Intonation/Blend in Brass quintet

[windshieldbug]

Besides, we're all used to have the strings tune, ignore it, and having to fend for ourselves, anyway!

[porkchopsisgood]

Doc,

I remember hearing that....and that recording is well beyond amazing.

What is a Bb/A going to do for us as a group except lull us into complacency?

Now I believe the more people you add to the mix, the more justified it is to find some sort of center; I would never suggest a larger ensemble to do without some sort of reference pitch. But rather than just relying on a pitch, how about a chorale? How about excerpts of the music you are to perform? There are more than two ways to....you know what I'm sayin'.....

[Tom Holtz]

Ding, ding. Welcome to school.

TWO ABSOLUTES IN MUSIC:

1. Play in tune.

2. Play in time.

Whether it's a CC, F, BBb, EEb, ZZ, Q, whatever....it's gotta be done to the best of your ability.

I've used both CC and F in the same quintet concert. Why? The sound, of course. The instrument should make your job easier....if it's easier to play something on F then on CC, then, by all means....

(let me qualify myself....I'm not referring to range, exclusively. Your range on any tuba should be fairly similar. I'm referring to tone quality, blend, etc....if it's easier to play nice and dark on a CC and the music calls for it, then I'm playing the CC....if I'm playing the Etler, well.....I'm pulling out the Bible AND the F.)

Enjoy the music you're making....that's the important thing....that's what it's there for.....

Ding, ding. Class dismissed.

[Chuck(G)]

I made contacts this week to do some small ensemble stuff this fall & winter. Things are looking up.
Any recommendations of music for a small brass choir?

Take a look at Robert King's website:

www.rkingmusic.com

Also, the London Brass/PJBE "Just Brass" series has some very good charts for brass choir in it.

[Dennis K.]

Coupla Things:
Listen up for style is good
Listen down for intonation is good
For tpts, it is nice if they are both on C's or both on Bb's. But Frequently, the tpts are changing horns. Both the players in my group play Bb/A picc, Eb, C, Bb and Flugel. Should the tuba player switch horn every time a trumpet chages? What if they are each playing something different?
In my group, we address that issue this way: Bass Trombone
His regular sub plays CC an F Tuba.
Honestly, I wouldn't care if they were playing on a BBBb Contra Hosaphone with gold-plated plastic Ultra Mouthpiece, so long as they sounded like a Big, Fat Monster Truck with great intonation and time

I made contacts this week to do some small ensemble stuff this fall & winter. Things are looking up.
Any recommendations of music for a small brass choir?

I don't want to violate any terms of use w/ regard to personal adverts, but please visit my website.

[Dennis K.]

In my group, we address that issue this way: Bass Trombone

Blasphemer! Get him!

** Ducks, and Runs for cover**

LOL - My group uses both guys about equally. Tremendously talented musicians. The rest is just plumbing.

[Dennis K.]

New Name for my Quintet: The Crapper Quintet. From Flushing, NY. Performing Water Music and music by Walter Piston. Hopefully, the reviews won't tank the band.

N.B. Thomas Crapper was the inventor of the flushable toilet

[DaTubaKid]

Haha, awesome name!

One of the brass quintets I'm in at school is called the "Horn Stars." I wasn't around when they came up with the name (I replaced the original tuba player), but I can only assume where it came from....

The other quintet I'm in has the wierdest train of thought where we came up with our name. I'm not even sure I remember most of it. I remember some numbers being tossed out, random arithmetic done on the numbers, we ended up with a -1 at some point, I took the square root of it and was like "BAM, IMAGINARY BRASS." And it stuck (so far).

[Dennis K.]

New Name for my Quintet: The Crapper Quintet. From Flushing, NY. Performing Water Music and music by Walter Piston. Hopefully, the reviews won't tank the band.

N.B. Thomas Crapper was the inventor of the flushable toilet

Wow! I was bowled over by that.

This Swirl of support has worn me out. I'm pooped. Completely wiped out.

[DaTubaKid]

I hope we don't plunge into any bad puns.

[Dennis K.]

Didn't I see an add for an ophecleide around here somewhere?