Multiple Instruments for genres?

[mjlilley]

I recently was told by a "pro" that he uses his Bach for Orchestrial because it is the best tool for the job compared to his Getzen 900.

His argument was the Bach slots better.

I don't have the luxury of buying multiple horns for different genres.
Is it really that necessary? I'd like to play some symphonic\orchestrial music and currently own a Getzen 900. I feel like finding the appropriate mouthpiece would be sufficient.

Proper Mouthpiece or Proper Instrument? Which is it?
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Matt

[mrhappy]

[zaferis]

I don't like either choice.

I suspect and believe that the answer from your "Pro" is simple at best. Yes, his Bach might slot better, but I'm sure it sounds more appropriate, and more to his liking for the Orhcestra. It's his living (or part of it), so his tools are going to be more refined and he/she will understandably be very picky. There is a lot more to it than that, certainly more than "it slots better".

Mouthpiece would be your route, if needed. We don't know what you're playing on nor what you sound like. Nothing inherently wrong with a Getzen 900, and can produce an acceptable tone for a wide variety of genres.
The best answer might be, take some lessons, listen to orhcestral works (focussing on trumpet sounds) and maybe consider, with guidance, a different mouthpiece to help you move toward a more classic tone if needed. Beyond that, there's a lot more involved - tone, interpretation, articulation, etc.
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Freelance Performer/Educator
Adjunct Professor
Bach Trumpet Endorsing Artist
Retired Air Force Bandsman

[pinstriper]

Serioously, if you're a pro who has to worry about what equipment and sound profile you use on any given night as you shift from your symphony gig to your rock horn section and then to your big band or your 4 piece combo....well, you're in a different league from the rest of us looking for an excuse to hit "Add to Cart" on the latest +1 horn/mouthpiece acquisition.

Put another way, the answer provided by those with a meaningful opinion will not apply to anyone else looking at the results. We can't tell the difference, and neither can our audience.

Which is not to say this isn't an interesting topic.
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~'77 DEG Dynasty II Soprano Bugle in G
'13 Chinese POS "Hawk" branded Flugel
'59 Olds Ambassador Cornet
'51 Olds Super
'69 Olds Studio
'40 Olds Special Cornet, Military Issued

[mrhappy]

[kehaulani]

I used a Severinsen in college and service band, from North Texas Lab Bands to concert bands. Depending on the year of your horn, it could be close in sound to what mine was.

If you're like most players on these forums, you play in community bands or school bands and don't need another horn. In that case, the Getzen should be a functional, multi-purpose horn.

If I were a serious, symphonic professional, I would use a symphony specific horn for that, not a Getzen. If your playing venues are community or school bands, your horn should serve you well.

In former times, I didn't even change mouthpieces (Purviance 4*D4). Today, I play a Bush W-2 and would still use one mouthpiece
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"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn

[mjlilley]

Thanks for all the input. I'm not quite in the league to require a separate horn from all the feedback. Honestly, I'm not really sure my "pro" contact is either. I haven't actually heard him play but he doesn't do it for a living.
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Matt

[kehaulani]

Well, all due respect, but if your source is not a professional and you even haven't heard him play, why would you use him as a source?
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"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn

[mjlilley]

[Jerry]

[trickg]

I think that players get way too caught up in equipment. Back when I was younger, I did 100% of my playing, whether it was in the big band, concert band or brass quintet, (and even Latin band, for a time) on the same trumpet/mouthpiece combination - the ubiquitous Bach Strad ML/37 and a Marcinkiewicz #2 mouthpiece. The changes I got in my sound were due to how I approached the horn.

Since then I've come around to an idea that certain equipment can be geared for one genre or another, but most of the time you've got to ask the question, how much does it really matter for the vast majority of practice room and weekend warriors?

Simply put - it doesn't matter that much at all.

Right now I have one horn that I use for everything (unless I'm playing something on a horn that isn't a Bb) and that's my Jupiter 1600i Ingram, and I change mouthpieces depending on the kind of gig I'm doing. To that end, I categorize gigs and being either legit/non-legit. If I'm playing concert band or brass quintet, or any other utility playing, I'm using a Marcinkiewicz #2. If I want my sound to cut in a more commercial setting, I use a Warburton 4SVW cup on a KT backbore.

Even then, does it really matter that much? Who is really going to notice my sound other than another trumpet player? Most people will hear the sound and they'll think, "Oh my, that's a trumpet!" And that's as far as it will get.

My suggestion is to use the gear that is comfortable and that you play well/helps you to miss the least number of notes. Unless you are a professional player getting paid to play specific kinds of music - orchestral, commercial, etc - it's really not getting too worked up over, especially if you are already using middle-of-the-road gear, i.e., Bach Strad/3C mouthpiece, as an example.
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Patrick Gleason
- Jupiter 1600i, ACB 3C, Warburton 4SVW/Titmus RT2
- Brasspire Unicorn C
- ACB Doubler

"95% of the average 'weekend warrior's' problems will be solved by an additional 30 minutes of insightful practice." - PLP

[mrhappy]

Here's an example of DRASTICALLY different tones form the same setup. Walter goes from Maynard-ish to sounding like a flugelhorn in the blink of an eye!


Link

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MH

[nieuwguyski]

That's an expert use of proximity effect with a directional microphone. Notice how he's around a foot off the mic when he screams out the into, but then angles the mic down and stuffs it in his bell when he starts playing the mellow stuff?

Serious kudos to Mr. White for knowing how to use a mic to best effect, but this has nothing to do with blending in an un-amplified situation.
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J. Notso Nieuwguyski

[Tobylou8]

My 2 cents are that unless you're a pro and getting paid in a symphonic setting, you'll be fine with what you have. I sat next to a guy once in a community band that had a belt holster of Monette mpcs., 4 to be exact. That was at least $1000 dollars worth of gold plated metal!!! He was constantly switching every couple of songs (depending on the genre of the song). He offered me a couple to try! Paaaaass. He didn't sound any different (I have perfect pitch) . He wasn't even a good player, but he did have a sweet job, so he could afford them. I guess it was cheaper and easier than buying 4 horns and dragging them to COMMUNITY band practice. He would have benefitted from $1000 dollars worth of lessons instead. Save your money and practice.

[Tobylou8]