memorable trumpet geezmos!

[Larry Smithee]

What ever happened to that little thingy called an acousticoil? Anyone still use it? You know, that plastic incert that's placed into the lead pipe somewhere and was intended to...well, I not sure what it was intended to do.
Larry Smithee

[pedaltonekid]

I am not sure what it does, but it is advertised in almost every issue of the International Trumpet Guild.
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Best Regards, Play Well!!

[Yoinks]

You stick it IN your leadpipe????

[vivace]

what is it exactly? any more info??
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"All music is folk music. I ain't never heard no horse sing no song." - Louis Armstrong

[Garroid]

http://www.dmamusic.org/acousticoils/

[Emb_Enh]

From my good friend Kurt!!!.....

Hey all,
Gadget review time: a month or two back, the name "AcoustiCoil" was
mentioned on TPIN, a device that made playing the horn (actually, just about
any horn!) a little easier. I won't try to reproduce the information
myself, check out these links to find out more
http://www.dmamusic.org/acousticoils/interview.html
http://www.dmamusic.org/acousticoils/index.html

My Experience
I want to start with a BIG disclaimer: I have played trumpet for about 25
years and have never, ever considered it to be my main instrument, never
considered making a living at it, always have been a "hack" player--with
skills equivalent to a good college player who never wanted to play the
"serious" literature. I play on a Holton student model cornet--because I
like it. Expensive horns are wasted on me--the slight bit of difference
makes NO difference in what comes out the bell...at least with my lips on
the other end!

I would also like to emphasize that my experience with Don Novy's company
was THE BEST experience one could ask for in an online transaction: quick
shipment, good communication--and quick return of my money with no questions
asked when I deceided to send the device back. If you are at all interested
in this device, try it...it will cost you about $1.00 to ship it back if you
don't like it.

I set up a double blind test with my wife, using two horns--both student
model Holton cornets (I mentioned I liked them, didn't I?) My wife would
insert the device into one of the two horns, writing down which one, and I
would be unaware of her choice. I would then play similar passages on each
horn and then write down which horn I thought had the AccoustiCoil within.

My wife was NOT required to put the coil into a horn--onetime, she did not.
Her choices were complete unknown to me--my guesses unknown to her. We ran
the test 10 times (and she got VERY good at putting the coil into the
horns!) with me playing in the lowest register for the first 3 tests,
switching to a middle register (up to high C) for the next 3, working the
extreme high register for the next 3 (to double C) and generally playing
throughout the range for the final test.

The Results
Unfortunately, I have to report that comparing my wife's choices with my
guesses resulted in a complete random assortment. In other words, I was
completely unaware of when the coil was in the horn or not. There was not
even a negative correlation ( i.e. I liked it better without the coil).
Random results. I simply could not tell.

I am NOT telling you that this thing is worthless--what this test shows is
that I am unable to tell any difference with or without the AcoustiCoil in
the horn. Emphasis on "I". I do not pretend that I am able to grasp the
subtle differences that some of the more esoteric horns/mouthpieces/gadgets
offer. Finesse (sp?) is not in my vocabulary--can't even spell it!

However, I was able to tell the difference between the two Holtons (sans
AcoustiCoil) in a more laid back "shut my eyes" test that we did a little
later--so I'm not completely unaware of the "blow". (The two horns are
several hundred serial numbers apart. And, although the same model, one
features standard water keys, the other the Amado type. Can't tell you if
that's what makes the blow different or not...)

In any case, that's my experience. I sent the product back and received a
QUICK and cheery refund.

Your Mileage
I highly recommend trying this device if you are at all curious. The
physics behind it make some good sense (again, see the web links at the top
of this letter) and it might be the "extra something" that you are looking
for. For a brute force, high note player like myself, it made no
difference. IT MIGHT MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR YOU. My trumpet embouchure(s)
and playing style are NOT mainstream, but I am pretty good musician (if I do
say so myself!) and I've got pretty good ears (ask Roddy!). Try it!

Thank you.
Kurt Schulenburg
screech@flash.net
Homepage: http://home.flash.net/~screech/
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Regards, Roddy o-iii RoddyTpt@aol.com

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