A lesson from Jake and Elwood

Bozzaman · Veteran Member Joined: 10 Jul 2003 Posts: 323

I'm sure we've all seen the great "Blues Brothers" movie with Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi.

When Jake and Elwood go to "Ray's Music Exchange" to pick up some instruments, Ray Charles shows them an old, beat-up Roland keyboard with a couple of busted keys and some stuff falling off of it. Jake says 'no way' to such a piece of crap. That's when Ray sits down and proceeds to play the holy heck out of the thing. Afterward, Jake and Elwood say, "Uhh, we'll take it." One of my favorite scenes.

Here on the TH, I get amused at the amount of chatter about which horn is better than another. A great horn, or a bad horn, will have a completely different sound depending upon who's behind it at the time. It seems that most of us forget that a horn makes very little sound by itself.

Cheers,

Bozzaman

Pork chops · Regular Member Joined: 17 Feb 2004 Posts: 20

Bozzaman,

I couldn't agree more , As William Vachiano used to say and I quote

" It is the man behind the gun that counts "

veldkamp · Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 9:18 am Post subject:

I also agree with you to a certain extent. That's why you can post your comments in the other topics of this forum like "Trumpet Skills". But this topic happens to be about horns !

What else could/should we do with our sparse time if we can't chatter about horns, watch TV...... oh I know, practicing.
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www.erikveldkamp.com

musicmork · Heavyweight Member Joined: 13 Mar 2004 Posts: 1530

Gentlemen, Gentlemen.....Please......read on.....

This horn is better than that horn and so on...and yada yada yee ..so WHY do we persist in this endless banter ?

WHY?

BECAUSE.......We love to do it. It's stimulating!!! It's fun!!!

You have to understand that most of us have a need to express our opinions about this horn..that horn..etc....no different than car enthusiasts or film buffs etc.

I am in full agreement that a great trumpet player is the main principality in making the best music...BUT please keep in mind that many of us ...and I will speak for myself right now....LOVE the trumpet not only as a musical instrument...but as a work of art....something to covet and behold.
_________________
MARK /aka "musicmork"/ aka " The Creator "
TRUMPET: Getzen , Olds
MOUTHPIECES Bach 3-C, Schilke 13a4a
CORNET: Holton Galaxy (Awesome horn)
KEYBOARDS: Kurzweil PC88MX,Yamaha S-30, Casio Privia 575R

supportlivejazz · Heavyweight Member Joined: 05 Jan 2003 Posts: 3757

I am currently on a crusade (personal only) to find the best playing CHEAP (read...didn't cost me much... not cheap as in junk) trumpet. So far, of course, there are my two LA Olds Ambassadors (less than $200 for both). Also a really nice playing Conn 8B 1967 model which I just dropped off at my repair tech to have the dings removed from the bell. I have $95 into that one. The other is a Holton model 48 which stands me around $135. This crusade is more fun than my search for the ultimate horn... particularly on my budget.

[ This Message was edited by: supportlivejazz on 2004-04-01 17:12 ]

Pork chops · Regular Member Joined: 17 Feb 2004 Posts: 20

This post is where it should be , it relates to horns !

musiclifeline · Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 12:33 pm Post subject:

Yeah -- my search is getting really weird. I've got a '74 Strad 72*, a '58 Connstellation 38B, and a '55 Martin Committee on its way... but the horn I'm using most right now is my '62 Conn 8B... which cost about a third (or less) of any of the others!

camel lips · Heavyweight Member Joined: 24 Jan 2004 Posts: 687

"$2000 dollars and its yours,you can take it home today.Ill even throw in the black keys for free"

One of my favorite all time lines.

jgadvert · Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 1:18 pm Post subject:

I think it's a little of both. I know that I have a significantly different sound on different horns. Depending on the horn..some facilitate a brighter sound, darker sound etc.... Although..ones technical skills will most certainly shine through regardless of the horn.

I just worry that folks buy in to the "it's the man/woman behind the horn" philosophy to make themselves feel better about having a cheaper model horn.( I played a cheap student horn for years..because that's all I could afford..but knew I would sound better once I got a better brand)

No Jake, Elwood and Ray would sound better on a better keyboard.
You will sound better if you compare your sound playing a cheap student horn vs. a quality instrument. But if that's all you can afford..hey!..make the most of it.

JackD · Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 1:28 pm Post subject:

http://www.trumpetmaster.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1415

It's good to be reminded of this every so often.

Personally, I only own one trumpet, but I enjoy looking / lusting after those Monettes and Eclipses!

DaveH · Heavyweight Member Joined: 20 Nov 2001 Posts: 3861

I'm still a believer in the old law of diminishing returns concept as it relates to cost versus quality.

If you can afford it, and want it, why not? But I do not believe that there is necessarily an equivalent increase in "value" or "worth" or "quality" for every dollar increase in cost. And, in my personal sense of economics, this is an important consideration when making purchases.

What I am saying is that, at least in my particular case, it isn't justified to spend a whole bunch of extra money to get a marginally better horn. My opinion is that for me to marginally improve on my present horn, I would have to spend quite a bit of money.

I remember this same idea as it applied to stereo equipment years ago. Maybe it still does - I don't know...
I had read that you could get about 90% or so of all the sound quality that you could expect to actually hear form a stereo system for a given amount of money. Back then, I think the figure was about $1200. Then to accomplish the next 10% to achieve as near to perfection as possible, you would need to spend perhaps ten times as much or more. In other words, buying that last 10% of audible difference in order to achieve as close to perfection as possible came at a very high price.

Of course, if you want as close to perfection as possible, you will be willing to spend whatever it takes. But, as in my case, if you are seeking the best value for the money, and are willing to achieve a balance between the best product and reasonable price, some compromise is going to be necessary.

I can probably make this statement because I do not make a living playing trumpet. Perhaps if I had more at stake, so to speak, I might see things differently.

And I can appreciate the comment about the trumpet as a "work of art." But, I don't seem to be able to indulge myself in that way, as much as I might like to do so.

plp · Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 5:04 pm Post subject:

You have just summed up the root cause of my ebay addiction.......first, it was the MF Horn for 300.00, not a particularly great deal, but enough to pique my interest. Then, the 78-B, which while a dog, is a very rare dog, and right at 100.00, so the hunt begins. Several horns later, a 12-B with coprion bell for 60.00, which was my undoing. Just as I had come to my senses, a large bore B and H Emperor in great condition with 2 custom mouthpieces for 75.00, so I am screwed. Doomed to spend valuable practice time searching ebay, as well as all the various used horn sites. I need help, and I know it. I suspect the tax man may aid significantly in my recovery, though.

musicmork · Heavyweight Member Joined: 13 Mar 2004 Posts: 1530

TRUMPET FETISH ANYONE...EBAY ADDICTION..HUHHHHHHH?????

I LOVE hearing the stories you guys tell about the great horns you've bought or the dogs you got stuck with (not in a sadistic way mind you).

We're like a bunch of fishermen bonding and ...hangin' out and telling tales...only OURS are all too true!!!

Oh and......It SURE as hell beats betting on sports!!!
_________________
MARK /aka "musicmork"/ aka " The Creator "
TRUMPET: Getzen , Olds
MOUTHPIECES Bach 3-C, Schilke 13a4a
CORNET: Holton Galaxy (Awesome horn)
KEYBOARDS: Kurzweil PC88MX,Yamaha S-30, Casio Privia 575R