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One of the things I enjoy in working on this series of quotes from classic horn method books is seeing different perspectives on topics. With respect to the topic of tone production Fred Fox in Essentials of Brass Playing presents several tactics toward finding the best tone quality.
Vowel shapes and tone color
One first area he explores is that of finding the best vowel shape that will produce the best sound.
The tone of a brass instrument can be pleasant, or it can be unpleasant—either too dull or too edgy….
Play a note in the middle register of your instrument using an extreme “ee” (as in the word “see”) tongue position. The note will sound thin. Play the same note again using an extreme “aw” (as in the word “law”) tongue position. The note will now sound dull, like a foghorn. Play the note a third time with the tongue midway between both extremes. The sound is now more satisfactory because you have both the highs and lows present in the tone. Some players may prefer a few more highs or lows…, but there should never be an extreme imbalance in either direction.
Start the same note again. As you sustain the note vary the tongue position from “ee” to “aw” and find the position midway between the extremes that sounds best to you. The note is now in focus.
What he is saying is true, to a point, on any specific note. However, do remember that by range your tongue position will be different, high notes require an “ee” formation and low require an “aw” formation, that insight is completely confirmed by the recent MRI horn studies.
Improving loud dynamics
Fox addresses as well another source of a poor loud tone quality.
Excessive brassiness can be caused by overblowing, that is, using more air than deeded for a given dynamic. In earlier discussions it has been shown that the purpose of the air stream is merely to vibrate the lips. True, more air is needed to get a larger vibration, but only the smallest possible amount of additional air pressure should be added for the louder dynamic. The instrument will amplify the larger vibration, thus producing a louder tone. The instrument should fill with vibration and the sound should float out, not be pushed out. If more air than necessary is used on any given dynamic level, the note will sound forced and will not float effortlessly as it should. Check it out. Overblow a note; then, as the note is sustained, ease off slightly on the air pressure, but remember to keep the diaphragm as firm as if you are still blowing hard. Notice that the sound floats more and has a singing quality.
It is true that on a fortissimo a brassy sound is sometimes desired. That brassy sound can always be gotten by simply blowing hard. Overblowing does not have to be practiced too much.
The singing position?
A final suggestion from Fred Fox, one that worries me a bit but horn teachers should be aware of, relates to what he calls “the singing position.” It relates to opening the throat as you play in the same manner you would keep it open if singing with a full, resonant voice.
In my teaching experience over the past few years I find ‘the singing position’ one of the most important essentials….
The throat can be set in a talking or a singing position at will. In other words when talking one does not attempt to get the same throat resonances as when singing. There is a change in the vocal production between the two.
…The throat can be set in singing position or talking position at will when playing a wind instrument. One must consciously set the throat in the singing position when playing, and keep it in that position at all times in any register and/or dynamic. By doing this, it seems as if you are virtually singing through the instrument, rather than blowing through it.
That last section worries me a little, as in it can lead you to worry too much about artificially maintaining some position that is not really correct. Still, though, it is a visualization that it may be helpful to explore if tone production is of concern.
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