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Piccolo_Mondo New Member
Joined: 23 Jan 2020 Posts: 7 Location: Portland NSW
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2020 12:18 am Post subject: Herald trumpets |
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Hi All,
First post...here goes...
I'm interested in Herald trumpets and have done the usual trawl around google looking at prices and youtube clips etc. but am keen to hear what those members that have experience with them have to say..
I play Bb and am getting on quite well with piccolo.
Cheers. Love the site.
M |
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Tony Scodwell Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 Oct 2005 Posts: 1961
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2020 10:56 am Post subject: Scodwell USA Herald trumpets |
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I delivered the first silver plated Scodwell USA Herald Trumpet complete with case to Washington Music Center a while back. Photos of the trumpet are on their web site and for information and pricing call Lee Walkowich at (301) 946-8808. The quality is superb and you will be very surprised at the price.
Tony Scodwell
www.scodwellusa.com |
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Piccolo_Mondo New Member
Joined: 23 Jan 2020 Posts: 7 Location: Portland NSW
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2020 1:38 pm Post subject: |
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PS,
I should add I mean the ones with valves
M |
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blasticore Heavyweight Member
Joined: 09 Aug 2002 Posts: 3045 Location: Orlando, FL
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Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2020 4:48 pm Post subject: |
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I play a lot of December on a herald trumpet. To throw it out there, there's a learning curve for sure.
The bell is much farther from your face, so hearing yourself is a bit of a difficulty at times. This creates an issue of over-blowing, due to to not being able to hear pitch or volume that well. If you're playing the way you normally do, try to reassure yourself the sound is coming out at least mostly how you're intending.
Within that, over-blowing in the upper register will tend to cause the pitch to go flat, so compensating for that new issue becomes a task. The sense of pitch overall might feel a little low in general on the horn, since most of them are built in a way that causes them to come across that way, so be ready for that. Finding a mouthpiece that has a higher sense of pitch might alleviate some of this for you.
Overall, though, I never recommend buying one unless you need it, but Tony Scodwell's build intrigues me, since he actually knows how to make a horn people can play. _________________ Chris King
http://www.cktrumpet.com
http://www.ckbrassworks.com |
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Ancientram Regular Member
Joined: 06 Feb 2019 Posts: 86 Location: Fairborn OH USA
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Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2020 8:57 pm Post subject: Herald Trumpet |
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Several years ago, I played one at a church thing. My first and overall impression was that it was heavy at the bell end, and thus, not well balanced, weight-wise and uncomfortable to hold up. Other than hang a banner from the bell, it won't do anything your regular Bb won't do better.
Unless you will play a lot of renaissance fair or medieval dinner sorts of things, spend your money elsewhere.
HTH,
Steve |
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nieuwguyski Heavyweight Member
Joined: 06 Feb 2002 Posts: 2349 Location: Santa Cruz County, CA
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Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2020 1:06 am Post subject: |
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I played a series of Christmas concerts at a local church a number of years ago. At the time the church was known for its knock-out-all-the-stops Christmas concerts that were very theatrical, featuring set pieces, fog machines, giant puppets, laser light shows, you name it.
The church hired three trumpet players for the services and used one congregation member. Every single one of us was primarily a big band lead player.
The last number of the production had the trumpets split, two on each side, on the towers of an enormous castle set, playing herald trumpets borrowed from a local high school. Yes, they are bell-heavy. No, you can't hear yourself very well. No, I can't imagine much use for one for most players.
But on the last note of the last song, the amplified instruments were absolutely deafening. It was a concert Eb chord, and it wasn't likely we were very audible. But dang, we were all playing high F's as loud as we could and it was big dumb fun.
And we still got paid. _________________ J. Notso Nieuwguyski |
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THE BD Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 Apr 2005 Posts: 897 Location: Columbus, Oh-hi-uh
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Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2020 4:34 am Post subject: |
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It is a very limited use horn! I would definitely recommend being sure you have a planned use for it if you are buying one. I've used mine for a few church gigs, weddings, and other ceremonial events but it doesn't get regular use other than having fun with my lessons students occasionally.
It can be a bit of a beast to hold up and support with the bell that far away from you, and you have to really train yourself to listen to your sound differently since it so much farther to the bell. _________________ Martin D Williams
Yeah, I did that! |
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cheiden Heavyweight Member
Joined: 28 Sep 2004 Posts: 8914 Location: Orange County, CA
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Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2020 9:50 am Post subject: |
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nieuwguyski wrote: | And we still got paid. |
Great story. _________________ "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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kehaulani Heavyweight Member
Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 9033 Location: Hawai`i - Texas
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Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2020 10:03 am Post subject: |
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Why don't you contact the guys who do it for a living? The United States Army Herald Trumpets, a unit of the U.S. Army Band at Ft. Meyer in Virginia.
https://www.usarmyband.com/herald-trumpets/the-us-army-herald-trumpets.html _________________ "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 |
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cheiden Heavyweight Member
Joined: 28 Sep 2004 Posts: 8914 Location: Orange County, CA
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Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2020 11:03 am Post subject: |
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From what I've read, most players barely tolerate most herald trumpets.
