Midlanders Alumni Corps Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 As a non-sponsored group, The Midlanders Alumni Corps is trying to exist on a shoestring while attempting to expand our membership. With that in mind, we purchased two Kanstul two-to three valve conversion kits for our G contras. This has given us virtually new horns for a very reasonable price. I'm wondering if similar conversion kits exist for other G horns, most notably euphonium or baritone. If you have such a kit that you would like to part with or know where a kit is located, please e-mail me at rmadzia@yahoo.com. Corps-dially, Rick Madzia President Midlanders Alumni Corps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HornsUp Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 The Kanstul kit is designed for the Olds Ultratone contra, and only works well on that model. It is not cost-efficient to design, produce, and install a conversion unit on other voices. 2-valve horns will work fine for your alumni corps. Any arranger who insists otherwise does not know his craft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 2-valve horns will work fine for your alumni corps. Any arranger who insists otherwise does not know his craft. Indeed....just ask the Commandant's Own! The only difficulty with arranging for 2 valves are those 4 low-middle register notes that can't be played...and even those are more of a problem for the low brass. And any arranger who says 2-valve horns aren't effective should be tied to a chair and made to watch any corps up through the 1989 season...through 93 if it's Star. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midlanders Alumni Corps Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 Indeed....just ask the Commandant's Own!The only difficulty with arranging for 2 valves are those 4 low-middle register notes that can't be played...and even those are more of a problem for the low brass. And any arranger who says 2-valve horns aren't effective should be tied to a chair and made to watch any corps up through the 1989 season...through 93 if it's Star. 2-valve are fine for traditional marching music but we play a lot of jazz numbers and the A flats and D flats add an extra dimension as does 18-20 horns playing twelve different parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midlanders Alumni Corps Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 Indeed....just ask the Commandant's Own!The only difficulty with arranging for 2 valves are those 4 low-middle register notes that can't be played...and even those are more of a problem for the low brass. And any arranger who says 2-valve horns aren't effective should be tied to a chair and made to watch any corps up through the 1989 season...through 93 if it's Star. 2-valve are fine for traditional marching music but we play a lot of jazz numbers and the A flats and D flats add an extra dimension as does 18-20 horns playing twelve different parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 2-valve are fine for traditional marching music but we play a lot of jazz numbers and the A flats and D flats add an extra dimension as does 18-20 horns playing twelve different parts. BD played a lot of jazz in 2 valvers....valve rotors, even. Same for Suncoast Sound, 27th Lances, Madison Scouts, etc....you can work around the 4 missing notes unless you have a lazy arranger. You might have to pick a different key to play in to minimize those notes popping up, tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-horns Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 The Kanstul kit is designed for the Olds Ultratone contra, and only works well on that model. It is not cost-efficient to design, produce, and install a conversion unit on other voices. 2-valve horns will work fine for your alumni corps. Any arranger who insists otherwise does not know his craft. OUCH! That's gonna leave a mark.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-horns Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 BD played a lot of jazz in 2 valvers....valve rotors, even. Same for Suncoast Sound, 27th Lances, Madison Scouts, etc....you can work around the 4 missing notes unless you have a lazy arranger. You might have to pick a different key to play in to minimize those notes popping up, tho. Or a pseudo-arranger. You guys don't want to get me started on THAT topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HornsUp Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 18-20 horns playing twelve different parts. That's the musical equivalent of marching a 64-horn drill with 44-46 holes. You will get a fuller sound with a small number of parts, and more players on each part. And nobody listening will care whether the music is fully chromatic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 Or a pseudo-arranger. You guys don't want to get me started on THAT topic. Don't listen to MY arrangements, then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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