| Buzzing the leadpipe helps to get acclimated to an individual horn. I find that just a minute or two on the leadpipe gets me resonating the horn very quickly.
I don't agree with the premise that all horns are "free blowing". On absolute terms, so can take less air than others; hence, IMHO they're not as free blowing as those that'll take more air. That doesn't mean that they're not efficient. The Yamaha Z is an example of a very efficient, very flexible horn, that MOST people overblow and find "stuffy". Played correctly, with just the right air and much precision, it's a fantastically responsive horn. Still, in absolute terms, I'd say it's not free blowing, in that it generally requires a downward adjustment of perceived air volume.
Dave |