Posts made by stumac

As a retired electronic engineer with radio communication experience I realized that the trumpet has similar characteristics as a radio frequency transmission line.

Regardless of buzzing or or just blowing air through a trumpet mouthpiece the resultant sound waveform as seen by an audio spectrum analyzer contains a whole mix of frequencies in the audible range. Applying this to the trumpet we have this mix traveling forward through the length at the speed of sound ~ 1200 ft/second. Some of this wave traveling forward will be reflected from the change in impedance of the tube in the region of the bell and will interfere with the forward traveling wave creating a new standing wave the frequency of which will depend on the length of tube and energy level of the reflected wave,

When a peak of the reflected wave reaches the lips coinciding with a trough in the forward wave the lips will close momentarily and then reopen by the air flow, according to Benade this takes around 3 cycles for the standing wave to stabilize.

An easy demonstration is to just blow air into the trumpet with the mouthpiece attached with relaxed lips and open aperture, while keeping the air flowing slowly close the aperture, a point will be reached when the standing wave will develop and the trumpet will sound.

References,

A Textbook of Sound Edwin H. Barton

Fundamentals of Musical Acoustics Arthur H. Benade

Music, Physics and Engineering Harry F Olson

Basic Physics Vol 3 Sound and Light Martin and Connor.

Regards, Stuart.
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Regards, Stuart.

And the notes are still coming out of his horn after he takes it from his face.

Regards, Stuart.

My opinion of the Yamaha article (for what it is worth) is it was written by the Marketing dept with only a hazy idea how the trumpet works. The second sentence "That said it is the mouthpiece that creates the sound", another half truth Further on it explains the playing of the harmonics by "blowing differently". The physics of creation of a sound in a tube has been known for 150 years yet is not understood by a lot of players and teachers and so the myths are promulgated,

Yesterday I lucked upon one of these, made between 1963 and 1964, only about 60 made as far as I can find out, designed as a jazz/ big band horn to compete with American imports but did not take off.

Pretty well used, several dents, slight bend in leadpipe and rear brace needs re-soldering, freed and greased tuning slide, oiled valves and took it to Big Band Rehearsal last night.

Fairly bright, free blowing, fast valves, very easy high register, did have a tendency to overshoot pitches but this will settle as I get more used to it.

This will be a keeper and well worth the time to bring it back to good condition.

Regards, Stuart.

Great you have figured it out while you are still young, it took me until my early 70s, third trumpet in an amateur big band playing 3 and 4 hour dinner dances and being toast by the 3rd set.

Recalling what the old Soprano cornet player told me when I joined the Brass band in 1946 as an eight year old but did not understand at the time was "Hold her lightly and kiss her gently".

Watching Tine Helseth and other players seemingly effortless and learning to emulate them, now at approaching 82 I am playing a mix of 1st and 2nd parts in Big band playing longer, higher and with a much better sound, able to play 4, 45 minute sets without much fatigue.

I have stopped Free and Mouthpiece buzzing, I used to do a lot of each and have come to the conclusion they introduce unnecessary tension in the lips.

It is difficult to get the concept across in my experience, a lady that used to help us out at times in orchestra has given up playing because of chop problems playing with a lot of tension and pressure, when trying to explain to her what I am doing now she thought I had stumbled upon something but did not think it would help her.

Another friend, an average player buzzing his lips and mouthpiece before a rehearsal when asked why he was doing this as I felt it is counter productive I was firmly put in my place with "Better players than you buzz their lips and mouthpiece".

I see far too many players fighting themselves and the instrument and being content to remain so.

Regards, Stuart.

I have checked my 80A the wheel spindle has a groove about 1/8" from the bottom, with the slide disengaged adjust the wheel until the groove is level with the bottom of the bearing tube, start the thread on the slide at this point and the slide will fully close.

Regards, Stuart.

Sounds like you have an out of balance between the 2 sides of the adjusting screw, remove the screw altogether and check the slide goes all the way in smoothly and not something stopping it.

If ok then reassemble starting both ends at the same time, this should fix it, if not then measure the difference in length of exposed thread each side of the wheel, engage the longer side by the difference before engaging the other side.

Regards, Stuart.

Mouthpieces I have modified have been free machining (leaded brass) with a lead content up to 3%, I have them silver plated. Raw brass gives an unpleasant taste.

A search of the British Medical Journal found only one report of assumed Brass Poisoning from brass workers from a foundry prior to WW1.

A mouthpiece I modified for a friend in a hurry and did not have time to get it plated, she painted the top with nail polish to match her fingernails.

Regards, Stuart.

Dr Mark,
unfortunately no Cassowarys inhabit where I live in Aus, Bunyip urine is the best deterrent here.

Regards, Stuart.

It is a little early for them down here yet.

Regards, Stuart.

Except for the 3rd horn where I started in 1946, only plays the off beats and when I get them in orchestra I feel I have not progressed.

Regards, Stuart.

Been there and done that!

George I have started a chat with you as one 80 year old to another, perhaps I can give you some pointers that have fixed me.

Regards, Stuart.

25 years ago I was having trumpet lessons from a retired brass teacher whose principle instrument was horn, he did not have any horn students, in a fit of mental abberation I bought a horn and had him teach me, joined a community symphony orchestra where the horn section was a girl playing an Alto Saxophone and a friend playing an Eb Tenor horn neither fitted in.

Eventually a couple of horn players joined I convinced the Eb player to go back to trumpet that was his prime instrument. After the concert tomorrow I will change to trumpet to balance the brass a little more, we will then have 5 Horns and 4 trumpets having lost 2 in the last year.

Sunday I have a 2 hour gig playing 2nd trumpet in the Big Band I have played in for 20+ years.

Regards, Stuart.

@tjcombo said in A little humour:

@SSmith1226 That was bonzer Sport! A grouse effort for a Septic!

Translation: bonzer = good, sport = mate , friend, grouse = (a small ground dwelling bird), great, excellent, Septic = cockney rhyming slang, septic tank = yank (american).

I have a 1938 Leica 2 with 3 lenses, extension tubes and variable viewfinder that a friend gave me, it was one of the few things the family managed to bring with them on escaping from Czechoslovia during WW2. Also 2 Leicaflex SL that were my parents with prime lenses from 21mm to 560mm. these work extremely well on my Sony A7 with adaptors.

Regards, Stuart.

In addition to the Bass Clarinet I see 2 trumpets with tuners on them.

Regards, Stuart.

In my youth I knew a family whose name was Mueller, the grandmother came to Australia before WW1, born in Germany in the 1870s, she pronounced her name as Miller, she would correct anyone that pronounced it any other way.

Regards, Stuart.

I have never done a direct comparison, I will when I get home from holiday next week, can compare Bach Mt Vernon Large bore with a Bach Model 38 Medium bore.

However without some standards of measurements the results can be only subjective.

Regards, Stuart.