Timeline for Key choice for brass instruments
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
25 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 7, 2016 at 11:53 | comment | added | Tim | @Gauthier - what I meant was - if a trumpet, for example, was made so open it was D rather than Bb, surely it would sound better in that key - but not so good in Bb? | |
| Oct 7, 2016 at 10:27 | answer | added | Leo Thompson | timeline score: 1 | |
| Apr 20, 2016 at 12:20 | answer | added | Brian THOMAS | timeline score: 1 | |
| Apr 20, 2016 at 9:14 | vote | accept | Gauthier | ||
| Apr 20, 2016 at 4:49 | history | tweeted | twitter.com/StackMusic/status/722648461334704128 | ||
| Apr 19, 2016 at 17:57 | comment | added | Gauthier | @tim, the horns sound best in their open position, and the more valve tubing added, the worst they sound. I guess it has to do with where vibration nodes and bellies appear on the instrument. As soon as you add a valve, the shape of the instrument becomes more complex, nodes are at suboptimal places, and the instrument sounds worse. I guess you could make an instrument optimized for the all valves in position, though. But the shape of the tube being less "natural" than open, I suppose the all-pressed position on that wouldn't sound as nice as current instruments in open. | |
| Apr 18, 2016 at 23:42 | answer | added | lauir | timeline score: 10 | |
| Apr 18, 2016 at 11:01 | comment | added | Tim | Reading all the theory about resonance makes me ask the question - is it not possible to make some of these brass instruments of a slightly different length/bore, so as to allow them to play more in tune in sharp keys? Or is it that we're just too far down the line, (too many standard ones exist), and it would only be an academic type excercise? | |
| Dec 10, 2015 at 5:40 | comment | added | jjmusicnotes | @Gauthier For example, on a CC tuba, F and Bb scales most just use 1st, 2nd, and open valve combinations creating a very open, resonant sound. A major on the other hand uses no open valves. It's still a very friendly key, but less so than F or Bb. On my tuba, Db is just a very stuffy key. Obviously, you can play devil's advocate with enharmonics (Db/C# or Gb/F#), but the reasoning for flats used here may be more psychological than acoustic. Putting the keys in flat can make people think of "darker" sounds or reduce key-signature anxiety. As a friend of mine said, "A# is not the same as "Bb". | |
| Dec 10, 2015 at 5:31 | comment | added | jjmusicnotes | @Gauthier Oh! I completely forgot about horns!! Yes, obviously horns are included as transposing instruments. Tubas are non-transposing. Yes, even if the tuba is F, Eb, Bb, or C, none of them transpose. With the exception of C tubas, flat keys resonate more fully because of the open tube. Because most brass instruments are pitched in flat keys (tpt, horn, tbn, euph, most tubas) they use less tubing when playing in flat keys, thus, the intonation is better and the instrument resonates more freely. With brass instruments, the more tubing you add, the more out of tune / stuffy the sound goes. | |
| Dec 9, 2015 at 8:54 | answer | added | Gauthier | timeline score: 2 | |
| Dec 9, 2015 at 8:28 | comment | added | Gauthier | @jjmusicnotes? Only instrument, how about French horn, tubas? I'm not sure why flat keys resonate better with the fundamental of the (open?) instrument? Why would written Bb major (one whole tone below open) resonate better than A major (one and a half tone), and A major worse than Ab major? | |
| Dec 8, 2015 at 4:52 | comment | added | jjmusicnotes | @Gauthier Trumpet is the only brass instrument you need to transpose, and even then, trumpets very commonly read in flat keys. As I mentioned in my other comment, sharp keys are harder to tune because those keys don't naturally resonate with the fundamental of the instrument. Thus, since you're fighting the natural tendency of the instrument, which resonates more freely in flat keys, tuning intervals and pitches in sharp keys will be more difficult. Also, FWIW, much band music is written in flat keys while much orchestral music is written in sharp keys - it's easier for the strings. | |
| Dec 7, 2015 at 11:08 | comment | added | Gauthier | @jjmusicnotes: this assumes concert key. I am talking about playing key. "Sharp keys are harder to tune" is very much of interest, could you develop this? | |
| Dec 7, 2015 at 3:12 | comment | added | jjmusicnotes | @Gauthier This preference has to do with the fundamental resonant frequency of the instrument. For trombone and tuba (non-C non-transposing instruments, Bb is first position (tbn.) and can be open for tuba (BBb Tuba), for trumpet, Bb is open as well. Since the open, resonant frequency of the instrument is set in a "flat" key, music written in flat keys will sound more resonant than music written in keys that doesn't naturally resonant with the instrument (E major), thus, brass players see more music written in flat keys, thus, brass players favor flat keys. Sharp keys are harder to tune also. | |
| Dec 6, 2015 at 16:20 | answer | added | Laurence | timeline score: 1 | |
| Dec 4, 2015 at 16:29 | answer | added | MattPutnam | timeline score: 7 | |
| Dec 4, 2015 at 16:09 | history | edited | Gauthier | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
edited title
|
| Dec 4, 2015 at 13:29 | comment | added | Gauthier | My first reaction was that they meant concert key, but these sources replied that they did mean playing key. | |
| Dec 4, 2015 at 13:28 | history | edited | Gauthier | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
Replaced tonality with key
|
| Dec 4, 2015 at 12:46 | answer | added | user25045 | timeline score: 2 | |
| Dec 4, 2015 at 11:04 | comment | added | Johannes | I also think your statement concerns concert key, not written. I think it simply has to do with the number of sharps or flats, and since many brass instruments "naturally" play in flat keys (concert!), those are the easiest and sound the best. See here: Good keys / Bad keys | |
| Dec 4, 2015 at 10:37 | comment | added | Tim | Are you asking about the preference of the instruments, or their players? I always thought it was because it's easier to make a given note flat on a brass instrument, as opposed to easier to make a note sharp on a guitar. Guess, therefore comment. | |
| Dec 4, 2015 at 10:23 | history | edited | Gauthier | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
added 2 characters in body
|
| Dec 4, 2015 at 9:49 | history | asked | Gauthier | CC BY-SA 3.0 |