Variations on a theme ... a different perspective

[Eliot]

Reading another's post regarding taking out and replacing trumpet valves for cleaning took me back about 50+ years when I did the same for my first brass instrument.

Only instruction received at that stage was the various fingering for the notes between G below the staff to C above the staff (not that I could play all those notes), and how to blow a reasonable tone.

Instrument was an old and leaky, and never a joy to play cornet. Fortunately for me the band master took me from 3rd cornet to 2nd or 3rd tenor horn - much easier to get a decent note from, and no leaky valve system.

Back to the cleaning ... took out all the valves without noticing any difference between them, cleaned them all up (no abrasives), and oiled them, then re-installed them. Surprise, surprise ... cornet was a no go, no noise and no play machine!

Some dodgy logic and one position (1st valve first) at a time, eventually had all the "pistons" back in the correct "barrels" but not before a wee bit of worry.

NOW it's got me wondering... here's the question:

How many others, in their youth, didn't understand the fine mechanics and engineering of these wonderful brass instruments, took their horn apart, and then wondered how some or all of it all fitted back together again?
_________________
Eliot
Rank amateur, still upright and trying hard.
Yamaha YTR6335RC
B&S 150A Alto-Tenor Horn
Yamaha FZ8n (motorcycle)
Conn 83B (trumpet)