[Dixielandjazz] Re: It's a brass thing...

[Robert Smith]

Sorry, Jim, but I can't agree. There's a difference between what you can 
play on your instrument, and what you ought to play in front of an audience.
I play trombone where the top Bb is the normal highest note, and this is the 
highest note I would consider playing in front of an audience.
However in the privacy of my virtually sound-proof cellar I often play an 
octave above this top Bb. The quality of the sound is reasonable up to F, 
but the remaining notes above this up to Bb are just an ugly squeal. The 
reason for playing this extra octave is, as you say, "because it's there", 
and also I think it improves my embouchure on the lower octaves. It gives me 
a lovely fat sound playing a pedal F, and also lets me fake from pedal F 
down to an ultra-pedal Bb (notes that aren't available on the tenor 
trombone) with a reasonably accurate pitch and a not-too-muffled tone.

Kind Regards

Bob Smith