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Purchase a G line or Bb line?


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No matter the opinions of the pluses or minuses of either key, it just doesn't make financial sense to buy a line of G horns. The selection and resale options for concert pitch horns are substantially larger.

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No matter the opinions of the pluses or minuses of either key, it just doesn't make financial sense to buy a line of G horns. The selection and resale options for concert pitch horns are substantially larger.

Agree 100 percent.

Fran

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If you are talking about DCA, there isnt as much bias against G lines versus Bb lines as of yet. You can witness the scores of the Empire Statesmen to prove that point. It hasnt yet occurred in DCA that you get punished for playing bugles...but it may.

However, IMHO There IS a bias in DCI toward G brass, until a top 3 brass decides to try it out again, which doesnt look likely any time soon.

Lets face it, G horns arent as available, have less resale value and cost more to purchase than the Bb/F horns. It becomes a real matter of sound preference on your part if you are willing to spend more to make less on resale. The only place to sell them is to alumni corps. And alumni corps should ALWAYS stay on G bugles!!!!

5 years ago I would not say what I say now. I find the Bb horns much easier to tune, and prefer the sound in balance and blend situations. I teach many groups from the Alumni circuit to DCA, to DCI to mini corps...and I am a bugler as well as a trumpet player. I KNOW that I can play a trumpet as loud as I can play a bugle. And I believe that it just sounds better. It is easier also for band kids to play the instrument they play in band as opposed to a horn in a different key and build.

Things to consider...

Donny

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As far as DCI goes, I can attest that a G line would likely be punished because they're on G's. That's based on what I heard from a corps that was scoring quite low in brass numbers for most of the season whose staff was told point-blank by judges at a show that they would continue to get that low score until they switched Bb's.

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Unless you've got talent and instruction at the level of BD or Star, buy Bb. Those were the only corps that made Gs sound good.

There's no cure for deafness.... :laughing:

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As far as DCI goes, I can attest that a G line would likely be punished because they're on G's. That's based on what I heard from a corps that was scoring quite low in brass numbers for most of the season whose staff was told point-blank by judges at a show that they would continue to get that low score until they switched Bb's.

Hmmm....I wonder what corps that could've been...hmmmmmmmmmmmmm....

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As far as DCI goes, I can attest that a G line would likely be punished because they're on G's. That's based on what I heard from a corps that was scoring quite low in brass numbers for most of the season whose staff was told point-blank by judges at a show that they would continue to get that low score until they switched Bb's.

And then they switched to Bb and their scores didn't get any better. :laughing:

Seriously, though, it depends mostly on the sound you want to achieve and the cost you're looking to endure, both short and long-term.

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I hope the debate is over by now but it seems the differences are clear cut. G's are louder, Bb's tune much better. There have been some great G lines but when you talk good to great Bb lines the difference is startling.

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I'd love to hear a DCI line use Gs. Make sure you have good brass staff, though.

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