A trumpet master class with Professor John Harbaugh of Central Washington University discussing and demonstrating the simple physics that go into producing a sound on the trumpet.
The supposed requirement that in order to play the trumpet one needs to "buzz" the lips kept me back from learning to play for many, many years. It was only very recently that I discovered that it's actually *NOT* required to buzz to play the instrument.
I wish I stumbled across this vid in 2011. great vid. About the flame, though, the explanation for the physics is not quite right. The tube is not a vacuum. The flame requires air and thus "pulls" air into the tube. The flow of new air together with the heat creates a perturbation [disturbance] of energy acting upon the air mass inside the tube, exiting the tube at the top, the motion of which we hear as sound. Instead of heat, trumpeters add energy by blowing air.
This is the same conclusion I came to. I don't think this is what happens when we play. I can blow a ton of "excited" air through the horn with no sound being produced other than a hiss out the bell.
@@Hammondbrass fact: Sound has nothing to do with volume or velocity of air. Thus, your comment is true, and proven. Sound requires a pressure and frequency. Why? the mechanics of our ears. The mouthpiece constricts the air we blow, thus creating a pressure. The air we blow causes our lips to buzz, thus creating the frequency. High frequency requires high-pitched buzz, which requires more pressure, which requires more air, and thus high notes are more difficult and strenuous.
Cool video! I have a legitimate question and I promise I'm not trying to be a troll. Isn't the flame burning the oxygen in the tube and then air is being pulled from the top of the tube creating a sound? Also, couldn't the flame then be disturbed by that downward current of air? And wouldn't that be the reason you hear the sound first and then the flame is disturbed second? I totally believe that we excite the air molecules in the horn. The horn is already filled with air, as they say. Fill it with sound.
When you put the flame in the tube it causes the air molecules to vibrate. Not a good comparison to brass playing. We don't blow air that is hot enough to cook the flesh of the lips into the instrument.
It improved mine!! I‘ve been wasting energy buzzing for decades! it greatly improved my approach to delicate attacks in all registers, especially in the extremes!! (It makes me cringe to think how much energy I wasted buzzing in my career, and I feel so sorry for those tens of thousands of brass players cramping up their playing by wasting time and energy buzzing their lips sometimes hours a day!😥)
The supposed requirement that in order to play the trumpet one needs to "buzz" the lips kept me back from learning to play for many, many years. It was only very recently that I discovered that it's actually *NOT* required to buzz to play the instrument.
Great video. I understand how those Japanese trumpet-playing robots work now!
i wish i knew this sooner. shared this with my mellophone section. particularly beneficial for my 13-year-old rookie
I wish I stumbled across this vid in 2011. great vid. About the flame, though, the explanation for the physics is not quite right. The tube is not a vacuum. The flame requires air and thus "pulls" air into the tube. The flow of new air together with the heat creates a perturbation [disturbance] of energy acting upon the air mass inside the tube, exiting the tube at the top, the motion of which we hear as sound. Instead of heat, trumpeters add energy by blowing air.
This is the same conclusion I came to. I don't think this is what happens when we play. I can blow a ton of "excited" air through the horn with no sound being produced other than a hiss out the bell.
@@Hammondbrass fact: Sound has nothing to do with volume or velocity of air. Thus, your comment is true, and proven. Sound requires a pressure and frequency. Why? the mechanics of our ears. The mouthpiece constricts the air we blow, thus creating a pressure. The air we blow causes our lips to buzz, thus creating the frequency. High frequency requires high-pitched buzz, which requires more pressure, which requires more air, and thus high notes are more difficult and strenuous.
Great video!
Cool video! I have a legitimate question and I promise I'm not trying to be a troll. Isn't the flame burning the oxygen in the tube and then air is being pulled from the top of the tube creating a sound? Also, couldn't the flame then be disturbed by that downward current of air? And wouldn't that be the reason you hear the sound first and then the flame is disturbed second?
I totally believe that we excite the air molecules in the horn. The horn is already filled with air, as they say. Fill it with sound.
I subscribe to your words
certified hood classic
John,
I found you on You Tube?
Boy this brings back memories!
Bryan
1992 UAF
Great information!
When you put the flame in the tube it causes the air molecules to vibrate. Not a good comparison to brass playing. We don't blow air that is hot enough to cook the flesh of the lips into the instrument.
wow, something new and aspects i just knew but in a new context, thanks a lot
How might this apply to singing and whistling?
Even if you cover the reciever with a balloon, you will get the same "plop" sound .
Did this class improve the students playing?
It improved mine!! I‘ve been wasting energy buzzing for decades! it greatly improved my approach to delicate attacks in all registers, especially in the extremes!!
(It makes me cringe to think how much energy I wasted buzzing in my career, and I feel so sorry for those tens of thousands of brass players cramping up their playing by wasting time and energy buzzing their lips sometimes hours a day!😥)
A lot of wood around for a torch don't ya think? hahaha
Lol
Do all of these concepts apply to the trombone and other brass instruments?
I would imagine so.
Yes. Physics generally tend to work everywhere.
I've found the principles in this video to be helpful in playing the trombone and in teaching my trombone lesson students.