Flugelhorns

[Jtrumpet85]

Starting in '93(?) the Blue Devils used some Yamaha flugelhorns (converted from B-flat to G) that were pretty interesting. I'm not sure how many years they went with these.

Another interesting year is the Les Mis Year of the Cadets. A Robert Smith book that included a flugel section in the Cadet hornline is pretty unique.

Smith did some great arrangements with multi-instrument midvoices for Suncoast Sound. I think they had flugels most of their seasons.

Personally, I always struggled with having flugelhorns as the primary midvoice. It seems they can sound a bit trumpety (is that a word) at some of the extremely loud volume levels that corps have to utilize. However, they seem to have seen a lot of success as a subsection of a larger midvoice.

I've been doing some research on flugels for an upcoming article. I've been particularly impressed with how the instrument has been used in the brass band world. The instrument plays an important role within the brass line, typically a lone flugel horn performer is utilized.

The music written for these instruments can be tough, tough, tough.

OK, when you say primary midvoice, you're talking about like the mellos, right? cause I would never replace a mello section with flugels. Martybucs mentioned that the years that Buccs dropped their mello section you could tell, and he aslo said that the mello sound defines drum and bugle corps and i agree.

My wonder is how then can you work flugelhorns in... subsection to soprano/trumpets or mellophones...??

The real reason i asked for opinions of flugels, is because in the group i'm in has small brass numbers and was seeing if adding flugels would help us out with instumentation, I wanted to ask the best, thats why i came here to ask the great people in drums corps.

Thanks again for all you're ideas and show suggestions! Rock on!

[G-horns]

OK, when you say primary midvoice, you're talking about like the mellos, right? cause I would never replace a mello section with flugels. Martybucs mentioned that the years that Buccs dropped their mello section you could tell, and he aslo said that the mello sound defines drum and bugle corps and i agree.

My wonder is how then can you work flugelhorns in... subsection to soprano/trumpets or mellophones...??

The real reason i asked for opinions of flugels, is because in the group i'm in has small brass numbers and was seeing if adding flugels would help us out with instumentation, I wanted to ask the best, thats why i came here to ask the great people in drums corps.

Thanks again for all you're ideas and show suggestions! Rock on!

Like any brass instrument, flugels are just another voice in the choir. I think much depends on what kind of ensemble sound you are looking for. Your choices for the soprano voice are trumpet (soprano bugle) and cornet. Alto voice includes flugels, mellophone (not my personal choice) or french horn. Baritone voice is pretty much bari and euphonium, and bass is tuba (contra bass bugle). In a non-drum corps setting, I'd opt for trombone for the high baritone, but would also have a euph on the low bari stuff.

As for working flugels into an ensemble, depending on the arrangement they would be either low soprano voice or high alto. You can't just assume they can replace mellopnones because flugels don't work well in the upper register where mellos can peal paint.

BTW, my general choice for alto voice in a G ensemble is frenchie since I think they add more body to the sound than mellos and can help keep the high baritone voice in a reasonable playing range.

[elphaba01]

I tried out a couple of Conn Vintage One flugelhorns and found them to be incredible. Near perfect intonation and easy and clear in the upper register, (most flugels are a little unpleasant to listen to in the upper register).

At the same time I tried out a Holton Sandoval and a Jupiter and a Yamaha. For my money the best is the Conn.

Since I already own a flugelhorn, a Couesnon from about 1968, I didn't buy one...yet. I don't play flugel much because I just play it in our big band. The Couesnon is the flugelhorn that was most popular with Jazz musicians in the fifties and sixties and started the trend. The original Yamaha flugels were a copy of the Couesnon.

"Flugel Bugles":

The "First Flugels" I ever saw were in 1967. The New York Kingsmen had several of them. They were "Sterling Silver', as was the rest of the bugles in their hornline. There was/is a picture of the corps members with the horns, and the Kingsmen's horn instructor Bob Bunce in an edition of Drum Corps News from that season.

Elphaba

WWW

[BOBSMYTH]

There were many corps back in the early to mid 70's who had flugels. It was not that unusual to see a corps with a decent size hornline to have their mid-voices be a combination of Mellophones, French Horns and Flugelhorns.

[ce.brass]

OK, when you say primary midvoice, you're talking about like the mellos, right? cause I would never replace a mello section with flugels. Martybucs mentioned that the years that Buccs dropped their mello section you could tell, and he aslo said that the mello sound defines drum and bugle corps and i agree.

My wonder is how then can you work flugelhorns in... subsection to soprano/trumpets or mellophones...??

