smatt401

Folks:

I'm only a come-back player and a total non-starter in physics, acoustics, mechanics, etc. but I would like a few answers to questions re: "the myth of fast-air" in relationship to trumpet playing. I've never really understood the fast-air thing.

Before asking the questions though, I'd like to make a brief detour to compliment everyone's use of the English language. Over my lifetime I have attempted to learn French, Greek, Hebrew, and Portuguese. Never in my wildest dreams would I attempt to discuss this topic in one of those languages. I'm impressed.

Now my questions.

First, is the following list of variables (setting aside the variables of the instrument & mouthpiece) comprehensive of those which must be investigated and/or be taken into account:

Air volume
Air pressure
Air speed (i.e. "the myth")
Shape of oral cavity
Shape of aperture (oval vs. round)
Condition of aperture (closed vs. open)
Size of aperture
Tension of aperture
Depth of aperture (flatter vs. tube-like)

Second, given the number of variables (whether or not the list above is comprehensive enough), would it not be possible to produce the same or, at the very least, similar results by adjusting different variables? Could, just for example, less aperture tension be compensated for by using a more tube-like aperture?

Third, if increased air speed were all that is necessary to produce an upper register would this not be self-limiting? If I am understanding the super-fast air explanation correctly, it is necessary to arch the tongue to increase the air speed. However, in the early 60's when I first began playing, high C's were somewhat common among good professionals. Now I'm hearing about double or triple high C's and it doesn't seem reasonable that tongue arch alone has enabled this quantum leap in range.

Next, as I envision the sound produced by a trumpet, I think of standing waves. Air pressure released in the oral cavity causes the lips to vibrate which produces a motion in the air molecules which motion travels to the bell. The bell opening resists the movement in the air molecules which causes a reflection back to the lips, forcing them closed. Continued air pressure from the oral cavity overcomes the resistance and the motion in the air molecules travels back to the bell opening, which again resists the motion in the air molecules, reflecting the motion back to the lips in/on the mouthpiece.

All this happens at the speed of sound, 343 m/s, and creates a standing wave(s) with node(s) within the tubing. At some point, the motion in the air molecules overcomes the resistance of the air molecules at the bell and sound "escapes." (I believe something like 85-95% of the "sound energy" is retained in the tubing).

(However, it also seems reasonable to me that the standing wave reflected back to the lips also affects, not only the air within the oral cavity, but also in the sinuses and the pulmonary cavity (given an open throat). That is, there is a sound source (the lips), a sound director or "amplifier" (the instrument), and additional resonance chambers (sinuses, oral cavity, pulmonary cavity). This could affect tone quality but not pitch. Which leads to the interesting observation that playing a brass instrument is the most voice-like since it is the only instrument which uses so much of the human body both to produce and to color sound).

Hence, it is my understanding that it is not the air moving through the instrument which produces sound but rather the excitation of air molecules which then pass their motion on to other molecules. This is somewhat analogous to the well-understood motion of wave-action in a body of water.

Therefore, the speed of the air (which naturally implies motion), cannot be the controlling factor which enables higher pitches to be played. Is this assessment generally correct?

Finally, how can I, as an aging comeback player, develop my range to C above the staff? I'll never be a Maynard or a Cat but I sure would like to be able to play a rich and lush C.

smatt401