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ThatDude Veteran Member
Joined: 24 Jul 2009 Posts: 372
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Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2017 7:40 am Post subject: Piccolo Trumpet Quirks/tuning tendencies |
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Hello,
I just picked up a piccolo and noticed the top of the staff G was WAY flatter than the middle space C along with some other tuning quirks. It got me wondering if the p7-4 I got wasn't one of the good ones.
So I'm wondering, what are some of the normal quirks and tuning issues that are common on all piccolo's? |
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cheiden Heavyweight Member
Joined: 28 Sep 2004 Posts: 8910 Location: Orange County, CA
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Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2017 8:14 am Post subject: |
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Picc's are evil.
If it's your first picc, don't panic. It can take a good while to get lined up. Until then it will torture you.
I've never heard of a P7-4 being bad. All the Schilke's I've played have been good or better. _________________ "I'm an engineer, which means I think I know a whole bunch of stuff I really don't."
Charles J Heiden/So Cal
Bach Strad 180ML43*/43 Bb/Yamaha 731 Flugel/Benge 1X C/Kanstul 920 Picc/Conn 80A Cornet
Bach 3C rim on 1.5C underpart |
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dstdenis Heavyweight Member
Joined: 25 May 2013 Posts: 2123 Location: Atlanta GA
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Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2017 8:48 am Post subject: |
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Mouthpiece configuration has a big impact on intonation with a picc. _________________ Bb Yamaha Xeno 8335IIS
Cornet Getzen Custom 3850S
Flugelhorn Courtois 155R
Piccolo Stomvi |
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snichols Heavyweight Member
Joined: 12 Apr 2010 Posts: 586 Location: Virginia
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Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2017 9:00 am Post subject: |
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dstdenis wrote: | Mouthpiece configuration has a big impact on intonation with a picc. |
This. Play around with this a bit.
Are you sure that the G is flat, and that the low C isn't sharp? There are some quirks, but any Schilke will be one of the more in tune brands/models.
Piccs can be sensitive to mouthpiece depth. A C cup may be too deep and will be flat in the upper register. Too shallow and you could have the opposite problem. |
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andybharms Heavyweight Member
Joined: 23 May 2009 Posts: 625 Location: Boston, MA
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Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2017 10:07 am Post subject: |
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F and G are flat on A piccolo. In fact, they are flat on all brass instruments, just more noticeable on piccolo. C is also sharp across the board. There's no easy fix, you just have to work with a tuner and practice buzzing the right note all the way through the instrument. _________________ Andrew Harms, DMA
http://www.andrewbharms.com |
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tuningbell470 Regular Member
Joined: 16 Sep 2015 Posts: 23 Location: London
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Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2017 11:06 am Post subject: |
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snichols wrote: | dstdenis wrote: | Mouthpiece configuration has a big impact on intonation with a picc. |
Piccs can be sensitive to mouthpiece depth. A C cup may be too deep and will be flat in the upper register. Too shallow and you could have the opposite problem. |
I think that this is partially true, although I use a 7C on piccolo with good results... I find that any flatness I have (besides the usual fourth space E, Eb and D) in the upper register is usually a support issue (ie software issue rather than a hardware issue) but that may just be me... _________________ Trumpeting in progress
Spencer Heavyweight Bb
Stomvi Elite D/Eb
Yamaha Chicago C Gen 2
Yamaha 6810 Bb/A Piccolo |
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snichols Heavyweight Member
Joined: 12 Apr 2010 Posts: 586 Location: Virginia
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Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2017 11:14 am Post subject: |
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tuningbell470 wrote: | snichols wrote: | dstdenis wrote: | Mouthpiece configuration has a big impact on intonation with a picc. |
Piccs can be sensitive to mouthpiece depth. A C cup may be too deep and will be flat in the upper register. Too shallow and you could have the opposite problem. |
I think that this is partially true, although I use a 7C on piccolo with good results... I find that any flatness I have (besides the usual fourth space E, Eb and D) in the upper register is usually a support issue (ie software issue rather than a hardware issue) but that may just be me... |
Yes, for me the depth is part of the issue, with the other part being length/backbore. Short trumpet mouthpieces with open backbores like Monettes, or cornet pieces are better in tune for me than their longer shanked trumpet counterparts. |
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ThatDude Veteran Member
Joined: 24 Jul 2009 Posts: 372
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Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2017 12:11 pm Post subject: |
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I'm using a stork 2P btw, which is pretty good I think. Eventually I'll probably get the monette equivalent to match my bigger mouthpieces but it works pretty well so far. |
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dstdenis Heavyweight Member
Joined: 25 May 2013 Posts: 2123 Location: Atlanta GA
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Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2017 12:46 pm Post subject: |
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ThatDude wrote: | I'm using a stork 2P btw, which is pretty good I think. Eventually I'll probably get the monette equivalent to match my bigger mouthpieces but it works pretty well so far. |
That's what I use with my Stomvi picc. I find that, for me, the upper register is sharp while the lower register is flat. According to conventional wisdom, this means I should play a mouthpiece with a tighter backbore. Otherwise, I like the Stork 2P just fine. Mouthpiece safari for picc can seem like a never-ending journey... _________________ Bb Yamaha Xeno 8335IIS
Cornet Getzen Custom 3850S
Flugelhorn Courtois 155R
Piccolo Stomvi |
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Andy Del Heavyweight Member
Joined: 30 Jun 2005 Posts: 2660 Location: sunny Sydney, Australia
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Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2017 8:22 pm Post subject: |
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cheiden wrote: | I've never heard of a P7-4 being bad. All the Schilke's I've played have been good or better. |
Ah, the Schilke C5.4 C piccolo has a low C which is so sharp you need to use 1&4 to play it. I even got in touch wth hte big man himself (Andrew) and confirmed this was the case and a deliberate part of the design. It was a trade off for other features like tone, playability and intonation where it couldn't be fixed.
cheers
Andy _________________ so many horns, so few good notes... |
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