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TheGlue · 01-03-2004, 02:50 PM

1) Tell us how you would improve a trumpet with a new feature or design.
I propose moving the valve block closer to the beginning of the leadpipe to allow a smoother valve feel, similar to the way valves respond on a flugelhorn. The purpose of this modification is to create a trumpet that has the rich, true trumpet sound, yet the lightning fast valve feel of a flugelhorn. Since the leadpipe will be shorter than traditional leadpipes before it enters the cylindrical valve block, the tapers of the leadpipe will need to continue to some degree on the other side of the valve block. The tapers of the leadpipe and the bell should be as similar to a trumpet as possible, allowing for superior flexibility, intonation and response. I will leave the exact tapers to the professionals at Eclipse to figure out as well as the placement of bracing. To take advantage of existing valve blocks, I have found a fun and unique configuration for the trumpet. Here are a couple of pictures of the design I have in mind (Not necessarily to scale) :

2) Give us a theme for a trumpet!
The theme for this trumpet is the Upside Down trumpet ! :!: While this trumpet may look a little wacky, it will truly sound great. I expect that fast runs on this trumpet will sound great because of the innovative leadpipe/valve design. The trumpet should be brushed gold with shiny gold trim. I’d also like my initials, EAA, engraved on the leadpipe.

3) Write a short story
Alan was driving his new Dodge pickup truck to Shady Pete’s nightclub in San Antonio, Texas. It’s been only 5 months since graduation and Alan has already been laid off from his first job.
“Buying this truck was a huge mistake!” thought Alan, but if the music career would just take off, he could somehow manage the significant monthly payments that seemed like such a great deal just two months ago. The stress of the payments wasn’t quite enough to completely overwhelm the joy of driving his new truck. Alan’s dad often mentioned how he had never owned a new vehicle in his life, and already Alan had his first!

As he drove to the nightclub, Alan listened to the practice CD of songs that he was playing tonight for the first time with Tex and the Horny Tones. He’d been sitting in with the band for 3 weeks now and had learned most of the parts to the tunes, but was still shaky on a few of them. He had on his bright red shirt with the black shorts to match the tenor and baritone sax players that made up the Horny Tones, but his black cowboy hat was a cheaper version of the nice hats the other guys were wearing. Hopefully nobody would notice.

Alan arrived half an hour before the sound check, before the sun had even gone down and set up his student model Yamaha trumpet with the old bell mike, held together with duct tape. He had just enough time to order Shady Pete’s famous lava buffalo wings and a Bass ale, which incidentally are quite hard to find in this town!

An hour and a half later, Alan found himself on the stage getting ready to play the opener, a cover of the Tower of Power tune “Attitude Dance”. He started out playing quietly, but drew strength from the crowd of folks already starting to make their way to the dance floor. As his solo approached he started to feel at home and was quite pleased with the way he sounded.

As the song wound down, Alan looked out and saw Terence Blanchard out in the crowd.

“Oh no, what if I miss some notes and blow my entrances!” thought Alan as they started the next tune. As predicted, Alan missed his first entrance and overshot the next few notes. His solo came along seemingly too soon and he found himself unable to play anything but the canned licks he always has up his sleeve. Halfway through his panicked solo, Alan looked up and saw an encouraging smile and nod from Terence and WHAM, his confidence was back and his playing once again regained its usual creativity. Although his solo started rough, its ending was sublime. One of his best!

After the first set is over, Tex, the drummer, gives Alan the thumbs up for his first set with the band. Alan can’t wait to go meet one of his jazz heroes, Terence Blanchard! He heads over to where Terence is sitting, sticks out his hand and says

“Hi, I’m Alan Brennan.”

He is answered with a very strong Texas drawl that says
“Howdy, I’m Joe Simpson!”

Somehow with the stage lights in his face and all the excitement, Alan mistook this stranger for someone else and all the excitement and drama was for nothing!

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.
I should win this contest because this is a creative and truly innovative idea for a new trumpet. Although there are lots of great entries, I think that this trumpet would be fun and challenging to build as well as very rewarding and versatile to play. I have always been fascinated with trumpets and would love the chance to push the envelope and have an absolutely unique trumpet that I helped to design.

