B15M

I played lead in a big band this afternoon and because of what I read here I brought my Bach trumpet and my Monette. The Bach is a 37 ML and the Monette is a 993.

The job was 2 hours long and we had a break at each quarter and a bigger one at half.

For the first half I played the Bach and the third quarter I played the Monette
and then finished with the Bach.

Every body else in the section was playing a Bach.

The people in the section liked the sound on the Bach better. I asked some of the other musicians (sax and trombone) and they couldn't tell the difference.

For me, the Bach seemed to have a little more bite or edge. I have heard it called the sizzle before. The Monette had more core to the sound. I have to say that from where I was sitting I thought the Bach had more of a lead sound but I don't know how it sounded out front. The Monette could have been cutting really well.

This is the first time I brought both trumpets to the job. I used to play the Bach all the time. When I went to the Monette I had a lot of comments from people out front saying how good I sound.

So now all that being said, was this a good test? I would say no. I needed some one out front to add to the mix. Maybe at a summer concert if I get a chance to do it again I will have a trumpet player friend sit out front and listen.

gzent

I really do think there is something to that. Are you playing the same horn as Manny's Bb? I sure didn't think his sounded 'dull' when he played it during my lesson with him last summer. It sounded fantastic and full with plenty of 'sizzle' on Jazz numbers - and I'm sure he was using his 'normal' mouthpiece.

Also, when I heard Maynard's band a couple months ago they were all playing Monettes and sounded wicked!

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uatrmpt

I wonder how many of your trumpet playing brethren were listening with their eyes more than their ears?

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Veldkamp

B15M, you experienced the same feelings as I had about the B993 compared to a Bach. As I said before I could play lead on it and it sounded great but it wasn't the best choice for me for lead work. For solo work it's a great horn. I played some solos on it during a concert in the Concertgebouw, it really filled the hall nicely.

Next to that, I have one of the best Bachs made, that's not only my bragging but I heard that comment from many other pros to on many occasions. In my section 3 of the 4 players are playing excellent vintage Bachs, my 3rd section player plays a Schilke. My 2nd trumpet player has the best Bach I ever played, it's a ML43 from the 50ties.

Also, I don't believe in having an totally different instrument in a section. The section has to sound as one big fat sound with the lead on top, not sticking out by playing to loud or timing wrong. Because most section players I work with are playing Bachs and Calicchios, a Monette B993 will not blend enough. Maybe a Monette XLT or 2000LT will do the job. I can't tell, I never played them.

For me heavy trumpets will work best as a solo instrument or the whole section must play on heavy trumpets. I recently played with a guy with a Taylor on 3rd trumpet. I didn't hear him the whole evening, allthough as I tested the horn, it had a really big fat sound! A leadplayer needs to hear his section member for the support, it just isn't enough that the horn sounds great in front for the listener.

Try to listen in front of Chuck Findley, Wayne Bergeron, Roger Ingram or any other well known leadplayer playing their standard weight instruments (with small bells). I bet you will hear the biggest fattest and cutting sound you'll ever hear...

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Mikey

If "heavywall" trumpets are so good, why are there so few players in top major orchestras using them?

trumpetmike

Surely the same could be said for many things - if Monette are so good... If Eclipse are so good...
It is a question of finding what works for you - the guys who are out there doing the job tend to have found what works for them, in their playing

B15M

I don't know what horn Manny plays.
I don't think the Monette sounds dull I don't know where that came from.

Mikey

My point exactly. They are using basic equipment, nothing "extreme."

B15M

There are players using them and other trumpets. I think we should play what works for us not what works for some other player, weather they are major or not.

Mikey

Yup, you are absolutely right.