Tips on narrowing/brightening tone?

[XenopodTheEuphonist]

As a euphonium player, I've always strived for a darker, richer tone. (As is only natural of a euphonium player) I've been playing a lot of baroque lately, though, and have found myself desiring a better ability to play clearer and lighter in order to better fit the style. Perhaps it's a fundamental mistake to play in this style on euph, but I figured I would ask and see if anyone has advice or insight into the matter.

Thanks,

Sebastian Davies

[superted]

As a euphonium player, I've always strived for a darker, richer tone. (As is only natural of a euphonium player) I've been playing a lot of baroque lately, though, and have found myself desiring a better ability to play clearer and lighter in order to better fit the style. Perhaps it's a fundamental mistake to play in this style on euph, but I figured I would ask and see if anyone has advice or insight into the matter.

Thanks,

Sebastian Davies

A couple of suggestions:
1. Articulation matters - use the tip of the tongue to help achieve the clearer and lighter articulation ('t' vs 'l').
2. Shape of oral cavity matters - try different vowel shapes - the bigger the cavity the darker the sound.
3. Can you play everything quieter by 1 dynamic (but maintain the contrast between different dynamics)? That would also lighten everything up.

An other suggestion - which is only a possibility - this may not apply to you:
4. Equipment can matter - medium and "medium deep" cup mouthpieces like Bach 5G, 4G will play clearer and lighter than a deep cup like SM4, SM3, etc. Also, some horns (Yamaha 642, 842 in my opinion) are very strong willed and strongly favour a particular sound.

[uieuph]

I'll second the vowel shape for the embochure. While we should be using bassoon syllables, play like a rogue trombone and using "tu." If you have access to a brass horn, that too has a brighter sound. I was in a relationship with another euphonium player and would occasionally bum her brass Weril euphonium for pieces necessitating either a brighter or "meaner" sound. I won't get into the latter of my last statement for the sake of this thread.

[daruby]

Sebastian,

This is another reason to have an English Baritone. When I played in a traditional brass quintet, I found that on many selections I just could not make the euph "small enough" to blend nicely with 2 x trumpet, horn, tuba. Back in the day, i would use my Holton Superbone instead of euphonium when I needed the narrower sound. Now I use baritone. I use a Bach 5G and have a lot of flexibility in dynamic range and tonal shading between narrow and broad. But the tone is always more focused than euphonium.

Doug