Martybucs Posted September 13, 2009 Share Posted September 13, 2009 If you want to remain sane...forget the trumpet. You will never be able to play high enough or long enough to satisfy anyone, even yourself. ex. what? can't you hit the double C? so and so can hit the double C and not turn red...everytime! or Can you take that up an octave? or again, at full volume. on the other hand, there is nothing so sweet as plastering a double C in performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindap Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 (edited) Those lead sops are something. Real characters ;-) I was a guard girl and DM from way back but hung out with the drum line. When I was drum major the drum line kept it together while the sops wailed like wow. If you're used to alto take the baritone. I was alto in choir and loved learning the baritone in 78 :-) It felt sooo coool to play in a horn line instead of conducting for too long :-) edit: I've got April 1977 DEG catalog and a photo I took of Mic Gillette 1977. Which forum should I post these in? Could use a little help... Edited September 16, 2009 by lindap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corgonin Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 Just thought I'd bump this instead of make a new thread Saxophonist (mostly bari) here, thinking about learning either baritone so I can audition for a WC corps. Basically, do I just need to know how to play the instrument and march before auditioning? No scales or anything? Are the fingerings the same for baritone/euph/mellophone? Closest WC corps to me are Cadets, Crown, and Surf. How many baritones and mellos are usually in corps like these? Just wondering about my actual chances of making a corps after learning a completely new instrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZFan Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 Baritone and Euph are the same fingerings exactly, mellophone has the same fingering pattern, but they read different clefs and different keys. Coming from Bari sax: Mellophone: +Close key to the saxophone (Eb -> F) +Treble Clef +Lightest instrument of those +In general, easier auditions +Coming from woodwind, you won't find the mello parts so intimidating. -Its a different register from Bari Sax (over an octave apart) -No where near similar part (roots and bass line -> 3rds and 5ths and counter melody Baritone: +register is similar to upper Bari sax register +diverse parts -bass clef (coming from treble) -can get heavy if not used to it Euph: +register similar to a more normal bari sax part. +the air difference won't be very large. +rocking sound. -bass clef -extremely heavy -boring parts at times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow_7 Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 Baritone / Euph is the easiest to march IMO. The intake and outtake of air closely resembles that of "NORMAL" breathing. They are demanding to hold up for durations. But relatively easy to make work. Mellophone generally has cool parts and harmonies. But all that black can be hard to memorize on short notice. Tuba / Contra can be fun to play. Until you have to march a parade. And even after many years of Euph, just picking up and setting down the Contra wears me out a bit. Sure it sits on the shoulder but only one of them. It's not centered like everything else is. There is no balance / mind over matter way to compensate. It is just pure brute force. Trumpet. All work, no glory. You get to run around 90mph while holding your breath for 12 minutes at a time. Not really that bad, but unlike most other horns, you can only play so loud before the horn fights back. Point of diminishing returns. Although it sure is nice to have such a small case and light horn when you travel. Regardless switching can be a bit rough. You're never quite as good as you "were" on your main. And it can be frustrating trying to be as good as you're used to being. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorpsPhan Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 Thank you so much. I have narrowed my decision down to either mellophone or baritone. My band director is going to let me try them out to see which I like best. I'm really exited :) Depending on what you're looking for, either should be a good choice. I picked up baritone after over 20 years of not playing, and I played trumpet in high school. Secretly, I'd love to play contra, but I don't think my back could handle it, so I compromised by playing 3rd/4th bari parts since a lot of the time we mirror what the contras do, but with less horn to carry. At the same time, I love mellophone parts, and secretly dream of carrying around a horn that barely weighs as much as my baritone mouthpiece... But I'll stick with the baritone. Good Luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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