Help for Convert

[mdaldrich]

I played brass for many years (11 years), mostly french horn but also Eb Alto, and Baritone. I played in brass band, concert orchestra, chamber orchestra, marching band, and pit orchestra, and in church groups. After college, I needed money and sold my horn and have been off for 20 years. I had forgotten how much I missed it. I want to get started again. For reasons of budget, and music flexibility I would like to convert. I like more rounded mellow sound (surprise, surprise) and have thought of cornet and ultimately flugelhorn. I do not really know what kind of music I will end up playing but would be interested in brass band, jazz band, or playing at church. Right now I just want to start playing again. The guy that I want to play like is Chuck Mangione.....lofty goals, but I love his music. My questions are:
1. What instrument should I start with? I am thinking cornet.
2. Given my small budget ($300 to $400) what horn should I consider. I expect used.
3. What issues should I prepare for regarding Embouchure coming from French Horn
4. What about mouthpieces
5.Any other advice.
I know this is a lot, but I really appreciate the help and value your thoughts.

Mark

[ This Message was edited by: mdaldrich on 2004-03-09 14:10 ]

[ This Message was edited by: mdaldrich on 2004-03-09 14:12 ]

[pedaltonekid]

A cornet is a good way to go from what your stated interests are. There are many to choose from, but from the price range you are interested in, consider a Getzen Capri. Go ahead and get started, it is an unbelievable amount of fun - most of the time.
_________________
Best Regards, Play Well!!

[_swthiel]

Welcome back to playing!

I've been very pleased with my Olds cornets (I have an Ambassador and a Recording), you should easily be able to pick up an Ambassador and stay well within your budget. On cornet, I've been very pleased with both my Wick 2 mouthpiece and with my Curry VC 1 1/2 -- either one of these would be fine (long story as to why I have both). If you're thinking about playing in a situation where you'd have more need to cut through, you can also get a trumpet mouthpiece on a cornet shank and be most of the way back to sounding like a trumpet. (I have a Schilke 14C2 on a cornet shank that works pretty well.)

I'd also suggest that you get some lessons when you're just re-starting -- a good teacher can do more for you in a couple of sessions than we can through the TH! A teacher might be especially useful if you're concerned about embouchure issues from your past playing.

Keep us posted!

Steve
_________________
Steve Thiel

Matthew 25:31-46

[plp]

Second the cornet as startup, and the Ambassador to stay in budget. As a former horn player going for a deep sound, consider a deep mouthpiece. If you are looking at Bach 'pieces, an A cup is the deepest (I play a 5A) and the E cup is the shallowest. A 7C is the ultimate beginner mouthpiece, not too deep, not too shallow, and just about every manufacturer makes a version of it. I would suggest start there, and if you find the diameter uncomfortable, try a 10 1/2 C. This will give you a basis for comparison, and if you go with another brand, such as Wick, a knowledgable dealer will have little trouble finding what you want.

As far as other brands of inexpensive cornets, the King Super Collegiate is a good horn, and can be had for around 100 dollars on ebay, as not many people seem to bid on these. Yamaha makes good instruments across the board, as well as Getzen. The Conn Victor 80-A is good, kind of a cornet/trumpet hybrid with a little brighter sound, but sadly I would not reccommend any of the other Conn cornets other than the Connstellation, and if you can find one of those for 300 dollars you are a better man than I.

[camel lips]

I have a slew of nice inexpensive student and intermediate cornets if your interested.

edwardamason@comcast.net

[Dick S]

I recommend the Kanstul 610. An absolute steal for about $450 now.
Definitely not a "student" grade horn. Far, far above.

Unbelieveable horn for the $$$

Do a search in the "Horns" forum

Regards,
Dick

[oj]

Mark,

3. What issues should I prepare for regarding Embouchure coming from French Horn

One good "road" could be to get Balanced Embouchure (BE). Part of it is derived (via Jerome Callet's Trumpet Yoga) from old frenhc horn technique called "Einsetzen". In BE this is called Roll-Out - you do so-called double pedals (equal pedals on the Bb side of french horn).

Have a look in the BE forum. Over here in Norway I have met people who just "came back" like you and I adviced them to follow the "BE-route". It work very well and they are (after some months) better than before.

4. What about mouthpieces
A medium size - no need to get a "big bucket".

5. Any other advice.
After a while you could pick up some of the other brass. I play all from tuba to trumpet and I often get good gigs on french horn and tuba (too many trumpet players in the world .... ).


Good luck!

Ole