Screamers...

[kevingamin]

And, while I'm thinking about it, how about the contra soloist during '80 27th Lancers in "Open Wide". Guy just starts playing one of the soprano soloist parts during rehearsal and does it so well they switch the part to him for the rest of the season. Guy could wail, too, and did some great 16th note runs on a piston-rotor contra.

[usmpiano]

Magic had a bari solo pretty much ever year from 94-97 that ended in the stratosphere. Pretty sure it was the same guy most of those years.

Even as a low brass player, I say leave the "screaming" to the trumpets...the high range on the other instruments just doesn't sound compelling, no matter how good the player. Even mellophones just sound like a tea kettle that's been left on too long on anything above an A above the staff.

93-96 was the same guy, and someone new in 97.

Low brass played that high sounds too thin for my tastes, but I love screaming mellophones. If played in tune, it is a GREAT effect. (magic '98 went up to a double G in the middle of the opener)

[KungFuCharlie]

There was a screaming contra solo in 2005 Bluecoats for about 6 days towards the end of tour, circa the West Chester show. Went up to a 2nd line treble clef G. Those Yamahas just let that note resonate, but they don't handle the 16th note chromatic runs up to it very well. Lots of clarity issues that my PT-6 never had.

Fun to play, but ooooh did it ever stick out during run-throughs! lol I don't think a screaming contra could ever really fit into a dark show like that- something light and ultra-jazzy would be a good vehicle.

Shameless self-promotion, eh Will? :P

[Kamarag]

Suncoast Sound 1987 had a screaming soprano/contra bass duet that ended with the contra on a very high lip-trill.

Oh, and that contra bass player was Mike Roylance, who went on to play in Future Corps and is now the principle tuba with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Boston Pops.

[Kamarag]

Even mellophones just sound like a tea kettle that's been left on too long on anything above an A above the staff.

Unless it's played like Paul Rowe did it in Future Corps.

[geluf]

(By the way...Can tubas "Scream"???? )

All brass instruments can potentially scream.

Brass instruments (unlike woodwinds and strings) have no upper limit on their range. The maximum range of each horn depends solely upon the chops of the person playing it.

[kevingamin]

(magic '98 went up to a double G in the middle of the opener)

That's because that whole hornline was freakin' insane and had the book to prove it.

[idontwan2know]

Unless it's played like Paul Rowe did it in Future Corps.

Well yeah, but that's cause the laws of physics didn't apply to those guys.

Personally, I'd dig it alot more if a bari/tuba solo ended with some extended fat pedals.

[Gentleman Marcher]

I've always wondered about another "screamer"...certainly someone here has heard BD's lot warmup to Star Wars Episode I, Anakin's Theme/Duel of the Fates...halfway through, after the opening statement to Duel, is that a mello that makes the screaming noise?

[Iplaytimpani]

KK's bari soloist was Alejandro who posts on here from time to time. Dude's pretty amazing and the past 2 years was up there in the DCI high note contest at DCI I&E. Glassmen had a tuba soloist last year and at least had one as of Toledo, not sure if it's still in the show this year. I'm just guessing it's the same person. I enjoy anyone that can play any instrument well and if you can scream on something other than a trumpet, do it. But if it's not done well, it's trouble to my ears.

Side note about Alex at KK's bari scream last year. The note that he played at the end of pink panther was great, but during run through's he'd often screw around and play something even higher than the note on recordings. Unfortunatly, it wasn't always loud enough so our staff had him keep it in the impressive but audible range. He was usually right next to me when he played the note, so I got to hear whatever he had. Pretty cool stuff.