THE TRILL

[Tubaster]

Hey guys,

I have started practicing the various excerpts and solos needed for my college auditions next year. On my list is the infamous Die Meistersinger. While I have tried to master the trill in the past, I am determined to finally get it. Any advice towards meeting this goal? It seems I have no problem trilling anything higher than an A. Also, I am using 3 as 1+2 are quite sharp on my 1291.

Thanks

[Todd S. Malicoate]

It would help if we knew what kind of problem you are having.

I prefer a fast lip trill. General flexibility studies in that range will help you improve it. Good luck!

[Michael Bush]

I can't trill anymore. Too long out of practice. But I do know from listening to Pokorny's "Orchestral Excerpts for Tuba" CD that there is a lot more in the Die Meistersinger overture that you can work with in an audition than just the trill. For college auditions, getting those more subtle musical things right might well be more impressive than being able to do the trill nicely.

[joebob]

No matter what you do, it is of the utmost importancet to play the trill in time (4 beats in the established tempo). That is more important than any other aspect of the trill. You must do that trill exactly 4 beats in the established tempo and come out on a quarter note 'G' on beat one of the next measure. For an audition you would be better off playing a poor sounding trill in time than playing a beautiful trill out of time.

[djwesp]

(4 beats in the established tempo).

Bingo.

[Ken Herrick]

The Remington trombone Flexibility Studies for lip slurs and trills are very good for developing the FLEXIBILITY for this sort of thing.

I offer a different take on the speed of the trill as told to me by Jake and Harvey. It should NOT be measured , ie 16th note. Though of course, if that is as fast as you can do it, that is what you do. If the composer had wanted a meased change, that is what they would have indicated. If you watch the strings when they are playing a trill you will, if they are a strong section, see that they are not all changing notes at the same time.

Precise intonation is not an absolute must.

A good way to think of it is that rather than trilling UP to the A you are LOWERING the pitch to the G which will help guide you to landing on a solid G at the end right on time.

[swillafew]

Excellent stuff already posted, I wanted to add: keep an eye on your tuner. I hurt myself musically being too ambitious on building up the speed while the pitch was deteriorating. I think using alternate fingerings to facilitate slurs is a time honored practice, too, at least according to the "Bill Bell" reading one can find.