The real reason i asked for opinions of flugels, is because in the group i'm in has small brass numbers and was seeing if adding flugels would help us out with instumentation, I wanted to ask the best, thats why i came here to ask the great people in drums corps.

Thanks again for all you're ideas and show suggestions! Rock on!

It's interesting this topic came up as I'm in the process of deciding the brass composition of a new corps as brass caption head. I have a few other unrelated inquiries, so I'll probably create my own thread, rather than hijacking this one.

Probably due to my years on soprano in my junior days, I've always avoided sopranos in my decisions on arranging. With that I've also lately had an appreciation for what the soprano sound can do to a piece when it stays above the middle C. My junior corps went to Altos instead of Mellophones, though we did have some French Horns. I played the Alto in my last year of junior corps, as well as the mellophone later on in my senior corps days. The alto (or flugel) has the round qualities of the mellophone sound, while still maintaining some of the sound of the soprano. Seems like an ideal instrument when given "lower" soprano parts.

At the moment I've been looking to have a Mellophone/Alto(or Flugel)/French Horn mid section.

[scv guy]

Flugels were used in SCV during '79-'80. They were not used as middle horns but 3rd sopranos.

[G-horns]

It's interesting this topic came up as I'm in the process of deciding the brass composition of a new corps as brass caption head. I have a few other unrelated inquiries, so I'll probably create my own thread, rather than hijacking this one.

Probably due to my years on soprano in my junior days, I've always avoided sopranos in my decisions on arranging. With that I've also lately had an appreciation for what the soprano sound can do to a piece when it stays above the middle C. My junior corps went to Altos instead of Mellophones, though we did have some French Horns. I played the Alto in my last year of junior corps, as well as the mellophone later on in my senior corps days. The alto (or flugel) has the round qualities of the mellophone sound, while still maintaining some of the sound of the soprano. Seems like an ideal instrument when given "lower" soprano parts.

At the moment I've been looking to have a Mellophone/Alto(or Flugel)/French Horn mid section.

...and if you are able to have that mix in the mid-range, you will be one lucky person.

[mchromik]

I am all for a little variety in the alto voice, but I'm not sure flugels are the way to go anymore. The best sounding flugels in either a jazz or British brass band sense are usually the smaller bore horns. These horns are about anything but volume and are easily overblown. The larger bore horns (such as the G flugel bugles and cheaper Bb brands) tend to sound more trumpet-like, especially at high volumes. If a 'dark trumpet' sound is what you are after, great. But if the dark&buttery melodic flugel voice is your goal then you might be disappointed. I think the flugel is best left to a solo voice or maybe a section in the third soprano range.

The F mello has far more versatility, power, and presence if approached and arranged for in a non-paint peeling manner. If more variety of voice is needed I would be all for adding some frenchies, if you have the horn players.

[Martybucs]

I am all for a little variety in the alto voice, but I'm not sure flugels are the way to go anymore. The best sounding flugels in either a jazz or British brass band sense are usually the smaller bore horns. These horns are about anything but volume and are easily overblown. The larger bore horns (such as the G flugel bugles and cheaper Bb brands) tend to sound more trumpet-like, especially at high volumes. If a 'dark trumpet' sound is what you are after, great. But if the dark&buttery melodic flugel voice is your goal then you might be disappointed. I think the flugel is best left to a solo voice or maybe a section in the third soprano range.

The F mello has far more versatility, power, and presence if approached and arranged for in a non-paint peeling manner. If more variety of voice is needed I would be all for adding some frenchies, if you have the horn players.

I agree. I have an old Couesnon flugelhorn which I think is about a .413" bore and if you need volume - this is not the horn. I use a huge mouthpiece and if you play too loud the sound really suffers. (unfortunately, when you're playing against a large big band they want all the volume you can muster)

I still think people want to hear the mellophones, at least, in a drum corps hornline. They usually have the most interesting parts aside from the melody.

[ce.brass]

...and if you are able to have that mix in the mid-range, you will be one lucky person.

So true. At the moment, I'm thinking long term planning. I'm limited to using 2 valve instruments which I was unaware of when I first started writing music for this corps, but there is a plan to replace the line with 3 valve instruments. At the moment, I can theoretically muster up enough players to cover each section, but everyone is playing on their own. The main problem was the corps starting mid-season, but come September, we may have a lineup of local people who would rather not travel to do drum corps.

My main plan is to have mellophones as the main midrange section, with all the usual parts, with Altos supporting the Sopranos and the Mellos, while French Horns do supporting duty between Mellos and Baritones.