mchromik Posted August 25, 2006 Share Posted August 25, 2006 Flugels sure, but I've never heard a great sounding marching horn. (No Offense to those of you who work so hard to make them sound good). In general, I just don't care for the sound of them. I don't think anyone would disagree with you to much here. The middle is still kind of open territory, everybody has their own concept of what it should be and sound like. The all mello trend is gaining, but you can hear the cries of those who miss some of the aspects of the frenchies. In short we have not heard the ultimate middle voice yet. That is also what is exciting and fun about the middle, it is still evolving. I agree that it would be interesting to hear a line of those Kanstul marching tenor horns. I love the sound of tenor horns in a British brass band, and thing it would be well-suited to the outdoor arena, if that is truly the sound that instrument achieves. My only question is which mouthpiece is provided with the horn - the smaller, trumpet-sized mello-type mouthpiece, or the larger alto/tenor horn mouthpiece that true brass band players use? I would imagine it would be the larger alto/tenor piece. Not my personal preference, but seems like the best match for the horn. I wonder if Kanstul will have a booth at BOA? I really want to take that thing for a spin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randomnoise Posted August 25, 2006 Author Share Posted August 25, 2006 I don't know, just because you have not heard a good section does not necessarily mean it can't be that way. I suppose I argue for the Horn because it is my instrument and because I have heard it done well. The hornlines I taught in SCV had killer FH sections, as did the Blue Devils and the Madison Scouts. Phantom, too. My argument would be that very few have heard a good section, because there hasn't been one in DCI in decades. The homogenous nature of drum corps these days is partly due to all corps using pretty much the same instrumentation. I am just encouraging folks to do something different. Because we are not given a defined instrumentation we are free to try other things - if we dare. And I dare! My hornline has french horns, and piccolo trumpets and flugels. And megaphones. Because sonic innovation is possible. Just gotta try. About the tenor horn - I am not sure what mouthpiece - I think it was a mello mouthpiece, but I am not 100% sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfmello Posted August 26, 2006 Share Posted August 26, 2006 Jeff, Come now mello brother. No guts, no glory. I know the Tenor would not be your cup of tea. Just can't produce that 'Chrome plated G DEG with a Jet Tone' tone quality you prefer. All the better to indulge your audiance with a song and a shave ehh? And was that mellophonist possibly bald and and cantankerous in his old age? The mellophonist is bald and cantankerous, but only a little older than I. And I resemble the former remark; I still own a chrome DEG two-valver, and can still peel paint. I prefer my new Yamaha 204, though. PM me if you want a full review... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchromik Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 The mellophonist is bald and cantankerous, but only a little older than I. And I resemble the former remark; I still own a chrome DEG two-valver, and can still peel paint. I prefer my new Yamaha 204, though. PM me if you want a full review... I sorta thought I would get to see 'the bald and cantankerous' one this past weekend at our dress performance. He didn't come. Nancy always says he is just 'busy'. I saw him at our Concours performance but he seemed pretty distant. Just no love for his old mates. Maybe it is just me. I pretty much know what you are going to say about the 204. I would suggest bringing it to Indy about once a month or so starting next spring and letting us form our own opinions. Did you sell the 203? I've tried everything I know to pry Sean off the Frankenmello, at least when we are in public. Maybe we could just spray paint it with some chrome bumper paint or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfmello Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 I sorta thought I would get to see 'the bald and cantankerous' one this past weekend at our dress performance. He didn't come. Nancy always says he is just 'busy'. I saw him at our Concours performance but he seemed pretty distant. Just no love for his old mates. Maybe it is just me.I pretty much know what you are going to say about the 204. I would suggest bringing it to Indy about once a month or so starting next spring and letting us form our own opinions. Did you sell the 203? I've tried everything I know to pry Sean off the Frankenmello, at least when we are in public. Maybe we could just spray paint it with some chrome bumper paint or something. I did sell the 203; the 204 is light-years better. No top-line F problem, no problem with the fourth-space E with the heavy bottom valve caps. It's also a lot easier to get around on; I almost feel like I'm cheating now after struggling with the bad notes on the 203. Both top and bottom range are also easier. I highly recommend getting one. I hope to bring it to Indy with regularity next season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidp Posted September 3, 2006 Share Posted September 3, 2006 In our new mini corps, there will be at least one frenchie (probably an F horn; I have a King 1122 Bb horn now). I play in a wind ensemble and can't afford to screw up my chops. I talked to a guy at DEG, and he suggested an F horn. I've seen Blessing F marching horns, but don't know anything about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rd_Star_Brigade Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 I saw and played a French Horn Bugle in the King stand during Finals this year. It was weird compared to mello, and was the only King that I thought gave a lot of back pressure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambassadorhorn Posted October 7, 2007 Share Posted October 7, 2007 I'm pretty sure the lead pipe on the Kanstul marching French Horn is bent. I know the two valve G King does not have a bend in the lead pipe. Can someone explain the use of the bent leadpipe to me? I marched with the two-valve Kings (I think I still have a picture of myself in BD on my profile page, playing on this model) and previous to that two-valve DEGs (not as nice as the former) and the leadpipe was straight from where it was welded on to the valve casing. I remember seeing ads for the DEG line that included the bent leadpipe French Horn back in 1979. I couldn't figure it out then either. Even the Valve/Rotor FHs I played on back then had straight leadpipes. Re: serious horn players don't do corps. I think there are a number of players out there who could refute this including myself. After aging out I attended the University of Toronto's School of Music with the horn as my principle instrument. Corps didn't hurt me none or the number of other French Horn players I met then with corps backgrounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martybucs Posted October 7, 2007 Share Posted October 7, 2007 (edited) In Buccaneers we had several years in the early 80s where we had no mellophones. We used flugel, alto, and french horn bugles. It was a nice sound. Mellophones have an overwhelming edge to them, whereas the above combination always blended better, IMO. However, we're talking marching here and a french horn is hard to control if you're sitting still. It wasn't long before the french horn section became known as the "crack house". :P Edited October 7, 2007 by Martybucs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow_7 Posted October 7, 2007 Share Posted October 7, 2007 Can someone explain the use of the bent leadpipe to me? French horn lends itself to being played downstream. Which when put on a marching horn lends itself to being played with your head tilted backwards to keep the same set. The bent leadpipe lets you bring your head back to straight up. I seem to remember it being addressed elsewhere, perhaps already in this thread. Anyway there are visual advantages to playing with your head and eyes level, as opposed to starting at the stars/sun. Not all currently produced marching french horns have bent leadpipes. G Kanstul - bent Bb Kanstul - bent F Kanstul - NOT bent F Deg - NOT bent Bb Deg - NOT bent Bb Yamaha - NOT bent Bb King - NOT bent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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