[Dixielandjazz] Re: Lung capacity

[Dan Augustine]

Brian, Derek, and other lung-lovers--
    As a tuba-player for 50 years, i can categorically state that it takes a hell of a lot of air to play notes both low in the register and at a high volume. 
    If you have a sick sense of humor (as most tuba-players do, but only in a sense), look at the tuba section (or person) next time you play "Finlandia" by Sibelius, in the band-transcription.  They'll be reeling, dizzy, turning blue, gasping for air, and almost passing out because they have to play low notes very loudly for a long time.  I have (or used to have) a six-liter lung-capacity, and even it wasn't enough for this passage. 
    Perhaps what counts (at least in lip-vibrated aerophones)(now, now!) is a combination of the loudness required, how open the player's embouchure is (has to be more open the lower the note), and the size of the instrument's bore (insert your own jokes here).

    Dan
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>From: "briantowers" <briantowers@msn.com>
>Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Lung capacity
>Date: Mon, 2 Dec 2002 16:49:11 -0500
>
>Derek,
>
>Very interesting and thanks for the insights.
>As a trombonist (pressure player)  I have noticed that the low register uses
>up the air from one's lungs at a much faster rate than when blowing in a
>high register, when one can hold the note much longer.
>In other words, one can hold a high note longer than a low one, all other
>things being equal.
>So I guess the flow rates for brass instruments vary according to whether
>the musician is playing in the high register or the low register.
>
>I have always assumed it is better to blow practice notes in the low
>register, to improve lung capacity and stamina.
>
>Cheers,
>Brian Towers,

-- 
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** Dan Augustine - ds.augustine@mail.utexas.edu             **
** Office of Admissions, University of Texas; Austin, Texas **
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