• FAQ  • Search  • Memberlist  • Usergroups   • Register   • Profile  • Log in to check your private messages  • Log in 

playing trumpet and euphonium and helicon Tuba



 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    trumpetherald.com Forum Index -> Fundamentals
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Andreas Sperhis
Regular Member


Joined: 08 Jun 2014
Posts: 15
Location: Athens Greece

PostPosted: Wed Sep 06, 2017 3:38 am    Post subject: playing trumpet and euphonium and helicon Tuba Reply with quote

Hi!

My main instrument is trumpet, but playing in the theater often means I have to play euphonium or helicon tuba as well. Can the different mouthpiece sizes make a mess of my trumpet embouchure and playing? My practice sessions involve 95% the trumpet. Did anybody have similar experience?

thanks!

Nikos K, Athens, Greece
_________________
Yamaha 2335
Carol Brass CTR-5000l-YST-Bb-SLB
Weltklang rotary flugelhorn
No name russian baritone horn
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
ATrumpetBrony
Veteran Member


Joined: 21 Dec 2015
Posts: 152
Location: Detroit

PostPosted: Wed Sep 06, 2017 7:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I often double small bore trombone and trumpet/flugel. Most I can say is practice being able to switch between the two at any time (that necessitates putting a LOT of time in on your secondaries in addition to you primaries).

Trading buzzing between the two mouthpieces helped me a lot... now I can play all over from pedals to "super" tones on trombone and still own my trumpet high range and tone.

Too bad I can't play fast!
_________________
ATB

It's not what you play...
It's HOW you play
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
JoseLindE4
Heavyweight Member


Joined: 18 Apr 2003
Posts: 791

PostPosted: Wed Sep 06, 2017 8:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Playing euphonium is good for my trumpet playing. Unless your doubling causes you to practice less, I can't imagine a double that would hurt your chops.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
dershem
Heavyweight Member


Joined: 14 Jun 2007
Posts: 1884
Location: San Diego, CA

PostPosted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 5:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

JoseLindE4 wrote:
Playing euphonium is good for my trumpet playing. Unless your doubling causes you to practice less, I can't imagine a double that would hurt your chops.


I play all of the brass, and have yet to find a horn that didn't have benefit to playing it.
Horn makes you listen carefully, because all of the partials are so close together. Trombone makes you listen in a different way, because a half inch off throws you out of tune, and you can micro-tune trombone more easily than trumpet. Tuba really makes you aware of air. Just don't 'double' by goofing around with a different instrument. PLAY each instrument as well as you can.
But trumpet takes more physical chop strength, so I practice it more.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
iiipopes
Heavyweight Member


Joined: 29 Jun 2015
Posts: 545

PostPosted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 11:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I also play trumpet for one ensemble, euphonium for another, and tuba as well. I find that each helps the other, but there are differences:

1) embouchure and internal mouth and tongue positioning are slightly different from horn to horn for maximum efficiency and stable breath support and intonation;
2) air requirements: the higher the pitch of the instrument, more velocity; the lower the pitch of the instrument, more volume (as tuba players, we talk about "big easy air");
3) practicing all of them is necessary to maintain proficiency on any of them;
4) There really is no correlation between brands, configurations, bore sizes, mouthpiece sizes, etc., on any of them being a full octave apart (I play a BBb tuba), so any horn & mouthpiece combination that does the job, sounds good, and is efficient to play will work;

But the most important item I have found in over 45 years of playing is that breath support and the proper conditioning and coordination of the abdominals and the intercostals to provide stable, consistent air for the instrument and musical situation is absolutely necessary. More issues, whether fundamentals, technique, doubling instruments, other aspects of pedagogy, or anything else, can, if not solved, at least be either minimized or facilitate a player's focus on a particular issue for a particular remedy if there is good breath support. Without proper breath support, no other item of pedagogy will produce better playing.
_________________
King Super 20 Trumpet; Sov 921 Cornet
Bach cornet modded to be a 181L clone
Couesnon Flugelhorn and C trumpet
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Andreas Sperhis
Regular Member


Joined: 08 Jun 2014
Posts: 15
Location: Athens Greece

PostPosted: Thu Sep 14, 2017 1:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would like to thank you for your advice and suggestions. I will try to share more equally my practice time between trumpet, euphonium and helicon, even thought trumpet is impossible not to ask for MORE attention...

the transition from trumpet to helicon seems more awkward to me. Maybe it's the instrument, a probably more than 70 years old Stowasser:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5hqrpxr97fgxfm6/Stowasswer%20helicon.jpg?dl=0

So much FUN to play this...
_________________
Yamaha 2335
Carol Brass CTR-5000l-YST-Bb-SLB
Weltklang rotary flugelhorn
No name russian baritone horn
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Andy Del
Heavyweight Member


Joined: 30 Jun 2005
Posts: 2660
Location: sunny Sydney, Australia

PostPosted: Thu Sep 14, 2017 2:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you are doubling in performances, then the most important facet of practice is going to be practicing changing between instruments.

If you master the change, the rest gets pretty easy.

cheers

Andy
_________________
so many horns, so few good notes...
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Andreas Sperhis
Regular Member


Joined: 08 Jun 2014
Posts: 15
Location: Athens Greece

PostPosted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 3:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Andy Del wrote:
If you are doubling in performances, then the most important facet of practice is going to be practicing changing between instruments.

If you master the change, the rest gets pretty easy.

cheers

Andy


Great advice thank you!
_________________
Yamaha 2335
Carol Brass CTR-5000l-YST-Bb-SLB
Weltklang rotary flugelhorn
No name russian baritone horn
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    trumpetherald.com Forum Index -> Fundamentals All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group