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What is the HARDEST brass intrument to play?


BOSMarcher

What is the HARDEST brass instrument to play?  

171 members have voted

  1. 1. What is the HARDEST brass instrument to play?

    • Trumpet
      15
    • Flugel Horn
      1
    • Mellophone
      13
    • French Horn
      101
    • Trombone (any type)
      14
    • Baritone/Euphonium
      9
    • Tuba
      18


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Definitely horn, although more than partials. I have worked with buzzing and singing and such that they arent really a challenge anymore, but tuning is a big challenge for me, just on individual notes. They vary too much! I think partly it is from being a trumpet player, where somehow the pitches are all more stable. Also in general all of our horns hear sharp at our school- it doesnt really matter where the tuning slide is they still play sharp. Or overcompensate and bend down everything and get a really bad tone quality.

The other thing that bothers me about horn is how hard it is to move rotary valves compared to piston (is that what theyre called).

Try pulling all the valve slides on your horns (usually around 5/16 inches). Then tune the horn. It works much better. If you're simply tuning your written F or even an E (for orchestra players) you're only tuning that one part of your horn. Almost all horns (and brass) instruments are tuned made sharp; you have room for adjustment either way--up or down. Horns are made so you can tune each valve regardless of what side of it you wish to play (for doubles and triples). Fine tuning will take a while, but you will notice a nice difference.

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Hardest brass instrument for someone to play???

MY Mellophone.... because I pity the fool that tries to take it from me; it ain't gonna happen.

I have your horn in my car right now. Want it back?

:P ^0^ :bleah:

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definately horn. what other instrument can you play a scale without putting any valves down? plus you have to play it with your left hand, which is difficult for many people because they are either used to playing with their right hand or are right handed to begin with. and i love my Conn 8D.

I'm lucky that I'm left handed anyway. I can play anything from trumpet on my horn and vise versa. I love to play masterpiece theatre on horn with the lip trill or the trumpet concertos (Haydn/Hummel). People stare. B)

Edited by ravedodger
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Yes, piston on a trumpet, rotor on a horn.

It's much easier, IMO, to play fast lines on pistons than rotors.

Hmm...why is it that many European trumpet players prefer rotary trumpets? I haven't noticed a difference in valve speed, personally.

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Horn simply because the partials are closer together.

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the sweet part about the horn (nope...it's not french...most of you should know that! ;) )...is the fact that you can play pretty much any note open...it's sweet. another cool effect is stopped horn and rips...yup...ripping from G to G is sweet...

but for myself...the hardest has to be trombone or tuba...mostly because of my chops not being used to the giant mouthpieces that eat my face...but for overall, I did, indeed, pick horn.

PS...I only read page 1 and 2...so forgive me if I've gone off topic or repeated something...

Love yall! Peace! B)

Horn since 2000

Mellophone since 2002

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I believe the International Horn Society's official position is to call it 'horn'. When an uninitiated person asks what type of horn, it has been suggested for the horn player to state the brand of the horn, such as Paxman or Conn.

About dynamics:

I have been told that I am not loud enough when I play according to the dynamics marked on the music (yes--dynamics are relative to each group and the conductor's whim's...err...interpretations).

When I have a request for fortissimo or fff, I can easily outplay the rest of the ensemble.

I play an M series Conn Connstellation 8D with a Conn 2 mouthpiece, if you'd like to know how I play so loudly. :P

YEAH! I have a Conn8D also...but I'm still trying out a variety of mouthpieces...I've played on UMI's and different Holton Farkas pieces. I just got a Holton Farkas Slurs MC today (I opted not to get MDC). I can't wait to play on it tomorrow!

About the whole cutting through the ensemble... That's if it is necessary, horns can bring the sound out above the rest of the ensemble. Conn8D's are especially good for this...

anybody here prefer the YHR-667 over the 8Ds? I'm not sure about myself...for now I'm stickin to the 8D.

and yes, movie music is always sweet for horns...star wars, signs, etc, etc... b**bs

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