Embouchure and pitch

[rmb796]

Hi everyone,
Trying to understand why some players play below the pitch and some are above. I seem to always be pushed in pretty far and have even had my bach 42 tuning slide shortened 1/2 inch. ( I do tune off the bumper approximately a 1/2 inch.)
Thanks
Randy

[Burgerbob]

I think it's more of an oral cavity/body thing, but I'd love to know that mechanism as well.

[AndrewMeronek]

I don't know and I suspect the answer is pretty complex. I've seen some people who are always above or below the pitch even when they make major adjustments in the tuning slide and I've seen other people who have wildly different pitch results by changing mouthpieces or leadpipes.

[trombonedemon]

I know that bending notes usually involves loosening and tightening the embouchure.

[EriKon]

Not necessarily. You can also bend notes with just the right tongue action which makes it a lot more effective.

[baileyman]

Yes, with no change in embouchure. Try using the motion of a "draw" in harmonica, otherwise think of forcing a too large cavity with tongue, high in the back, making space in the front.

I seem to recall some acoustics discussion where the effective length of the horn not only included length to the node beyond the bell (depends on pitch), but also some length into the mouth. The explanation could be in there somewhere. If I'm not imagining the whole thing...

[VJOFan]

I would guess, whatever the physical action is that causes it, the reason for consistent pitch tendency is the same as the reasons people pick their clothing or hair styles- ir's what feels right, or in this case, sounds beautiful to the individual. A player will do what it takes, wittingly or not, to get the resonance they like.

I play on the low side naturally, and when I sit beside someone who needs to pull out a lot to be in tune, I usually don't enjoy their sound too much.

[Richard3rd]

Not an expert here but an avid listener to different approaches. My take is that too large an oral cavity with the tongue level not supporting the sound produces the low pitch. Too much tension in the embouchure produces the high pitch. I sit in a section of two other players, one is alway low and the other high. Listening is painful. When they tune to a tuner app, they artificially change their pitch resulting in a dull sound because they loose the resonant center. What a struggle. Then they go back to playing and the same high and low continues.

[TomInME]

When they tune to a tuner app, they artificially change their pitch resulting in a dull sound because they loose the resonant center. What a struggle. Then they go back to playing and the same high and low continues.

Sounds like they're adjusting with their eyes, not their ears...