Platinum switching to G bugles soon.

[thirdcoast]

That is frikin SWEET!

[MelloHorn13]

My ear's just fine, thank you. I'm talking in practical terms, especially with the reality of the open class hornline (perhaps generalizing too much).

There were only three Open Class Corps on G bugles. As an instructor of those three lines... we tried Bb horns once during the off season and it was of the same quality. I concluded that we could stand to wait a few years to play Bb horns when we could purchase our own equipment. With 16 horns, the key of the horns didn't really matter. We saved $800, that's how much it would have cost us to rent 16-20 horns for the summer.

It's all about the training.

If you want to hear a good hornline n G horns.. check out Empire Statesmen. :)

[MelloHorn13]

My ear's just fine, thank you. I'm talking in practical terms, especially with the reality of the open class hornline (perhaps generalizing too much).

Oh, I'm wasn't saying you have a bad ear.... I was saying, Once you develop the inner ear, you can play any horn, in any key, in tune. Ask any trumpet play that uses C, Bb, Eb, Flugelhorn and Picc on a regular basis :)

Edited May 7, 2011 by MelloHorn13

[JimF-LowBari]

That's because it's a myth.

In fact, a hornline all in the key of G has an advantage over a mixed line of Bb/F instruments, where intonation trends are sometimes in opposition.

Some contend that G bugles are more out of tune because players accustomed to Bb/F need time to adjust. Of course, players need time to adjust to any new instrument (and I don't see kids using their own instruments with the corps), so that is a moot point.

It takes time to develop good intonation. Put that time in on either G or Bb/F, and you can get good results. Until then, your results will suffer no matter what key your horns are in.

Big thing I read during the change to Bb was: "Oh the poor yutes' have to train their ears for G, and that CHANGE takes time!! *sob, sob*". Being a trombone player who went to a Piston/Rotor Bari my thought is "No ####, that was a change too".

Play Kanstul G Bari now and have yet to hear any of the people who never played G squawk about it. And our Bari/Contra line is about 50% people who never did corps before (IOW never played G).

[Bruckner8]

That's because it's a myth.

In fact, a hornline all in the key of G has an advantage over a mixed line of Bb/F instruments, where intonation trends are sometimes in opposition.

Some contend that G bugles are more out of tune because players accustomed to Bb/F need time to adjust. Of course, players need time to adjust to any new instrument (and I don't see kids using their own instruments with the corps), so that is a moot point.

It takes time to develop good intonation. Put that time in on either G or Bb/F, and you can get good results. Until then, your results will suffer no matter what key your horns are in.

Right on. I was going to post something similar. However,I think the "Myth of Bad Intonation" comes from how many of the horns were made, with open E extra flat, open G extra sharp, and octaves that weren't. The quality control wasn't there, either, because I had to go through 30 baritones to get 12 I was "happy" with. (But at least they let me do that...some manufacturers [cough, Yamaha] think their QC is so good, there's no point.)

There is truth to my statement here, because there are more decent Bb/F hornlines today than there were G hornlines of the past. That is, the separation of quality hornlines was a lot more obvious back in the G days, with the quality of intonation starting to dwindle around 4th place, where now it's around 7th or 8th place. The 12th place G bugle lines never sounded as good as the 12th place hornlines of today.

Conclusion: Talent (ie, Maturity) makes a big difference when it comes to G bugles.

[BMBob]

Additionally, even if it does take some adjustment for the kids, I think it is a good thing, as long as it is financially viable. How many high school brass players ever get to experience playing instruments in multiple keys, and have to learn to hear it? The experience of trumpet and baritone players often having to play higher in the overtone series than they would on Bb horns gives them a wider breadth of musical experience, and knowing how to deal with that can only make them better.

[JimF-LowBari]

Right on. I was going to post something similar. However,I think the "Myth of Bad Intonation" comes from how many of the horns were made, with open E extra flat, open G extra sharp, and octaves that weren't. The quality control wasn't there, either, because I had to go through 30 baritones to get 12 I was "happy" with. (But at least they let me do that...some manufacturers [cough, Yamaha] think their QC is so good, there's no point.)

There is truth to my statement here, because there are more decent Bb/F hornlines today than there were G hornlines of the past. That is, the separation of quality hornlines was a lot more obvious back in the G days, with the quality of intonation starting to dwindle around 4th place, where now it's around 7th or 8th place. The 12th place G bugle lines never sounded as good as the 12th place hornlines of today.

Conclusion: Talent (ie, Maturity) makes a big difference when it comes to G bugles.

Let's not forget those piston/rotor G beasts were easier to overblow and splat, frack, blat, splee-a and any other term you could think of. Sure you can do it with todays horns of either key, but DANG SKIPPY those P/Rs stood out when you weren't paying attention.

[MelloHorn13]

Let's not forget those piston/rotor G beasts were easier to overblow and splat, frack, blat, splee-a and any other term you could think of. Sure you can do it with todays horns of either key, but DANG SKIPPY those P/Rs stood out when you weren't paying attention.

I spent soooo much time just playing on a P/R.... so fun. Intonation is out of wack, but fun to play.

[Mello Dude]

Good news..should be interesting. Would LOVE to hear French Horns back into play sometime too. A voice not heard since Obi-Wan...LOL.

[DreaminMello]

There were only three Open Class Corps on G bugles. As an instructor of those three lines... we tried Bb horns once during the off season and it was of the same quality. I concluded that we could stand to wait a few years to play Bb horns when we could purchase our own equipment. With 16 horns, the key of the horns didn't really matter. We saved $800, that's how much it would have cost us to rent 16-20 horns for the summer.

It's all about the training.

If you want to hear a good hornline n G horns.. check out Empire Statesmen. :)

Thank you thank you. Statesmen still play on G's and the horn line Rocks!! Also, So Cal Dream still uses G's as does the USMC. Please, G's do not take long to get used to, and over all, IMHO have a much more powerful sound.