h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

My dear Gnomon,

On behalf of the newly formed H2G2 Campaign for Real Brass (founder and sole member, Seth) I would like to point out that any half decent text on orchestration will tell you that it takes TWO French Horns to match ONE trumpet, trombone and/or tuba. In fact we usually insist that they sit over with their limp-wristed friends in the woodwind section where we don't have to listen to the anally retentive crooning that comes from their overgrown pea-shooters.

We don't even let them into Brass Bands.

If I wanted 4 octaves and 17 harmonics out of an instrument, I would blu-tack a trumpet mouthpiece onto a tuba. Because that's what a French Horn is. However, I'll stick with the three decent octaves I can get out of a proper instrument.

Hope this helps and best luck with completing the article .


PS breath pressure is used for volume, pitch control is purely obtained by lip tension (blowing hard to get the high notes is not a musical technique!)

PPS you could add Siegfried's hunting call motif as another well-known solo part

Hi Seth! Thanks for that note of appreciation. I've already written the Guide entries on trumpet and trombone, in that order, so don't be too hard on me.

I understood that increased tension in the lips had to be matched with increased breath support, otherwise the note just wouldn't happen. I am not a brass player myself so I'm wide open to correction.

Beginners usually tackle high notes by compressing their lips between mouthpiece and teeth resulting in a 'squeezed' note, and have to blow harder to force the air through. Note control goes entirely out of the window.

Just like a plucked string, lip pitch is a function of length (mouthpiece diameter), muscle tension and elasticity. You need a certain air velocity to keep them vibrating, but this is very small enabling a good player to play high notes quietly, even fading away to just a whisper.

The real test is the lip trill. Unlike a normal valved trill, this is executed purely on lip tension, and the best players can span more than one harmonic jump. They're way too fast to do any other way (though I used to cheat with a very soft double-tongue)

Seth, I've removed the reference to "increased breath pressure" from the article. Thanks. If you have any further comments, please make them at the Peer Review thread: http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/F48874?thread=124069