I played in the band from 5th grade until I graduated high school. I played coronet, baritone horn, and valve trombone. This wasn’t a particularly amazing feat since these three instruments are similar. They all have 3 valves and pressing those valves down, produces the same note with each instrument. However similar they might be, they are also very different instruments. Since the coronet is muchh smaller, you can play faster. Also, it takes less air volume to produce a tone.
But there are other differences. The baritone horn and the valve trombone have a much larger mouthpiece, so your embouchure (the tension in your face and lip muscles) is easier to achieve. With the smaller instruments, the mouthpiece is much smaller, and your “lip” must be in “better shape.”
Another contrast is that the coronet has a “mellow” tone, similar to, but not as harsh as a trumpet. A baritone horn also has a “mellow” tone. In fact, it’s almost impossible to make a baritone horn sound harsh. A valve trombone or a trumpet on the other hand, loves to sound “brassy!” Blow just a little too hard and it gets positively harsh in its tone.
Another difference is the part they play in the band. The baritone horns and trombones are part of the “low brass” section. The “low brass” is the foundation for the rest of the band. The lower registers fill the room with the harmony that others play over. Take away the lead instruments and you have no melody…. Take away the bass instruments and you have no fullness and richness. They work together to create something that is pleasing to listen to.
How does this all apply to us? Just like the higher and lower registers in a band, we need each other. You may “play a solo,” but usually, we play together. We “fill in the gaps” for each other.
As a Church, we need a conductor. If everybody starts playing when they want, or they play at different tempos, or they play different songs at the same time, it’s disastrous. When God’s church doesn’t “play together” it’s terrible! If we all just kind of do our own thing without working together, there will be no music, just a cacophony that makes people want to run away crying. I heard a rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner once at a football game, where most of the band came in on the upbeat, as they should have. But several instruments came in on the down beat. IT WAS HORRIBLE! I wanted to run out on the field and scream “STOP! Start over!” To keep this from happening, we need to pay attention to the conductor. He is the one who will keep us playing together and playing our parts. He will also correct us during practice, so when it’s time to perform, we will sound like we should. Thankfully, we have Jesus, the perfect Conductor!
Don’t blame the conductor or the band for what one member of the band does! One instrument, played badly, or played at the wrong time, can make hours of practice seem wasted. If a woodwind player doesn’t keep their embouchure tight, in the middle of a beautiful passage, there can be a terrible, high pitched “HONK!” Months of hard work suddenly go wrong. It wasn’t the director’s fault; it wasn’t the tuba players’ fault. But it made everyone sound bad. This is especially true with the drum section. If the drummers pay attention and follow the director, the rest of the band will usually stay with them. But let the bass drummer lag, things quickly slow down. We can’t let the actions of one, or even several people, drive us away from Jesus and His Church.
Sometimes, people blame God for things He didn’t do. He’s the director, but He’s working with band members who aren’t perfect. Some of them will even intentionally sabotage the music. They may even be unkind to another band member. But God continues to direct the band to play the right melody. Don’t “quit the band” because a clarinet “honked!” Don’t quit because one of the trumpet players isn’t the person he should be. Look to the director! He’ll never let you down! fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:2–3
Keep playing, Keep following!
John