01-03-2004, 02:50 PM	#22 (permalink)
TheGlue New Friend Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 13	Night Owl 1) Tell us how you would improve a trumpet with a new feature or design. I propose moving the valve block closer to the beginning of the leadpipe to allow a smoother valve feel, similar to the way valves respond on a flugelhorn. The purpose of this modification is to create a trumpet that has the rich, true trumpet sound, yet the lightning fast valve feel of a flugelhorn. Since the leadpipe will be shorter than traditional leadpipes before it enters the cylindrical valve block, the tapers of the leadpipe will need to continue to some degree on the other side of the valve block. The tapers of the leadpipe and the bell should be as similar to a trumpet as possible, allowing for superior flexibility, intonation and response. I will leave the exact tapers to the professionals at Eclipse to figure out as well as the placement of bracing. To take advantage of existing valve blocks, I have found a fun and unique configuration for the trumpet. Here are a couple of pictures of the design I have in mind (Not necessarily to scale) : 2) Give us a theme for a trumpet! The theme for this trumpet is the Upside Down trumpet ! :!: While this trumpet may look a little wacky, it will truly sound great. I expect that fast runs on this trumpet will sound great because of the innovative leadpipe/valve design. The trumpet should be brushed gold with shiny gold trim. I’d also like my initials, EAA, engraved on the leadpipe. 3) Write a short story Alan was driving his new Dodge pickup truck to Shady Pete’s nightclub in San Antonio, Texas. It’s been only 5 months since graduation and Alan has already been laid off from his first job. “Buying this truck was a huge mistake!” thought Alan, but if the music career would just take off, he could somehow manage the significant monthly payments that seemed like such a great deal just two months ago. The stress of the payments wasn’t quite enough to completely overwhelm the joy of driving his new truck. Alan’s dad often mentioned how he had never owned a new vehicle in his life, and already Alan had his first! As he drove to the nightclub, Alan listened to the practice CD of songs that he was playing tonight for the first time with Tex and the Horny Tones. He’d been sitting in with the band for 3 weeks now and had learned most of the parts to the tunes, but was still shaky on a few of them. He had on his bright red shirt with the black shorts to match the tenor and baritone sax players that made up the Horny Tones, but his black cowboy hat was a cheaper version of the nice hats the other guys were wearing. Hopefully nobody would notice. Alan arrived half an hour before the sound check, before the sun had even gone down and set up his student model Yamaha trumpet with the old bell mike, held together with duct tape. He had just enough time to order Shady Pete’s famous lava buffalo wings and a Bass ale, which incidentally are quite hard to find in this town! An hour and a half later, Alan found himself on the stage getting ready to play the opener, a cover of the Tower of Power tune “Attitude Dance”. He started out playing quietly, but drew strength from the crowd of folks already starting to make their way to the dance floor. As his solo approached he started to feel at home and was quite pleased with the way he sounded. As the song wound down, Alan looked out and saw Terence Blanchard out in the crowd. “Oh no, what if I miss some notes and blow my entrances!” thought Alan as they started the next tune. As predicted, Alan missed his first entrance and overshot the next few notes. His solo came along seemingly too soon and he found himself unable to play anything but the canned licks he always has up his sleeve. Halfway through his panicked solo, Alan looked up and saw an encouraging smile and nod from Terence and WHAM, his confidence was back and his playing once again regained its usual creativity. Although his solo started rough, its ending was sublime. One of his best! After the first set is over, Tex, the drummer, gives Alan the thumbs up for his first set with the band. Alan can’t wait to go meet one of his jazz heroes, Terence Blanchard! He heads over to where Terence is sitting, sticks out his hand and says “Hi, I’m Alan Brennan.” He is answered with a very strong Texas drawl that says “Howdy, I’m Joe Simpson!” Somehow with the stage lights in his face and all the excitement, Alan mistook this stranger for someone else and all the excitement and drama was for nothing! 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. I should win this contest because this is a creative and truly innovative idea for a new trumpet. Although there are lots of great entries, I think that this trumpet would be fun and challenging to build as well as very rewarding and versatile to play. I have always been fascinated with trumpets and would love the chance to push the envelope and have an absolutely unique trumpet that I helped to design.