Horn carriage....

[Blaringbrass]

My school is thinking about switching to the two hand in front of the horn carriage. Plus with the ring and pinky fingers down below 3rd slide(on trumpet that is). Is any body else marching their horns like that? i also noticed that it takes some practice to efficently snap your horn, any tips? IT looks pretty baddy a## though.

[FarmerFred]

The only tip I can offer is repetition.  Snap with your right hand and catch with your left.  Just make sure you don't start breaking the welds or rings off your instrument.  I've seen many come loose over the years.

:)

[Nespy]

When I marched, I placed my ring and pinkie fingers underneath the third valve slide.  It's pretty uncomfortable to get used to, but once you do, it's no big deal.  It gives a feeling of using less pressure, to me.  As for the horns down position, I hilghly recommend and enjoyed the two hands in front carraige.

[RenegadeBaritone]

That's the way it's done in the Cavalers. It involves bringing the left hand out and bringing it around (so it ends up on top of your right ) as you snap the horn down. The left hand stops it cold, so you need not slow up the right hand. If you try this, make sure your fingers aren't coming apart. The left hand fingers should completely cover the right hand fingers. It's odd at first getting used to it, but it is cleaner, sharper, and easier on the wrists.

[mrshowfan]

Yeah,

I used to just have my pinky finger under the 3rd valve slide. Then I changed to use both the ring and the pinky. It was a little weird at first, but in the end I feel like there is a better balance  and distribution in weight in your left hand. The way Renegade discribes it is what is done with Madison's horn line. Though my biggest hurdle to overcome was moving my left elbow, while I did the move. Try not to move your left arm too much when going from attention to horns up.

[CozyChopsCom]

Good question! I'm flexible and have learned to adjust. Prefer a grip that does not tempt one to press in. Also don't like to hook my right pinkie ~ Just let it rest and not pull into the chops.

Cozy

[kevingamin]

Glassmen carriage was like that in '92.  I liked it, but going from parade rest to attention meant slamming our palms into the sides of the bell around the valve casing, which led to a nice curved indentation in that area.  Any other time I've been in corps, it's been the standard carriage.

Joe Weaver gave three points about snapping the horn when he taught Glassmen in '96.  They've worked for me ever since:

1.  Start later

2.  Move faster

3.  Hit harder

Makes sense to me.

[NSUMusician]

I've found that as I grew, I've switched from having my pinkie in the ring to now having my middle finger in the ring with my ring and pinkie down below.  It's all a matter of weight distribution of the horn in the left hand and what feels most comfortable.  Some people may not be able to put their ring and pinkie below.  I know of a guy that's a freshman in high school and isn't 5 ft tall yet.  It's impossible for him to hold his horn like that. He has to have his pinkie in the ring and he plays on a Bach Strad so the ring is welded in place.  It's all a matter of what the player is most comfortable with and what the player is able to do.

[DevsBari02]

We tired to do that two hands in front thing in 2001. We hated that, and no one could really do it right anyway. It looked funny too trying to do that with the Kanstuls since they are bigger than the Yamaha's that the Cavaliers use. The sopranos and altos werent complaining because it was easy to do it on their horn.

[Sluggo]

That's the way it's done in the Cavalers. It involves bringing the left hand out and bringing it around (so it ends up on top of your right ) as you snap the horn down. The left hand stops it cold, so you need not slow up the right hand. If you try this, make sure your fingers aren't coming apart. The left hand fingers should completely cover the right hand fingers. It's odd at first getting used to it, but it is cleaner, sharper, and easier on the wrists.

For some reason, I thought that all corps were the same..never really noticed I guess.  But this was very comfortable.  Playing with the Baritone was much the same way.  

Now I was a Trombone player in HS, and learning to hold the Baritone with the Cavies just came as another thing to learn.  I just didn't like the slamming the horn down to your knees in '92 before the start of 'Peterloo'.  had bruises for months afterwards!  I can still feel the caluses!