 B i n d n e r , B r i a n , B B . ( 2 0 0 9 , J a n u a r y 1 ) . D e c k t h e h a l l s . R e t r i e v e d f r o m http://www.brassmusiconline.com/en/deck-the-halls-t u b a - 1 0 4 V a r i o u s M i s e d E n s e m b l e s . ( 2 0 1 1 , J u l y 2 8 ) . M i x e d e n s e m b l e s h e e t m u s i c . R e t r i e v e d f r o m http://www.wenatcheemusic.com/i n d e x . p h p ? o p t i o n = c o m _ p h o c a d o w n l o a d & v i e w = c a t e g o r y & i d = 7 7 : s h e e t -

33


34/35

m u s i c & I t e m i d = 2 3 9 V a r i o u s T u b a A r t i c l e s . ( 2 0 1 1 , J u l y 2 8 ) . T u b a / e u p h . e x e r c i s e s / a r t i c l e s . R e t r i e v e d f r o m http://www.wenatcheemusic.com/i n d e x . p h p ? o p t i o n = c o m _ p h o c a d o w n l o a d & v i e w = c a t e g o r y & i d = 5 9 : t u b a - e u p h o n i u m - e x e r c i s e s & I t e m i d = 2 3 9 V a r i o u s T u b a S h e e t M u s i c . ( 2 0 1 1 , J u l y 2 8 ) . T u b a / e u p h . s h e e t m u s i c . R e t r i e v e d f r o m http://www.wenatcheemusic.com/index.php? o p t i o n = c o m _ p h o c a d o w n l o a d & v i e w = c a t e g o r y & i d = 1 3 1 : t u b a - e u p h . - s h e e t - m u s i c & I t e m i d = 2 3 9 B e w l e y , N o r l a n , N B . ( 1 9 9 9 , J a n u a r y 1 ) . T u b a t i p s f o r p l a y e r s & s t u d e n t s . R e t r i e v e d f r o m http://www.norlanbewley.com/tuba-tips/posture.htmM c K e e , M . M a x . " T h e O v e r t o n e S e r i e s . " . B a n d w o r l d . 1 M a y 1 9 8 6 : P r i n t .

34


35/35

Jeff Sandberg1329 3rd St.

W t h WA 98801

Documents

From Reed Sucker to Lip Buzzer - Clarinet to Tuba Switch