The Future of Low Brass Instrumentation

[JohnnyAngel]

Friday I was at a Music in the Arts store and bought a mint condition, school used Yamaha, YEP-201 concert euphonium. They had just received it the day before when the previous renter decided to switch instruments. The salesperson told me that don't normally stock low brass instrumentation because everyone wants to play the trumpet and they are the first instruments to go out of stock on. Low brass are special orders. I got a great price on the horn because I got the impression that they didn't want it hanging around. That it was not a money maker. I took my new "baby" and left wondering about things: If this trend is correct and low brass is not being encouraged in schools will drum and bugle corps be one day populated by just trumpets/sopranos and percussion? And what about Symphony orchestras? Will we one day see a shortage of low brass musicians? I certainly hope not!

[Brad T.]

Low brass are special orders because most high schools have their own tubas, baritones, and even trombones and French horns. Most high schools do not stock trumpets because a trumpet rental is relatively cheap. Young students are typically not started on horn or tuba, since trumpets are lightweight and trombones are relatively simple pieces of equipment (however the learning of proper slide positions is a pain).

I don't think you're ever going to see a sudden abandonment of low brass requiring drum corps to return to soprano and "tenor" (think Alto/flugelhorn) voices.

[frachel]

They'll just cover the part with a synth like they do the contra (er, i mean tuba) lines now.