Jupiter Brass/Quality Control

[drumcorps45]

Hey there, I just want to talk/rant about the fairly new Jupiter Brass presence in DCI.

WHY? Why are they trying to make a marching brass line?

I mean, I understand a company wanting to branch out to as many musical options, in this case marching brass. But they are just SO BAD.

LIKE REALLY BAD.

I work at a music store and we carry most brands of brass instruments. I'm a trumpet player and I have to say after playing all the horns on stock (Yamaha, Bach, Conn, King Jupiter is by far the worst horn in the place. I would legitimately call their artisan "professional" horn intermediate horn at best. The tone is crass and thin, intonation is all over the place and the back pressure form playing a single note is INSANE. It takes three times the effort and skill just to get the horn to play at an alright level compared to any other brand of horn. Its really quite ridiculous it is.

And hey, normally I wouldn't care about this. Its a growing company that I assume are still trying to improve and experiment with their horns to get the best quality, and I have nothing against that. My problem is why are they trying trying to do a whole new line of marching series when their "professional" stuff is still on a low level of quality? Why? Why not focus ALL of your resources on getting your primary products sounding good before trying to branch out?

This brings me to the main point of rant. Why are there top level, world class corps marching flippin' JUPITER? If the high quality Jupiter was weak then why would you agree to use their marching series? Those of which are typically lower quality than their concert or professional horns. My only thought of why a corps would keep using these horns would financial issues (Jupiter being the cheapest) or that they are stuck in some sort of contract, that of which they cannot get out of for some number or years.

How about this, what if there was a track runner entering the Olympics, only he was forced to wear ankle braces while the other runners didn't have to. Sure he could eventually get his personal run time down to a reasonable limit, but when it comes to the main event most likely he is going to fall behind compared to the other runners who trained w/o the braces. Or more relatable to the activity; if the guard had rifles and flags that weight twice as much or if the battery's drums were made of particle board and had to use metal stick when you played them. Yes, EVENTUALLY the guard will get used to the tosses and EVENTUALLY the battery will sound clean sounding clean, but its a huge struggle to get there while the other teams don't have to deal with these handicaps.

Think about it. Imagine if you took a corps and cloned it to have two completely identical corps competing with each other; the first corps would march lets say Yamaha or King and the second corps will march Jupiter. They would play the same exact show in the same exact way with the same talent of people, but the first corps will always sound and preform better than the second. This is because the second corps is constantly fighting with their equipment and ending up having to work twice as hard to get to the same level as the first; while the corps can put the same effort in and because they reasonable and quality equipment they will sound much better and can focus on perfection, instead having to start miles before the starting line and having to play catch up.

So whats the solution to this? Should all corps march on the same equipment? I think that it technically would be the fairest way to do things but I know that wont happen, plus some corps like the sound of certain horns and it gives the corps some of their identity simply they tone they produce. However Jupiter should stop with their quantum marching series and focus on the quality of their own horns, or at least test their products on a lower class corps and ensemble instead of holding back what were usually more successful corps like the Phantom Regiment.

END RANT, comment below and discuss.

[Jason Schmidt]

This is my second year marching on a Jupiter baritone, and I have to say, I enjoy it a lot. The intonation is way better than some horns I have played on, ESPECIALLY the higher register notes. Usually they blow sharp, but on Jupiters, they are very manageable, with good tone (at least when I play ).

I cannot speak on the trumpets' behalves, but as far as the baritone is concerned, it is great. Plus, there is a first valve slide which is very helpful with certain notes (like D in the staff).

I am very thankful for what Jupiter does, and I disagree with you when you say they are holding corps back.

[NewTuba2011]

I play on a Jupiter contra and I love it. Sure, it's huge, but it is easy to play and has good handholds.

[MotoSurfBass]

[GeneralTsoChicken]

I've seen exactly what you talk about, in the high brass especially.

Jupiter is really strong in the low brass community and Pat and Sam put their reputation in Jupiter's hands. The marching horns and low brass are definitely the high point of the entire company.

[drumcorps45]

This is my second year marching on a Jupiter baritone, and I have to say, I enjoy it a lot. The intonation is way better than some horns I have played on, ESPECIALLY the higher register notes. Usually they blow sharp, but on Jupiters, they are very manageable, with good tone (at least when I play ).

I cannot speak on the trumpets' behalves, but as far as the baritone is concerned, it is great. Plus, there is a first valve slide which is very helpful with certain notes (like D in the staff).

I am very thankful for what Jupiter does, and I disagree with you when you say they are holding corps back.

The low brass are just about alright because the euphonium is Jupiter best product. The high brass is the killer, especially in the trumpet and mellophones.

I hate to be biased but have you ever heard of a great hornline that has a B rated trumpet line? No. And I am actually friends with multiple people who marched Jupiters all summer, including the baritone soloist from the Boston Crusaders last year and he said he MUCH rather prefers the King horn they used to use, and having played on the Jupiter horns myself I strongly agree with them.

And what other horn did you use that were not as good as a Jupiter?

[blazek]

I've heard the general consensus (even from an arranger that had to work with those horns) that for Jupiter:

Low Brass = Good

High Brass = BAAADDD

I've heard some corps stay with their current horn dealers because they also get a subsequent good deal with drums/heads/etc. I don't know if that's the case with Jupiter, and since I'm not a drum guy, I don't keep up with how all the companies interact in regard to Brass.

[SopSauceBaus]

I had a perfect .gif for this but DCP doesn't allow .gifs...thanks DCP for ruining my joke.

[tubamarc8891]

The design of the horns are great. Sam & Pat did a wonderful job for Jupiter. Nonetheless, they are made out of really cheap brass and are put together poorly. I have never met with a band director who's hornline is outfitted with Jupiter who did not have valve issues.

[3rd Glasgow BB]

including the baritone soloist from the Boston Crusaders last year and he said he MUCH rather prefers the King horn they used to use

Which surely goes to prove that if played well they sound as good as any other make of horn.