[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index] Re: production of cornet vibrato
It is interesting that you want to play with vibrato when most of the top British
cornet players are playing with a much more flowing open sound with very little vib,
compared to what used to be the norm, including David Daws. This is not of course a
staight harsh trumpety sound but a warm mellow pure cornet sound. The reason your
hand vib does not sound as pleasant as you would like is probably because your hand
movement is much slower than the thoat/diaphragm vib used on the cornet. In other
words you are trying to use a trumpet technique on a cornet.
Two interesting stories.
In a clinic a few years ago ago, Alain Trudel, one of the world's top trombone
players was asked how he produced his vib. Obviously trombone players have the added
choice of a slide vib. Alain looked quite mystified and the replied " You just do
what is correct for the music". In other words if you want the sound warmed up tell
your body and let it happen in whatever way sounds best - don't over intellectualise
it.
Second story.
I had the pleasure on several ocassions of working with Roland Cobb, Steven Cobb's
Father. Roland in his early days had a wonderful warm vib on his cornet. After Roland
had retired as BM of Hendon, we did a weekend together and Roland said " I have had
to change my whole approach to the cornet. My boys won't let me play the way I used
to. They laugh at me". Roland still had a beautiful warm sound, I have the tapes to
prove it, but with a vib much closer to David Dawes. Steven went on to become the
principal cornet of the ISB and also Hendon before becoming the BM of both bands.
Matt Baker, principal of Dyke have be the quintessential modern but warm cornet
sound for today although you will still find lots of Brits that want the old cornet
vib, sort of like deanna Durbin's singing.
For what its worth, I think a lot of vib in brass bands began to cover up tuning
problems and to cover up deficiencies in basic sound. Don't forget almost all the
early guys were amateurs who were taught by other amateurs. The bad vibs were in
cornets especially sopranos, euphoniums and horns, all valve instruments with built
in tuning problems. Students now learn about those tuning problems but thjat was not
the case in 1930.
The other thing you may wish to consider, in general you put the air into a cornet
much more gently than into a trumpet. Therefore the first step in going to a cornet
from a trumpet is to relax. Put the air in easily and let the instrument play the way
it was designed to play. You may be pleasantly surprised and find you can think less
about vib and still get good results.
Regards.
Dave.