shofmon88 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 At 6:44 of the Blue Knight's 1997 show on the fan network, there is a close up of the mellophones, and it appears that the instruments they are playing are 2-valved mellophones. I thought that the last corps to use 2 valve instruments in finals was Star of Indiana. Were there other corps that used 2 valve instruments after Star (maybe only in certain sections, etc.)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shofmon88 Posted March 1, 2015 Author Share Posted March 1, 2015 In reviewing the video a bit more closely, it looks like there are also 2-valved sopranos and baritones as well. There are also distinctly 3-valved instruments. Was it common practice to replace instruments on a rolling basis, which would result in a mix of instrument types? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caliswift Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 (edited) I can 100% confirm I played a 2v baritone at finals in 1995.....post Star. Edit: we played a mix, new instruments were blessed with the 3rd valve. Edited March 1, 2015 by caliswift Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monoemono Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 In reviewing the video a bit more closely, it looks like there are also 2-valved sopranos and baritones as well. There are also distinctly 3-valved instruments. Was it common practice to replace instruments on a rolling basis, which would result in a mix of instrument types? Yes, this was the common practice when corps were transitioning to three valve G bugles from 2 valve bugles. When I played in Bluecoats, all the sopranos were still two valves, the mellos were three, the contras were three, and the baris/euphs were a mix. I think they started replacing some of the sopranos the next season, 94. Must have made arranging for the horns a fun challenge.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monoemono Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 About Star, however, I think what people are referencing is that they played ALL two valve horns. They never played a three valve instrument in competition. I think they basically had the same set of horns for their entire run as a corps. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 About Star, however, I think what people are referencing is that they played ALL two valve horns. They never played a three valve instrument in competition. I think they basically had the same set of horns for their entire run as a corps. Correct...they were the last corps to WIN with an all 2 valve line, not the last corps to PLAY on 2 valves horns. Also, it wasn't the custom to phase in 3 valves over time...it was the rule. Once 3 valves wefre approved for use starting in 1990, a corps could only switch ov er one voice per season (congras excepted), hence why in 90 BD went with sops, but SCV went baris. All horns were still in G, tho, so arranging wasn't an issue like if you had a mixed G/Bb bari line...there would be siome slight intonation issues, but the fingerings and pitch were still identical. You DID did all the notes in the scale, however. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rance Costa Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I marched mello in BK in '98 and we had about half of the line on 2 valve horns (mine included) still and the 3 valve horns were Dynasty mellos that I really liked. It was '99 that BK finally got most / all brass on 3 valve instruments from what i remember. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monoemono Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Correct...they were the last corps to WIN with an all 2 valve line, not the last corps to PLAY on 2 valves horns. Also, it wasn't the custom to phase in 3 valves over time...it was the rule. Once 3 valves wefre approved for use starting in 1990, a corps could only switch ov er one voice per season (congras excepted), hence why in 90 BD went with sops, but SCV went baris. All horns were still in G, tho, so arranging wasn't an issue like if you had a mixed G/Bb bari line...there would be siome slight intonation issues, but the fingerings and pitch were still identical. You DID did all the notes in the scale, however. Aah! Thanks for clarifying. I forgot that it was the rule to phase the horns in, not the common practice. I guess on the arranging front, I was thinking that it would be a bit tricky to keep track of which voices had those "missing" notes in the low end, especially if you had a split line (like half the sops on 3 valves, the rest of the sops on two). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuba1919 Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Magic had 2 three valve sops, none of the mellos were three valve, 4 baris (the leads got priority), and 2 corps-owned contras; one guy bought his own three valve super mag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dash Fieldpaint Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Magic had 2 three valve sops, none of the mellos were three valve, 4 baris (the leads got priority), and 2 corps-owned contras; one guy bought his own three valve super mag Crown still had 50% of their low brass on 2 valve Dynastys in 1996. I'm pretty sure they finally phased out their 2 valves by 1997. I remember Pioneer (not a finalist, I know) using 2 valve Dynasty baritones as late as 2007. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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