FreelancerAlumni

Don't articulate with the tip of your tongue. Rest the tip lightly at the back of your lower teeth (not on the gums) and articulate with the part of the tongue that strikes the roof of your mouth when you say, "K" (pronounced, kay). This will take some effort and practice time on your part to get the hang of. Since your articulating away from your teeth, tooth shape plays no part in it. Also, "Google" K_Modified Tonguing. This should help, but with anything brass, will take practice and time.

Very true ! I find it intresting how in the Monette article how they were trying to get a certin "sound" and they picked the key of "G" as attaining that sound. I often wonder what the "G" horns would have been like today if DCI would have stuck with them. More advancement? For sure! The "industry" would have demanded it. Listening to the Monette sound clips... WOW ! Would have been intresting, and cool!!!

My initial thought is to not worry about where your mp ends up on your face. Unless your trying to play out the side of your cheek ! There are a lot of different schools of thought about mp placement. My advice would be to go to the basics. Arban ! 50/50 to 70/30 as a starting point. If over time, your playing in the red, off the side slightly or towards the bottom, as long as it's working for you and your sound is what your after. Just play and forget about it. Now on the other hand, your having trouble. PM me and I can help, a little. Your still going to need to see a qualified instructor. Don't get too hung up on the "analysis" part of playing.

Wow ! Sarcasm... I was just trying to make a "funny". Was wondering where the "different" names were from...

TRUE !

Yea... I'm always late ! It's called a "SATTVA". Don't know why ? Peel away all the fancy bracing and it looks a lot like a Soprano Bugle. Some differances, but Monettes web site says, "is a one of a kind, unique new instrument". Should I write them and let them know ???? Na... Doesn't matter...

Found this. Interesting??? I think someone is noticing the benefit of a "G" horn ! http://www.monette.net/newsite/online/Newsletter2008Summer/RonMilesSATTVA.htm Although it is a newsletter from 2008. So Which corps will be the first to sport all Monette Horns in the key of "G" ???

Just in case anyone needs some reading material... http://www.smithwatkins.com/library/technical-papers/132-library-technical-papers-downloads.html

Oh yes! Different metals WILL make a difference in sound out the bell. No Doubt there. Finish of the horn... Not so much

OH Snap !!! Did I just really say that ?

There is no scientific proof that "finish" effects sound. Although, I do believe that the Chromed horns "feel" different. There is a good amount of feedback a horn player receives thru the holding of the instrument. Chrome in my opinion (depending on thickness) could dampen some of that feed back to the player giving the impression of a "darker" or even a "stuffier" sound quality. Quality construction and design play a major roll in overall brass instrument sound. Much like a drum, you get what you pay for. If budget allows, spend the money ! I personally like the look of sliver plate. If I had unlimited funds (I know that you don't) I'd opt for something new and different. I used to have a "Rose Brass" and Nickel finished Trumpet that looked absolutely beautiful. These day's, I'm partial to the "Brushed Gold" finishes. They look really cool ! Of course if you "believe" it makes a difference, then it does. Good luck with the start up... It's a fun ride !

Another Freelancers first: Up till 1979, 8 contras was the norm for just about any Corps. Some even only had 6. In 1979, The Sacramento Freelancers entered the field for competition with 10 Contra Basses. A first... It's gone up since then... I know... Tangent

Mouthpieces do not play horns -- Players play horns. Mouthpiece discussions = Nasty can of worms !!! Bottom line - A mouthpiece will not "give" you range. It will "help". If you are not a high "G" Double "C" player on your current MP, a MP change will not magically get you there! Arturo Sandoval plays on a 3C, Maynard played on something closer to a French Horn MP, Doc played on a 13A4A and Bill Chase played a 6A4A. Now that is a WIDE range of mouthpieces !!! All lead players. Some professional horn players change mouthpieces depending on what type of music they are playing, some do not. Comfort is what you need to look for in a Mouthpiece, comfort that "helps" you achieve your desired sound. Comfortable may be big and shallow or small and deep ! It could even be the mouthpiece that came with the horn, or the most expensive MP Monette makes ! Do not get too hung up of finding the "perfect Mouthpiece" because it does not exist. All mouthpieces are a design compromise, Find a mouthpiece that is comfortable, helps you achieve the desired sound... Then PLAY IT !!!

