Orchestration - Brass Family

Natural horn

Only uses the overtones of the fundamental pitch that the horn is made in
the 7th, 11th, 13th, and 14th partials are out of tune and avoided
Mostly uses fifths
The player can change the tubing by putting their fist int he bell, which shortens the tubing and raises the fundamental pitch of the horn = can access a different overtone series and thereby more notes (however, this changes the timbre drastically)

Valved Horn

Each valve is connected to a section of extra tubing, so pressing down one or more valves makes the tubing longer and thereby changed the fundamental pitch of the instrument = can access more notes

How to indicate stopped horn, how does it sound, and what does the horn player have to adjust

+: putting hand in bell
o: taking hand out

Makes the horn sound very buzzy and nasal
Putting the hand in changes the tubing and raises every note a half step up, so the horn player has to play the note that is a half step lower than written

Cuivre

means playing very brassy, like bell tones
(use ord. afterwards to cancel out the cuivre)

What does "bells up" do for the horn

it makes the sound reverberate more as it bounces off the wall, the hand is out of the bell as well

Standard syllables for brass staccato and legato tonguing

A hard "tuh" for staccato articulation and a soft "duh" for legato articulation.

How do horn players do a glissando and what direction is best

very unique sound, sounds best going up
Bend lips to get higher notes, creates a "ripping" sound

Trumpet mutes and how they sound

Straight mute = buzzy
Cup mute = mellower
Harmon mute = a softer buzz, less buzz when the stem is out
Plunger = can do "wa wa" by opening and closing

Difference in articulations among brass instruments

Trumpet is the fastest-speaking, you get an immediate sound that is very clear and articulate.
Trombone is not as fast, but still is able to produce precise, articulate notes
French horn and tuba have little "flabs" at the start of each note, it sounds much "rounder" and not as articulate

Trombone triggers

Tenor trombones can have an F trigger
Bass trombone can have a Gb, F, or E trigger (Gb is most common)

Pedal tones

playing the fundamental on a brass instrument of the valve combo/slide position
Usually not used because it is too unstable/out of tune as it requires the lips to be so loose and it is hard to control (except for trombones, they use it more commonly)

Fundamental note of each trombone position

I = Bb
II = A
III = Ab
IV = G
V = Gb
VI = F
VII = E

The tuba is most successful when he notes are...

off the staff

Compared to the other brass instruments, Tuba needs the most...

Breath = needs to breathe every 3 seconds
Do not write a long, continuous line and expect no breaths

Horn range

C3-C6 (LOOKS DIFFERENT ON PAGE) (Bass to Treble clef)

Trumpet range

F#3-C6 (treble clef)

Tenor trombone range

E2-Bb4 (Bass to Tenor clef, Tenor looks like Cb)

Bass trombone range

C2-Bb4 (Bass to tenor clef, Tenor starts at Cb) (can extend to Bb1 w/ Gb trigger)

Tuba range

D1-G4 (Bass clef 5 LEDGER LINES)

Types of trumpets

Bb, C, D, Eb

Types of Horns (lowest to highest)

C, Bb, A, Ab, G, F, E, Eb, D, C basso, Bb basso, A basso