davidsampson Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 Ever since I went to my first DCI show in Cookeville TN 2 years ago I have been hell-bent on marching corps. I am currently a junior in high school, and my goal is to march the summer after my senior year. I play bass clarinet in concert band, but I am eager to pick up a brass instrument. A friend of mine gave me a 7C trumpet mouthpiece, and I have been buzzing on that for a while, and I can buzz scales, arpeggios, and melodies fairly well from about concert F below the treble cleff staff, to about the F at the top of the staff. I have come to the conclusion that I am better suited to buzzing lower notes, and I base that on the few times I have briefly buzzed on a trombone or baritone. The sound came out so much easier and more comfortably than it does on a trumpet mouthpiece. The only problem with me marching, say, baritone, is that I am not a strong person, and I am concerned about my ability to hold up the horn for long periods of time. Knowing this, which corps instrument would be best for me to try and learn? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kekkles Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 baritone/euphonium easiest to learn, period Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidsampson Posted August 25, 2008 Author Share Posted August 25, 2008 As a corollary, which instrument would a relative beginner have the best chance of getting in with? (Bari/euph?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martybucs Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 baritone/euphoniumeasiest to learn, period trumpet/soprano lightest, period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martybucs Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 Seriously, if you're a beginner, you probably won't be on lead parts no matter which instrument you pick. The 3rd or 4th parts are pretty easy in any section. I didn't say unimportant, mind you, just relative to range and some technical requirements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coathope Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 If you prefer lower notes on a trumpet mouthpiece, may I suggest mellophone? Baritone may be the easiest, but it is quite heavy. Mellophone is a nice medium where you build chops at a medium rate while also not carrying a baritone. Of course, baritone does seem to be the preferred instrument to learn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidsampson Posted August 25, 2008 Author Share Posted August 25, 2008 What are the approximate ranges I might be playing on mellophone, as well as the lower trumpet parts? Also, if I were to buy a horn of some kind, would it be worth it to buy a mellophone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kekkles Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 trumpet/soprano lightest, period. haha, well yeah, there's that if i were you, i REALLY wouldn't let weight of an instrument even be a factor. you can complain about weight once you've run around with a contra or a bottom bass drum. until then, suck it up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kansan Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 Baritone for sure. I went from Alto Sax to Baritone. Fun section to be in too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-horns Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 Ever since I went to my first DCI show in Cookeville TN 2 years ago I have been hell-bent on marching corps. I am currently a junior in high school, and my goal is to march the summer after my senior year. I play bass clarinet in concert band, but I am eager to pick up a brass instrument. A friend of mine gave me a 7C trumpet mouthpiece, and I have been buzzing on that for a while, and I can buzz scales, arpeggios, and melodies fairly well from about concert F below the treble cleff staff, to about the F at the top of the staff. I have come to the conclusion that I am better suited to buzzing lower notes, and I base that on the few times I have briefly buzzed on a trombone or baritone. The sound came out so much easier and more comfortably than it does on a trumpet mouthpiece. The only problem with me marching, say, baritone, is that I am not a strong person, and I am concerned about my ability to hold up the horn for long periods of time. Knowing this, which corps instrument would be best for me to try and learn? If your school has a marching band, see if you can switch to brass for that. Then get your hands on a mellophone or bell-front baritone and give it a go. If your school doesn't have a ;marching band or doesn't have bell-front mellos or baritones, buy a decent used trumpet. Work on tone and intonation, not range. You can audition for trumpet, then if you march a second year see about switching to mello if you want. Mello parts are usually more complicated than lower trumpet/soprano. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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