Riddle

What’s this?

• Right ear 
• Heart, soul, intellect and ears
• Left ear
• Left ear
• Left ear

It’s a horn section!

• The assistant uses his right ear to listen to the principal
• The principal uses all his experience, talent, soul and technique they can while listening to the other principals
• The second horn listens to the principal
• The third horn listens to the second horn or the principal
• The fourth horn listens to the third horn or the principal

Playing as a section is more important than your differences

Each position has unique responsibilities.
 
Of course these are general rules and exaggerations. If the second horn has a solo then everyone else should listen to them, etc. And there are other ways to organize things. But this is how it is done in Left Coast playing.

Few things ruin the sound of a horn section like a player who refuses to match the players in the section. 

 

Sections that play very well together know that being together and in tune with your section is more important than being in tune with other sections or players in the ensemble.