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blasticore · 01-01-2004, 12:34 AM

1. Tell us how you would improve a trumpet with a new feature or design.

I marched in a senior corps for a while and fell in love with a feature on the soprano bugles in G we played. If you'll notice on Kanstul bugles, the thumb ring is located on a slide that isn't on the path of a single valve, but a spring loaded slide on the main artery of the horn, leading into the 3rd valve casing. It allows you to adjust pitch without having to take the horn off your face and mess around with your tuning slide. This thing saved my rear quite a few times on the field, and I'd like it to do the same for me on stage. For this purpose though, the slide would be better placed in a spot coming out of the 1st valve casing, leading to the bell. The horn could look much like the existing Equinox, and take advantage of the irregular tuning slide position by placing the thumb ring on it, adding a main tuning slide in the bell crook as in the conventional Eclipse trumpets if this were the case.

2. Give us a theme for a trumpet!

Uh...How about ice? You don't see that used too often, and I personally think a well done blue horn would rock. There can be icicle-like bracing. As for the name.... ARCTIC!

3. (back to school time!) Write a short story using each of the following at least once.

A. A TYPE OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENT
B. A COUNTRY OR CITY
C. A FORM OF TRANSPORT
D. AN ITEM OF CLOTHING
E. A FOOD

A bit out of the above order...
I hopped in my car one day to drive to a gig I was called to sub for in Tampa. Me being the forgetful person I am, I got so caught up in admiring my new ARCTIC, I left the case, and my pants back at my house. I figured I should probably show up to the gig wearing pants, so I swung by the mall to buy a pair. Because I didn't have the key for my trunk (also left at home), I couldn't leave the horn in my car. It'd surely get stolen. No matter though. There's no shame in walking around with it in my hands.
So walk into the store I did. I quickly found a pair of pants in my size, and rushed to the counter. Upon reaching the front of the line, the young woman behind the register started to stare at the horn.
She asked, "that horn looks mighty intereting. Did you happen to win that Eclipse Trumpets contest?"
"Why, yes I did as a matter of fact. It's quite the beauty of a horn, as far as both looks and playability go." I replied.
"That's quite the thing to be carrying around though. Why are you doing that again?"
"Um...uh, long story, short on time."
"Oh, no problem. With tax, your pair of pants comes to $23.54."
I promptly paid the cashier and started walking back to my car. I paused for a moment though. I realized I was still hungry. I turned around to see the young woman still staring in my direction, and by chance, holding an apple turnover. I walked briskly back to her, took the turnover clean out of her hand, and continued on my way.
I got to the gig just fine, played great, and got complimented yet more on the horn. As a whole, the eving went wonderfully, and I couldn't have been happier. I owe it all to that great horn I won in that Eclipse contest.
*wink wink*

4. And last but not least!

Apart from your brilliant answers to the above, please tell us just why you feel that you should win this contest.

On a more serious note (not an asinine one, as in the short story), this coming fall, I'm going to be majoring in music performance. I've been trying to better my skills and optimize my equipment as best I can for a while now, and the horn would only help in my educational and musical endevours. I played a bunch of Eclipse horns at the Orlando trumpetfest a while back and really enjoyed the feel and sound of them, especially the Equinox. There was something about how the horn spoke that spoke to me as I played it, and it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. ...Aside from this, I'm relying on student loans and financial aid to pay for college, so a break on buying a horn would probably be the best thing to come my way during this time, as cheap as I sound saying that.

Whoever wins though, I think we'd all love to see the pictures of the finished product., and even the work in progress, so be sure to let all us losers in on it. :)

01-01-2004, 12:34 AM	#21 (permalink)
blasticore New Friend Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 24	1. Tell us how you would improve a trumpet with a new feature or design. I marched in a senior corps for a while and fell in love with a feature on the soprano bugles in G we played. If you'll notice on Kanstul bugles, the thumb ring is located on a slide that isn't on the path of a single valve, but a spring loaded slide on the main artery of the horn, leading into the 3rd valve casing. It allows you to adjust pitch without having to take the horn off your face and mess around with your tuning slide. This thing saved my rear quite a few times on the field, and I'd like it to do the same for me on stage. For this purpose though, the slide would be better placed in a spot coming out of the 1st valve casing, leading to the bell. The horn could look much like the existing Equinox, and take advantage of the irregular tuning slide position by placing the thumb ring on it, adding a main tuning slide in the bell crook as in the conventional Eclipse trumpets if this were the case. 2. Give us a theme for a trumpet! Uh...How about ice? You don't see that used too often, and I personally think a well done blue horn would rock. There can be icicle-like bracing. As for the name.... ARCTIC! 3. (back to school time!) Write a short story using each of the following at least once. A. A TYPE OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENT B. A COUNTRY OR CITY C. A FORM OF TRANSPORT D. AN ITEM OF CLOTHING E. A FOOD A bit out of the above order... I hopped in my car one day to drive to a gig I was called to sub for in Tampa. Me being the forgetful person I am, I got so caught up in admiring my new ARCTIC, I left the case, and my pants back at my house. I figured I should probably show up to the gig wearing pants, so I swung by the mall to buy a pair. Because I didn't have the key for my trunk (also left at home), I couldn't leave the horn in my car. It'd surely get stolen. No matter though. There's no shame in walking around with it in my hands. So walk into the store I did. I quickly found a pair of pants in my size, and rushed to the counter. Upon reaching the front of the line, the young woman behind the register started to stare at the horn. She asked, "that horn looks mighty intereting. Did you happen to win that Eclipse Trumpets contest?" "Why, yes I did as a matter of fact. It's quite the beauty of a horn, as far as both looks and playability go." I replied. "That's quite the thing to be carrying around though. Why are you doing that again?" "Um...uh, long story, short on time." "Oh, no problem. With tax, your pair of pants comes to $23.54." I promptly paid the cashier and started walking back to my car. I paused for a moment though. I realized I was still hungry. I turned around to see the young woman still staring in my direction, and by chance, holding an apple turnover. I walked briskly back to her, took the turnover clean out of her hand, and continued on my way. I got to the gig just fine, played great, and got complimented yet more on the horn. As a whole, the eving went wonderfully, and I couldn't have been happier. I owe it all to that great horn I won in that Eclipse contest. wink wink 4. And last but not least! Apart from your brilliant answers to the above, please tell us just why you feel that you should win this contest. On a more serious note (not an asinine one, as in the short story), this coming fall, I'm going to be majoring in music performance. I've been trying to better my skills and optimize my equipment as best I can for a while now, and the horn would only help in my educational and musical endevours. I played a bunch of Eclipse horns at the Orlando trumpetfest a while back and really enjoyed the feel and sound of them, especially the Equinox. There was something about how the horn spoke that spoke to me as I played it, and it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. ...Aside from this, I'm relying on student loans and financial aid to pay for college, so a break on buying a horn would probably be the best thing to come my way during this time, as cheap as I sound saying that. Whoever wins though, I think we'd all love to see the pictures of the finished product., and even the work in progress, so be sure to let all us losers in on it. :)