Intonation... it’s not
just about the tuning
by Celia Craig
Principal Oboe, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
Intonation -
a particularly hot topic for wind players. Good intonation makes the difference
between audition and trial success or failure – and is a skill that sometimes
passes unnoticed, because one is often only aware of the absence of intonation!
Here are eight tools which can be kept in the intonation ‘toolkit’…
1. Know your instrument
It’s
important to start off perfectly in tune - playing comfortably at A440. Warm up properly, allowing for temperature
differences, to make sure you’ve really ‘nailed’ your own pitch. It makes life
so much easier when everyone really is in tune from the start! Play in tune
with yourself - be aware of your instrument and its intonation strengths and
weaknesses. Practice intervals at home and check tuning with that most
‘unforgiving’ of instruments, piano. Try
not to let difficult notes on your own instrument be an excuse while
practicing. Arpeggios are the best! Support the high notes! Make middle and low
range super reliable. Do work on intonation itself in your personal practice.
2. Know the tonic
Most
works (except the most modern) have a pitch centre/key. Feel the tonic-
practice identifying it, remember it throughout. The key will change throughout
episodes in the piece. You need to know what the current tonic is, in order to
know what degree of the scale you are playing, and to be aware when you are
‘home’… (i.e. returning to the original tonic). If everyone does this,
intonation is easy! The harmony is the truth of the music, whether it is
properly grounded or not, and a stable pitch is its foundation. Try to stay
constant during the piece (especially as your embouchure gets tired), as we can
sometimes gradually go out of tune. Tuners are good, essential even, but know
their limitations and keep using your ears and brain. Oboists have a particular
responsibility for intonation- and not only because the conductor is likely to
refer back to you for a reference without warning: don’t be caught off guard!
Practice pays many dividends when you know your instrument really well.
3. Feel the harmony
Not
just the tonic: acknowledging which degree of the scale you are on and tuning
intervals accordingly, e.g. wide fifths, low major thirds and so on. Get into
the habit of checking every note as you play for whether you are consonant or
dissonant. This eventually becomes second nature and really influences the way
you can phrase. My favourite thing! In a
wind section, some keys can be particularly hard - A and E major for example, as the number of
instruments playing crucial major thirds on difficult notes often make these
keys harder to tune and as a trap for the unwary, easy to let intonation slip
as the piece goes on. It takes some discipline and team work for entire
sections to play consistently in tune. Second players often find themselves
playing at an interval of a third with their respective firsts, one example
when intonation is really crucial for the thirds to stay in tune, and when both
second players are a long way apart, making it harder for them to hear each
other than for the principals. This is when personal intonation discipline
becomes really vital. If you can get to know your colleagues, this is a luxury
and what makes regular wind sections sound unified, as everyone grows to know
everyone else’s playing (and instruments).
4. Voice the chords - to hide or not to hide?
When tuning a larger chord,
vital work for wind sections, be aware of the relative importance of your note within
the chord, or a wrong balance could mean that the chord may never sound in
tune. The tonic needs to be heard - not necessarily the loudest - but everyone
needs to be aware what it is. It’s vital that every note is focussed, that the
player is aiming for a pitch which is in their head. It’s great to work in a
wind section where everyone is thinking. Don’t be afraid to experiment with
balance as this has often solved chords that were proving really hard to tune.
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| Tancibudek Wind Quintet |
5. Listen actively without blame
Sounds obvious, but do keep
listening all the time and on every note. Try switching your attention from
yourself to everyone else and back again. It’s important to be able to listen
in an active sense, analytically, and adjust but without judging or blame. If
it’s out of tune, don’t panic, keep your head and if it’s balanced, nicely
voiced, matching vibrato, and musical, nothing will sound too bad! Positive
mind set, clear and active observation: great skills to develop.
6. Immerse yourself in the music
It’s a mistake to focus solely on
intonation. Even if something is perfectly in tune, it won’t sound good if the
players have worked entirely on tuning and expression has gone out of the
equation. Tuning a tricky octave or interval or chord also entails matching
sounds, vibrato, balance and expression, and not being afraid. If all else
fails, think of the music, articulation, expression and vibrato and perhaps the
intonation will solve itself. Immersing oneself in the music solves many
issues, including nerves. You’re only acting - if it’s a scary quiet bit for
example - think of acting scared but not being scared. It’s a performance. You
did your homework. Trust yourself.
7. Good ensemble playing
Employ all the skills: ensemble,
expression, matching sound and
articulation, being led by your principal - and being aware of the ensemble
style of the whole orchestra. Really good ensemble players are good team
members and can support each other discreetly; a little shuffle or quiet
acknowledgement after a tricky part,
voicing the octaves so that the lower one is slightly louder for hearing
intonation… tiny variations can make things easier and more successful and the
really switched on players can predict what might be useful through their
active listening. Being aware of the breathing of the section helps you to
match articulation and expression - follow body language and in-breaths, which
indicate how loud, how to articulate, etc. This is something you will probably have
learnt in youth orchestra training at various levels. It’s likely you are
already doing all of these things to some degree, if so; great stuff, keep it
up!
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| Onstage with Boulez & the BBCSO - 80th birthday celebrations |
8. Finally - Enjoy!
A great team effort can make the
difference between agony and fun! Remember that it’s great to relish the
challenges of your work, and develop skills to conquer them. Relax, use your
intonation toolkit and enjoy overcoming the challenges!
LINKS
Celia Craig's website
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