Thanks a lot for your answer, John. Yesterday, I started playing the chromatic scale with long tones, starting upwards from the C just below the staff, and by the time I reached the next C I knew I'd never reach my target of G#. I was dizzy and in the middle of a pool of swear (I should have decided to start doing this in winter!) So, little by litte. I think I'll play a "fast" chromatic scale first, so as to try to play the two new notes, and after that I'll play another one with long tones for as long as I can.

I tried to concentrate on getting a good sound when playing my first long C, and did as you said and tuned the horn that way, looking at the tuner after I'd got the good full note. But then, as I went upwards, I tried to find the spot where the best tone was produced for each note, but not all of them left the needle at the middle. So how can I know what's the good note to tune the horn? Should I do so always with the F (that's the note we use at the band)?

My tuner doesn't produce any sound, just picks up what's sounding outside. But you've given me an idea, since I think it might be useful to play some chords with the computer, using any old program, and play arpeggios or scales on top of them. That would help a lot with my learning to be in tune, which is one of my major worries. Each time we've got a melodic horn line at the band, it sounds like a nightmarish end of the world is nigh My horn teacher's come to a rehearsal, and he says most of the out-of-tune-ness comes from my partner, but I don't seem able to get in tune either with her or with the rest of the band (which is quite out-of-tune itself!)

@ columbo - (don't forget to thank Fredrick also.) Regarding tuning: you are about to open a pandora's box.
I don't like F as a tuning note. And quite frankly I don't tune with the group when they tune. I have spent enough hours playing and checking myself to a tuner that I know where the pitch is supposed to be. I will make adjustments as needed as we play if I am not perfectly in tune. Many amateur groups and some professional groups will tune to a tuner and then as soon as they start playing are already out of tune.This is another story for another time though.

As you play you will learn to feel quickly where that pitch should be and how it should feel. There are some notes that will be a bit out of tune just because of the horn you are playing. Other notes you can adjust by tuning the horn to itself. Why don't you leave the horn set up as is and write out your notes on sheet of paper. each time you play mark each note as being in tune, being flat, or being sharp. after a week you should see a pattern. When you do send me a PM and then I can tell you what to do. If I recall correctly you are playing on a Yamaha so getting your horn in tune with itself will be pretty easy to do.

Of course, I thanked Fredrick as soon as he mentioned the long tones, but before knowing they were so important. I've been playing long tones for half an hour this morning, trying to concentrate on maintaining a constant pitch with a good sound, and blowing for as long as I can. One thing I've realized is that deep breathing must not be something as natural as I'd thought it already was, since I can hold some notes for much longer than others (none of them for too long, anyway). But anyway, playing long tones is kind of addictive, isn't it? I mean, I've stopped because it was lunch time and I wasn't very tired, but I would have liked to have kept on for much longer!

Wow! I don't know whether an electronic tuner is the best idea, but I'm sure I cannot do without one yet (I don't know whether I ever will). I've always thought that if we're so out of tune at the band it's because we (I the first) don't blow in the same way all the time. For example, I suspect that what the difficult passages come, nerves make me be tight and that shows in my playing.

I've already started writing down which notes are out of tune when playing the chromatic scale. I hope I'm doing it well: I adjust the tuning slide so the C below the staf is in tune, and then I play each note for some time (enough to feel the pitch is constant and sounds good), then I open my eyes and see what the tuner says.


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Oops, I stopped playing long tones because it was lunch time and I WAS very tired. I wish it wasn't a mistake...

Great job. When done correctly long tones are very addictive. If no one is home and there is something good on TV I will play soft long tones while watching the TV. With sport you don't have to have the volume on.

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