Another non-musician question.

[Dmitry]

Been really enjoying *Ray Draper Quintet Featuring John Coltrane*, and boy, is tuba slow comparing to Trane's barrage.

What's the instrument that can produce the most notes in any given time interval?

I'd think piano, because it has the most keys, but that's amateur talk.

What do the pros say?

[Shrdlu]

You often hear that the flute is the quickest instrument, and it certainly is very fast, as its keys are small and light and don't have to move far. But I think the clarinet is a contender, for the same reason.

Maybe we should be asking "who's the fastest player?"

A lot of classical violinists are stunningly fast.

[jazzbo]

Depending on how you define a "muscial note" a drum such as a snare (I consider a stroke a note in a lot of ways) or a string instrument such as a guitar or violin (some folk can pluck like wildfire. . . not sure I consider them all notes!) and a piano (even I can trill a note pretty darned quick) would be contenders.

[Larry Kart]

The button accordion?

[JSngry]

The voice.

[Rooster_Ties]

The voice.

Perhaps, Jim. But as a singer, I can tell you that I think some instruments are far quicker at playing specific pitches in succession, at a faster rate than the human voice.

I mean, yeah, with the voice (or a trombone) you can cover a whole bunch of pitches (different frequencies) really damn fast, but are you actually hitting 'notes'?? -- or are you just 'sliding around'?? I think there's a difference.

For the purposes of discussion, I think you need to talk about hitting discrete notes, in rapid succession, with at least some concern for intonation.

(Then again, if intonation doesn't matter -- maybe voice or trombone will win the speed race every time.)

Also (as a singer), let me say that I can't sing really fast runs worth a damn, like you find all the time in Bach, or Handel, or Mozart. I hate that shit too (speaking as a singer, mind you).

[JSngry]

Have you heard Ursula Dudzyak?

[Jazz]

Or Bobby Mcferrin.

Please no one laugh at me....

[JSngry]

Bobby Mcferrin's a bad motherfucker. Goofy as hell more often than not, but still...

[Jazz]

Aww hell yeah! That guy knocks my socks off. I remember my friend telling me how amazing he was and I just couldn't believe it until he actually played some stuff for me.

[Nate Dorward]

Getting back to the original post: Ray Draper was not a very good tuba player & should not be taken as a benchmark of his fast a tuba is (or of the kind of tone it can produce). I had a very interesting correspondence with a tuba player about Draper, & she had a lot to say about the guy: she felt some sympathy for him (he was only a self-taught teenager on those Prestige dates; afterwards he ended up going through a lot of personal troubles & died relatively young) but said he'd done a lot of damage to the instrument's rep in jazz circles.

If you want to hear a stunning improvising tuba player try Howard Johnson or Michel Godard. They ain't slowpokes, I assure you.

In terms of speed: computers can play as fast as you like. In terms of acoustic instruments, I'd imagine that an instrument like a piano has an advantage in terms of speed over a horn because the mechanism to produce each note is physically independent, so it's only limited by handspeed. But probably a vocalist or hornplayer will now prove me wrong.....

Edited March 27, 2004 by Nate Dorward

[JSngry]

If you want to hear a stunning improvising tuba player try Howard Johnson or Michel Godard. They ain't slowpokes, I assure you.

Add Harvey Phillips to that list. Not a particulary stimulating improvisor, but as facile a tubaist as there is.

[Dmitry]

Getting back to the original post: Getting back to the original post: Ray Draper was not a very good tuba player & should not be taken as a benchmark of his fast a tuba is (or of the kind of tone it can produce). I had a very interesting correspondence with a tuba player about Draper, & she had a lot to say about the guy: she felt some sympathy for him (he was only a self-taught teenager on those Prestige dates; afterwards he ended up going through a lot of personal troubles & died relatively young) but said he'd done a lot of damage to the instrument's rep in jazz circles.

I didn't realize my post would somehow mislead anyone about Draper's ability on his instrument.

Re: self-taught. I remember reading that Draper attended the Manhattan School.

But even if he didn't..I don't know how he'd spoiled the instrument's rep..he was just another tubaist, there were players before and after him.

Sure, guys like Howard Johnson, Andy Seligson, Bob Stewart, all had something on Draper, but I bet that any one of them would kill to cut a record or two with Trane. -_-

Edited March 28, 2004 by Dmitry

[Free For All]

When I attend a symphony concert, the fastest licks usually are found in the upper strings (specifically violins), upper woodwinds (flutes, clarinets) and piano. The trombones are usually counting rests and/or reading the paper.

[BERIGAN]

Ever hear Dave Mustaine solo while on speed? I can't believe anyone could play anything any faster.

[Sundog]

Ever hear Dave Mustaine solo while on speed? I can't believe anyone could play anything any faster.

How about Jimmy Raney on Parker 51? That one is fast (and melodic)!!!