Bummer Jeff G

No... Don't kid yourself ! From pre-history, man has endeavored to create instruments of all kinds. Some were successful, some not. Brass instruments are a fairly "new" concept. But even with that, from the ram's horn to today's modern designed instruments, most of the features have been an effort of trial and error. Even with all the modern day, "high tech" measuring and monitoring equipment we have, a lot of how a brass instruments works and why is still a bit of a mystery. There are several manufactures that are employing very sophisticated construction/measurement and test criteria developing and selling "State-of-the-art" instruments. And we still don't have the "perfect" instrument. Modern day Bugles (valved or not and other instruments, trumpets, coronets etc...) are nearly identical to those constructed during the Civil War, and earlier! Oh, and the horn in the picture would have been used for ceremonial use. Military funerals etc... It looks to be short on the tubing (hard to tell though) but is probably a Bb Bugle. Most of the "Flugelhorn" shaped Bugles I've seen were Bb. Some were made from Copper and are actually quite beautiful looking and playing !

Any Piccolo Soprano Bugles in "G" ?

+1 Hitting the like button. The rest is semantics...

Well the first sentence is partially correct. Some instrument manufactures did in fact make (for all intents and purposes) "G" Trumpets. Sort of... Not too many 2 valve Trumpets out there in the world. But that's a tangent. Some manufactures did in fact design their horns to be "Chromatically playable Bugles". A Bugle is different in construction than a Trumpet. The key of the instrument is somewhat irrelevant, but that depends on the "intended audience" There are in fact Bugles in the key of Bb ! Bb Bugles were mainly used for ceremonial use because the intended audience was either closer, there was no "battle noise" to contend with or indoors. Of course, there were/are exceptions for everything. So which horns were the "Chromatically playable Bugles"? I'll let you be the judge of that one. Which brands of horns are being bought up on eBay (etc...) by the Alumni Corps for use on the field? The successful "Bugles" are still sought after and are still being manufactured. The hacked Bb to G conversions are not. One might ask, but there cheaper? And you would be correct. There cheaper, and do not play as well, as easy, horrible slotting and crappy intonation. I dare you to walk up to Mr. Zig Kanstul and tell him his Bugles are just hashed out, converted Bb Trumpets. I'll send you a condolence card! As far as overtones go... Here's an article to read: http://www.smithwatk...ttingtech02.pdf A single horn, playing a single note produces a series of overtones within that single note. Adding other instruments will enable the ear to pick out the overtones better. Yes, playing in tune helps. But the overtones are there never the less. You always hear the overtones. If you didn't, all you would hear is a pure "sine wave" type of sound, and you would go to sleep with boredom !

Well, if the horn maker is simply applying Bb tubing and "stretching out" the lengths in order to add the proper lengths to achieve the "G" key, then there sound will suffer. Prime examples of this is the differences in play-ability between Olds Ultra-tones, Kanstules (designed to be "bugles" by a bugle designer, Zig Kanstul) and say a Dynasty bugle, (a stretched out Bb horn). There is a reason why folks call them, Dy-Nasty ! The "conical" shape of the horn comes from the two MOST influential aspects of brass horn design. The lead-pipe and the bell. All the other tubing for ease of construction (the valve sections and accompanied tubing) is almost universally, of the same diameter. there are some exceptions. You cannot base the cylindrical or conical shape by visual examination only. All brass instruments employ the same features (a slide trombone being an exception). A tapered section of the lead pipe, (will vary by length, rate, and size based on the sound design desired) and the rate of taper of the bell section. Shape, size and flare of bell also play as a part of the sound design. Trumpets are considered, Cylindrical in design (even though they also employ a tapered section in the lead-pipe and bell). Coronets, Flugelhorns, French Horns, Bugles are of a conical construction. Longer sections of lead-pipe taper, and to some extent (not all) longer or higher rates of taper in the bell section. Once again, depends on the sound characteristic design. You and I have had this discussion before. You will stand by your experiences and I will stand by mine. The verdict ? What Bugles have stood the test of time. What bugle brands are the most sought after on e-bay and other entities? What brand is being played most by the DCA and Alumni Corps most?

Hey All, I'm looking to find/purchase a Piccolo Soprano Bugle. Jeff G cjgarrett901@aol.com

EXCELLENT ! Although, I am looking for a "permanent" transaction. Do you have contact information?

Yea!!! Where would you put the Mouthpiece ??? :)

1. It stoped being "real" drum & bugle corps when they added valves and rotors to the horn. Actually; rotors and valves have nothing to do with the name of the instrument. It's the overall design and characteristic quality of sound it produces. Trumpets for example are primarily of a "cylindrical" construction. A Bugle is of a "conical" design. they produce different characteristic quality of sound. Valves and rotors merely allow more accessible "notes" to be added to the Chromatic scale playable by the instrument. There are Bb Bugles. There are valveless, Field Trumpets.

Drum Corps, yes... Drum and Bugle Corps, no... Unless, your playing Bb Bugles