While not technically a herald, have you ever considered trying one of the piccolo trumpets with the extra-long bell? Looks herald-ish. I've heard several players who adore these models. Even saw Jens Lindemann in concert doing the Brandenberg on a similar one and it was incredible.
_________________ "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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OldSchoolEuph Heavyweight Member
Joined: 07 Apr 2012 Posts: 2441
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Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2020 11:24 am Post subject: |
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There are certainly issues to heralds.
You have to focus on the reverberation in the venue to try and get a sense of what you sound like, and your perception of relative dynamics will be way off.
Then there is the issue of most being built out of mostly the maker's student line horn parts. There are a few good pro ones out there like the Kanstuls used by the aforementioned Army HT, some built to order Bachs, the 1933 Holton Revelation Aida I have, that play like a pro trumpet should. - But most have the intonation, flexibility, response and tonal weaknesses of the student lines they descend from.
The added weight of the banner plus the unusual balance to start with can really throw you off. The Holton Revelation Aida at just shy of 5 feet long is an amazing sounding and playing horn, but I am at an age now that I cannot play it without injury from the reach.
If not necessarily tied to a banner, there are several long bell Bbs out there in the more recent vintage market that are real pro horns and still give that visual impact. Here is one example:
https://www.austinwinds.com/product-page/courtois-paris-long-bell-bb-trumpet
Above all, you have to spend time practicing - preferably in the venue. Its a completely different playing experience and you can't practice on your normal Bb and just switch at the last minute. _________________ Ron Berndt
www.trumpet-history.com
2017 Austin Winds Stage 466
1962 Mt. Vernon Bach 43
1954 Holton 49 Stratodyne
1927 Conn 22B
1957 Holton 27 cornet
1985 Yamaha YEP-621
1975 Yamaha YEP-321 Custom
1965 Besson Baritone
1975 Olds Recording R-20 |
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patdublc Heavyweight Member
Joined: 02 Jun 2006 Posts: 1050 Location: Salisbury, MD
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Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2020 2:27 pm Post subject: |
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Many years ago when the Pope visited Baltimore, Yamaha loaned out the heralds built for the 1984??? Olympics. It was very cool to play them and, at the time, each had its own unique performance history. I found them quite difficult to play, but I didn't have much experience with them at the time.
Today, I have a nice Olds herald that plays very well. I don't use it very often, but occasionally someone wants a herald trumpet player. _________________ Pat Shaner
Play Wedge Mouthpieces by Dr. Dave exclusively.
Experiment with LOTS of horn makes and models. |
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Piccolo_Mondo New Member
Joined: 23 Jan 2020 Posts: 7 Location: Portland NSW
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Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2020 2:44 pm Post subject: |
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Thankyou everyone!!
So much advice and helpful info...exactly what I was looking for.
Very much appreciated.
M |
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bworth Regular Member
Joined: 17 Feb 2018 Posts: 35
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Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2020 5:07 pm Post subject: |
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I have a Bach Model B185. It's a Herald, Stradivarius, 37 bell, ml bore, 1976. It plays and sounds good. I play it at church with different banners for Easter and Christmas, etc. It is a little different to play, but not that bad. People at church really like it when I use it. |
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rockford Heavyweight Member
Joined: 03 Aug 2007 Posts: 2477 Location: Northern VA
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Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 8:38 am Post subject: |
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I have two Bach Stradivarius herald trumpets. The Elkhart is in Bb and the Mt. Vernon is in B natural. It was designed primarily for Aida but can be played in Bb with a Bb tuning slide and a short pull on the valve slides. I used them for fanfares and ceremonial gigs. Anyway, they take a little getting used to. Physically they are a little unwieldy and awkward. This goes away with practice. No tricks, just time spent handling them and playing them is what it takes. Playing wise I think they sound like good Bach trumpets. Just play them with a regular Bb mouthpiece. Stick to good brands when buying one. There’s a lot of junk out there. Good luck. _________________ Bill Siegfried
NY/Mt. Vernon Bach trumpets. Yamaha flugelhorn and piccolo A/Bb, Monette and Hammond mouthpieces. Fender and Peavey Cirrus Bass Guitars. Ampeg and Genz-Benz amps. Embraer 170/175/190. |
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