Trombones And Reverberation: A Visit To Biosphere 2
Brass players adore playing in a large, high-ceiling room just to hear the magnificent sound of their instrument reverberate throughout the hall. While some rooms, only have a second or two of reverb, larger cathedrals carry longer strains of sound. However, take a moment to imagine playing a brass instrument in a space with at least 25 seconds of sound.
Michael Lake of AltoBone.com and Gerry Pagano, bass trombonist of the St. Louis Symphony, set out to find out what sounds could be created in a venue of this capacity. Located in Arizona, Biosphere 2 is a science research facility that functions as a closed ecological system. Both Lake and Pagano received special access to enter one of the chambers known as “The Lung.” By entering this expandable room, the two musicians produced sound with silence and space.
With five pieces recorded, including Pagano performing The Ride of the Valkyries, these creative investigators created music on another level. As Lake wrote in his own article, “I admit that the recorded sound coming from two stereo speakers is nothing like being there live.” None the less, the music created will be well worth it in its entirety.
