Let's talk horns

[bananaboyz]

In regards to horns, the new Jupiter horns are really raw. From what I heard, they are actually prototypes. If those were the actual horns, I would say Jupiter still has a long way to go before they can be competitive within the marching brass market. Yamahas seem to be the best out there as an overall line. I actually tried the King mellophone at Finals this year. I find them to be....quite amazing. I can only surmise the rest of the King line is good. Blue Devils have slightly modified horns from Dynasty. But overall, they aren't so bad. Other lines just have slightly better quality, Yamaha being less pricey as well.

In regards to mouthpieces, I am a mellophone player so I know only about corps' mellophone mouthpieces (and maybe a few of other horns). The Cadets use Hammond 6MP. Phantom uses Hammond 6MP as well. SCV uses Hammond 5MP. Bluecoats uses Hammond 6MPH. Spirit uses Hammond. Troopers use Hammond. Crown uses Curry 1TF. Cavaliers use the IYM. The Bluecoats actually have a full line of Hammond mouthpieces, top to bottom. Crown's tubas(baritones?) use Denis Wick.

I am using a Hammond and it sound nice on my Kanstul - then again I am old school.

[Donny Drum Corps]

Music City Legend, and a whole bunch of class A corps.

Brigadiers are Bb

[deltabass]

I know that Spirit uses the LOUD Mouthpieces line.

In 2008 and continuing in 2009, Spirit uses Hammond Design mouthpieces for its full brass line.

[luvs me sum mello!]

High Brass award: 1st -Blue Devils, Dynasty

2nd Phantom, King Marching Brass

3rd Crown, Yamaha

4th Cavaliers, Yamaha (2008 horns for sale)

5th Cadets, Yamaha

6th Bluecoats Yamaha (horns now on sale)

7th SCV Yamaha

8th Blue Stars, King

Academy - Jupiter Marching Brass

+++

Can you separate a discussion about horns from the corps who use them?

Does a certain brand really bring a competitive advantage?

How does the new Jupiter brass sound? Was it up to DCI standards for durability and quality?

I saw several corps using very large mouthpieces. Comments on MP's?

Would you buy a used brass instrument from a drum corps?

It's all about preference. Every manufacturer has a weak spot. You just chose what feels right for you (or the corps) and sometimes that simply comes down to a numbers game.

The sounds these kids produce are more the product of the brass staffs' methods then the equipment.

I would buy a used corps horn in a heart beat. Sometimes they still even have factory warranties still valid and corps take EXCEPTIONAL care of their horns. Especially the groups that know they are reselling on a regular basis.

Oh and if you had 2 brass lines: One played extremely bright and shallow and were a b**** to tune but were boasted as being "really really loud" or a horn line with a dark, rich tone that blended well and still put out an immense sound, which would you chose?

[Puppet]

I don't know anything about Bb instruments - how loud they are or anything - but I do know that Olds was the standard BITD. I played Mellophone in a G bugle corps in the sixties and early seventies, we never had more than 40 horns and like our counterparts of the time were clean from piano to forte.

Still have my horn, too.

And yes, that is a vintage Bach mouthpiece.

Puppet

Edited March 9, 2009 by Puppet

[ussglassman]

-The Dynasty M875 marching only tuba is large for a 4/4 sized tuba. Many consider the 4th valve to be an invaluable feature. Personally, I could have done without the extra weight. The balance of this horn is somewhat front heavy and is not very comfortable to hold in the carry position. An annoying but not critical issue with this horn was the tendency for the ‘mother of pearl’ fingers buttons to easily fall off. Overall this horn had a tendency to play flat. Mouthpiece choice for me on this instrument is a Bach gold plate 24AW mega-tone mouthpiece. The smaller mouthpiece made it easier to bring the horn into tune as compared to those with larger mouthpiece preferences. In spite of its flaws this is a solid horn, worthy of being performed on in any brass ensemble setting. I do not own this horn but have performed on it in the DCA venue.

