84BDsop Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 Now that I think about it, Vance's clip WAS from 94...I;d forgotten...and I ID that lick with the 86 show in the first place. My bad 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madcityscout Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 This sounds like a winner!! Bring back the volume!!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 Now that I think about it, Vance's clip WAS from 94...I;d forgotten...and I ID that lick with the 86 show in the first place. My bad Not so bad my friend. It was Chick Corea who actually did it first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drumcorpsfever Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 Without a resale market, it's unlikely this would be used wholesale by top tier corps. Sponsors offer discounted equipment in which corps are able to sell after the season. HIgh schools represent an important market for resale. The resale of equipment is a money-maker. No resale - minimal interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shofmon88 Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 But that is the point of this bugle. It's in Bb so it IS resellable. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hrothgar15 Posted August 13, 2015 Author Share Posted August 13, 2015 But that is the point of this bugle. It's in Bb so it IS resellable. Right. OK, so it wouldn't be the same instrument a student would use in concert band, but it would have the same fingerings. I could see it taking off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironlips Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 It's tough to judge the merits of the instrument given the quality of this audio, but I'd be interested in a live demo. I will point out, however, that the Hellcats of West Point have been using Bb sopranos for many years. These are single horizontal valve Bb/F instruments. Also, in the late 1920's, Conn introduced a Bb sop with an upright valve called the Little Scout. Other companies followed suit and many were used in the military and police corps, some later models featuring a horizontal piston. Also, the US Army Old Guard Fife, Drum and Bugle Corps plays Bb single valve bugles as well, so this King instrument is hardly the "first and only". As for re-capturing some of the sound of classic drum corps brass lines, arrangers will have to revisit the upper register when writing melodies for the soprano voice before any approximation of that might occur. It was the timbre more than the volume that provided the bite back in the day. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goalieguy Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 It's tough to judge the merits of the instrument given the quality of this audio, but I'd be interested in a live demo. I will point out, however, that the Hellcats of West Point have been using Bb sopranos for many years. These are single horizontal valve Bb/F instruments. Also, in the late 1920's, Conn introduced a Bb sop with an upright valve called the Little Scout. Other companies followed suit and many were used in the military and police corps, some later models featuring a horizontal piston. Also, the US Army Old Guard Fife, Drum and Bugle Corps plays Bb single valve bugles as well, so this King instrument is hardly the "first and only". As for re-capturing some of the sound of classic drum corps brass lines, arrangers will have to revisit the upper register when writing melodies for the soprano voice before any approximation of that might occur. It was the timbre more than the volume that provided the bite back in the day. I seem to recall something about Scout House using Bb horns, is that right, Frank? I was NOT aware of "The Old Guard" using Bb horns. My old bandmaster from the Army used to be there, and he never mentioned them using anything but G's. I remember when they were on a national recruiting drive across the country, and they came into our Records department while I was at Ft. Lewis, WA. They heard from someone in the building that I had done Drum Corps, and they tried to recruit ME to go to Ft. Myer.. I had been in about 6 months and I told the CPT that had led the search group - thank you sir, but I like my hair the length it is. I wasn't up to doing the "high and tight" thing, even for the possibility of going from E-2 to E-5 in like 6 months.. When another former Old Guard guy moved into our AG Company - he said all of the odd hours, doing the Tomb of the Unknowns at all hours of the day and night, and all of the Ceremonial Stuff that goes with being in any of those groups at Ft. Myer - his feet and knees couldn't take it any more. I bought his old 'low quarters' from him - and in a year and a half, I had to polish them twice. And they were NOT Corfams or patents - they were legit spit shined shoes with those thick cleats on the outside of the heels and on both the toes and bottoms of the heels. I thought they weighed about 5 lbs. apiece!! But anytime I wore those puppies, you could hear me coming! Pat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironlips Posted August 14, 2015 Share Posted August 14, 2015 Pat, You are correct. The Scout House Bugle Band used Bb horns when they were a competitive corps, as their Alumni Corps does today. In my collection I have about a half dozen of the Old Guard bugles that were in use about 15 years ago. They were made one at a time by Lawler and some have a piston key change to F, others to Ab. When I was in the military, I'd have jumped at the chance to play in the Old Guard or Hellcats. I had been on Tru Crawford's waiting list for the USMC corps, but the Army came looking for me and I ended up driving a tank. We did organize a company corps, however, complete with 4 drums and 8 horns. Those were single piston G's and we were no strangers to spit shined low quarters for parade duty. I did manage to make E-5 eventually but had to get dirty to do it. It would be very interesting to play one of these "new" Bb sops. I'd like to take one for a test drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vance Posted January 17, 2017 Share Posted January 17, 2017 (edited) Ayala High School of S Cal at BoA this year, they're not a drum corps so the power isn't there, but you can hear the Soprano bugle over tone, with the upper register ring/buzz not heard on regular trumpets. There are also two small drum corps using them. The Raiders and Highlanders. So far I have produced about 80 of these horns, most of them are sold. Half of them were sold to DCA cats and regular trumpet players around the country. They love the versatility of the horn. There is a World Class corps rehearsing with them last camp, and they requested to use them again this upcoming camp. If they end up using it this season, I will make an announcement. Edited January 18, 2017 by Vance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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