camelbrass

Good advice.

Robin, I like the drinks anology. A trumpet sounds triumphal, a cornet lyrical.

You can play just as high on a cornet as a trumpet but you need to approach it differently. As Robin says back off and find a balance that matches that lovely, lyrical sound.


Regards,


Trevor

lmf

Rowuk,

Good analogies!

Gotta love trumpet for what it brings to the musical palette. The same for the cornet.

You have expressed it well. Others have, too!

Best wishes,

Lloyd

Jude

I don't know whether it's normal, but I sure am struggling. On the other hand, I'm coming back to trumpet/cornet after 40 years, on a Conn Wonder cornet - a shepherd's crook model - (which I never played before) and an Olds Ambassador trumpet (similar to the one I used long ago). The Wonder horn has a beautiful sound, especially to a former French horn player, but at this point it's wonderful chiefly for lung development. Before I'm warmed up, anything above 2nd-line g takes a definite blow. When I'm warmed up and later switch to the Olds my main problem is to keep things under control - everything wants to go shooting way up. The Wonder horn was probably designed for professionals (I think student models were a later introduction, post-1898) so that may be part of the difference (no idea about B&S). I know the bore size is smaller than on the Olds (since the 2nd-valve slide from the Olds rattles around on the Conn) and that must affect resistance.

Warren

Thanks for all the great posts. At the moment I'm finding the cornet a lot of hard work, but after reading the posts I think it's only becasue I'm trying to make the cornet work to hard. I know there is a difference in sound between the cornet, but after 3 days haven't been able to get my mind and lips working together to create that sound.

I bought the cornet specifically for use in the smaller orchestras in our church. Trumpet is suitable in larger orchestras, but strings players get very emotional about the trumpet sometimes. Jealousy makes you nasty.

veery715

Warren,

Your cornet should speak with less effort than your trumpet. Try doing some excercises and etudes playing as softly as you can. Make this a part of your daily warmup. In your practicing continue to play pianissimo only for a week or two. Unless you have the wrong mouthpiece and assuming the work needed on the horn is not impacting its "blow", I believe you will find that it will soon become much easier to play it.

__________________
Music = Love

pipedope

Get your hands on some good recordings of great cornet players and listen to the daily.
I think the main thing you need is to get a great cornet sound in your head. Then you will be more able to get it out of the horn.

__________________
No substitute for music through the horn.

Dale Proctor

I can't add much to the good advice already given, other than to reinforce Richard Oliver's comment - get a proper, open-playing cornet mouthpiece. It sure won't help your upper range (it will benefit in the long run, though), but it will help everything else 'cornet' that you're trying to do. Just think sweet and musical, with a quiet, reserved strength.

__________________
"Brass bands are all very well in their place - outdoors and several miles away." - Sir Thomas Beecham

Olde Towne Brass
www.otbrass.com

Brass Band of Huntsville
www.brassbandofhuntsville.org

lmf

Hi, Warren,

I would have to agree with Richard Oliver and Dale Proctor as it relates to mouthpieces made for cornet.

The cheapest thing you can do to enhance your cornet playing is to practice and do what the folks in here have told you to.

The second cheapest thing you can do is find a more suitable mouthpiece for a better cornet sound.

Some of us use Denis Wick 3, 4, 4B with success. Others hate 'em and go with other manufacturers. But, they seem to find a mouthpiece that doesn't come with the horn.

If you have a music store that will let you auditiion a few that may help, or check with a friend who plays a cornet and ask what he/she uses.

Most cornet mouthpieces that come with cornets are "brassy" and if that is the sound you want that's fine. However, if you want a mellow and lyrical sound that the cornet is known for (and appreciated), you may have to seek a different mouthpiece.

Hope you find what you are searching for?

Best wishes,

Lloyd

MFfan

[quote=brunets;329466]I also have an old Olds Ambassador cornet which I really like... The upper register isn't the best on it either but the sound is just gorgeous in the mid/low range. The cornet is easier to play than a trumpet and that is part of the enjoyement of playing it

Have fun with your new horn!
I have the same opinion. I have two cornets, a 61 Roth and a 53 Holton Collegiate, both with similar qualities. I use the Roth mp on that and a Jet tone on the Holton, with some other types for variety. They play easier to me that my trumpets and there is more facility with less effort. Best tone in the mid and lower ranges, though higher range is not difficult. I try to visualize playing like Warren Vache or Bobby Hackett (not much success, but that's the idea) and use the cornets in a small swing band and sometimes in concert band, depending on the piece. Relax and have fun with yours, as a cornet.

Warren

The advice just gets better and better. I'm new to the whole having two instruments party, how do you guys allocate your practice time? I'm limited and only have about 45mins a day, 5 days a week.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I play a Bach 3C on my trumpet and my cornet mpc is a B&S 3B so can I expect to feel a lot more constricted when playing the cornet? If I had the a technician open up the backbore of my 3B do you think that would make things any easier?