The Dynasty 875 is a perfect horn, minus the issues of bell heaviness, and playing flat. When I got my used 875, I noticed this, and since I own the horn, I decided I had no reason to put up with it. I did quite a bit of research and found that it would be possible, and not damaging to the horn itself, to unsolder the mouthpiece receiver, use a sawzall to remove 2 inches of metal from the leadpipe, and solder the mouthpiece receiver back on. When I did this, it pulled the center of balance closer to me, making the horn balance almost perfectly. The horn tuned a few cents sharp of the key of A with a large mouthpiece before, and after the surgery it tuned right on center Bb.

The only issues I had thereafter were that the large leadpipe brace kinda cut into my wrist. I fixed this by taking a handheld grinder and carefully grinding off all but enough sheet metal to give the pipe sufficient support. After quite a bit of filing and sanding, the modified brace looks quite nice, supports the weight of a mouthpiece, and clears my hand with plenty of room. The last issue I have is that low B natural tunes way too sharp with 1,2, and 3. I have to play it with 2 and 4 or else it tunes a couple cents sharp of C. The tuning is now "tempermental" as opposed to "impossibly flat," which is a compromise I am proud to make.

I imagine that anyone reading this will feel a distinct pain in their stomachs that some maniac would take a blowtorch, sawzall, and grinder to a $5000 marching tuba. Well, I did it, and what I have to show for it is a perfectly balanced, in tune tuba, that I can play in any setting comfortably and with a great sound. If anyone out there reading this is having issues with their 875's, please feel free to PM me and I would be happy to put your mind at rest that the modifications I made to my 875 were quite easy, and well worth the risk.

[no_itsnotadash]

I enjoyed my summer on Dynasty. I don't understand quite all the hate.

[Perry S]

Yes, I have, quite a few. And I'm afraid the reality continues to be that the key of G holds no magical volume-related properties. What you do see is a shift in the pedagogical efforts of junior corps horn instruction, and the result is better musicianship overall. I stand by my statement.

Stand by it all you want. I've been to multiple Shows each year since 1976 and there are alot more on here who have been going to/participating in shows longer than that even. I Stand by the FACT that G bugle hornlines were LOUDER than Bb marching brass hornlines. I've said it on here before. The 8 Contra Grande bugles and the players playng them in 1979 and 1980 Spirit were Louder than any 10, 12 even 16 member Tuba line I've ever heard. And I've heard them all since the switch.

[Puppet]

Each line is unique and offers advantages in different voices over their competition. I will discuss the instruments that I have personally played on and what I feel I have enough feedback on to comment. I will make it clear when I am speaking of my personal experience as opposed to others. References will be provided for any product opinion from other musicians when possible.

As I have matured I have come to the realization that there is no such thing as a ‘magic mouthpiece’. I am a firm believer that a musician should utilize the mouthpiece that best works with their embouchure. In some instances, such as a bell heavy mellophone, a large or heavy weight mouthpiece will help balance out the horn in the hands of the musician.

Just curious here. Does your knowledge of the "middle" voices extend as far back as the sixty through late seventies era when names like Conn, Olds, Gretsch, Getzen, Slingerland and even Bach horns were in competition. I played both Conn & Slingerland French horn - I don't remember the Flugelhorn manufacturer (but I suspect it was an Olds because we switched over to all Olds that year) and then of course -my favorite - Mellophone. These were all single piston instruments. The French horns with slides, Flugelhorn and Mello with a rotary.

Just as I said, wondering.

Puppet

Edited March 10, 2009 by Puppet

[Dave]

Stand by it all you want. I've been to multiple Shows each year since 1976 and there are alot more on here who have been going to/participating in shows longer than that even. I Stand by the FACT that G bugle hornlines were LOUDER than Bb marching brass hornlines. I've said it on here before. The 8 Contra Grande bugles and the players playng them in 1979 and 1980 Spirit were Louder than any 10, 12 even 16 member Tuba line I've ever heard. And I've heard them all since the switch.

Your saying that it's a fact doesn't make it a fact. And furthermore, my point is not that a line wasn't louder, but that there is no property inherent in the key of G that makes it louder than other keys. Lines today aren't purely focused on volume and cleanliness, instructors now focus on overall good brass playing. The best lines can put out as much sound as anyone has--but they aren't doing it constantly. If hornlines are putting out less, it has nothing to do with the key of the horn, it has to do with the change in instructional approach that focuses on musicianship first and building up volume in an environment of good tone quality and better pedagogy.