Ian Bousfield: Unlocking the Trombone Code Ian Bousfield | Page 13

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Concept of sound

We all know that in order to make a beautiful sound, we have to hear it first. We have to hear it
in our heads. We have to have a concept; we have to have an idea of the sound that we want to
make. Now, how do we do this? Initially, we listen to other players. This gives us the feedback
that we need to create, to build the model of the sound that we want to make. Do not, however,
simply select just one player: this will just deliver a rather one-dimensional character to your
sound. Instead, select several players whose sounds you really like, several really different players.
It can even be a mixture of jazz players and orchestral players. This is like creating the colours on
your palette; you can then paint a fuller canvas with your own sound. When I was growing up,
I had in mind a mixture of a big band player and an orchestral player, and I somehow tried to
fuse the two of them. This said, it is important that we understand the emotion quality of sound:
it is not simply about sounding pretty, or making a dark, round sound. These are of course good
words, but music is about emotion. Here is a tip that may help. Listen to some of the greatest
sounds we know: Pavarotti, Renee Fleming, Jesse Norman, or even Karen Carpenter, and Frank
Sinatra. Why do these voices speak to us? What is it that evokes so much emotion in us? These
voices are like a door to every emotion we know. Within one note there are so many colours and
feelings, all intermingling. A great sound smiles and cries, is content and anxious, all at the same
time. Ultimately, you will not be copying anybody. You will be using the colours you hear to
create your own individual, distinctive sound. But everything needs to begin with listening.
Next, we need to hear that sound while we are playing, almost like playing a duet. Very often we
are told that we must listen to what we are doing, listen to the sound coming out of the bell. Well,
that’s good. But try and think of it this way. Listen to the sound in your head. Keep listening to
that; hold on to it. Listen to the sound in your heart; listen to the emotion that you have. Put those
two things together and you’re on the way to developing your own sound.
Once we have learned to totally immerse ourselves in the emotion of our own sound, we develop
a direct link between our feelings and our sound. As our mood changes, the colour in our sound
will change, too. This is, of course, now all going on at something of a subconscious level: if we
try to use our conscious brain, it will not work. Imagination is the key.
When we have created our sound, the one that really speaks of who we are, we need to know
what we are going to do with it. It is important to remember that the sound is where the audience
will be. This aspect of playing is commonly called projection, where we send our sound out to
the listener. I wasted many years trying to make a big sound by trying to make my sound as
wide as possible. Often, when we try to make a big sound, we just take the notes out of focus
and it feels, subsequently, as if we are hauling a huge weight around. In my experience, the
players with the best projection actually sound quite small when you are close to them, only
when you move away do you hear the full glory of the sound. I am thinking specifically here of
Maurice Murphy (trumpet) and Walter Hilgers (tuba). Key to a sound that travels, and a healthy
technique, is having a sound with a solid centre (core), and not too much surrounding warmth.
As disappointing as this may be, I am sorry to say that it does not project, and is only for personal
gratification, not that there’s anything wrong with that in small measure! Only vibration, or
‘bloom’ travels any distance.

Unlocking the Trombone Code