Question about trumpet-slotting

[the chief]

Should I play everything I need to with the same consistant slotting (lead, legit, jazz improv, etc)?

I have a question about slotting. I have the heavy caps with my trumpet that I use to tighten the slotting.

With the normal caps, the trumpet is pretty light, very easy to play, and slots rather loose for me using my setup.

When the caps are on, the horn slots very tight. The notes are right on and perfect, but I think that it makes the horn slightly harder to play.

I had a week off of playing lead-trumpet over spring break, so I played primarily with the heavy caps on, but when I played lead today, I took two of the heavy caps off to lighten the load and make my lead-playing easier. However, I was fracking alot of notes for the first hour. Perhaps my chops had to get used to the looser setup.

I am wondering if you guys recommend that I stick with the same slotting-setting to avoid fracking notes, and if so, should it be the tight or the loose setting?
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[kingofswing881]

i haven't really experimented with heavy bottom caps when i do lead playing. on my bach 37 i have the standard valve caps. the difference in slotting came when i switched mouthpieces. my upper register slotted a lot better (and came out much easier) when i switched from a curry 3ZM to a monette B4LD. normally on the curry my horn stopped slotting after an F (if i could even get an F out). on my monette, the horn slots all the way up to G, and feels almost like it's slotting even up to Bb. i don't know the effect heavy bottom caps would have on my horn, though.

[Guest]

the cheif asks:

Q: Should I play everything I need to with the same consistant slotting (lead, legit, jazz improv, etc)?

A: I tend to like looser slotting for jazz, to simplify effects, than legit. BUT you still have to be able to move pitches around in an orchestra, especiaily in the 2nd and 3rd parts where you're frequently on the 3rd or 5th of the chord. Not too mention having to follow the principal's intonation, sometimes across different horns.

Q: I am wondering if you guys recommend that I stick with the same slotting-setting to avoid fracking notes, and if so, should it be the tight or the loose setting?

A: I'd say to either stick with one setup and learn to play it as appropriate for the music, or change and practice enough to handle the change. Your call. As for tight or loose, that's really up to you, and what kind of music you play. Fracking notes is usually undesirable no matter the style, but slotting tightly to the wrong pitch isn't such a great thing either...

FWIWFM - Don