| 1. How to improve a horn : The horn would definitely have to be conical bore or stepped starting at around .330 or so at the mouthpiece receiver and ending up .475 by the time you hit the back tuning slide. Whatever you do you must leave the whole horn tunable. I think this could be done better with a lever type throw around where the 3rd valve throw usually is (think Olds Recording). There would have to be a stop to coarse tune the instrument which could be threaded for quick twist adjustment. The bell will be extended by 4 or 5 inches (think flag trumpet but not near as long).
2. A theme: The salute: The horn will start off with a red lead pipe all the way to the valves. All the slides will be red. The valve cluster will be ‘white lightning’ color (white). The bell will be blue with stars starting around the valve cluster and going all the way to the end. The stars can either be gold or silver whichever is easier, or even the white color of the valves. They will not be cut and soldered but smooth as if taped off before the blue layer goes on. The business end (inside bell) will be gold plate. This trumpet would be especially great for VFW funerals and other veterans’ day activities. A final salute.
3. It seems like yesterday we set sail on board the aircraft carrier USS Independence. First mornings at sea were always exciting. The thoughts of hitting distant ports of Sydney, Hong Kong, and Pattaya Beach Thailand, always energized the crew. The alarm rings and I realize that I’ve been dreaming about being back in the Navy. This morning seems normal as any other as I sit down and eat my bowl of oatmeal. I know that while it seems normal to me there is a family of a veteran who is burying their loved one. Yesterday, the local VFW called to let me know the time and location of the funeral but that’s pretty much all the information you get before you have to go play. I go upstairs and shave and shower feeling suddenly solemn wondering who it is and how they served. I grab my uniform and white gloves and put another buff across my mirror shoes. Time passes as I get to the funeral ahead of the procession to mark it all out and get warm. I pull out “The Salute” trumpet that was custom made by Leigh. I really love the finish of this horn and it seems very appropriate as the last salute. I wait for my cue and snap up my trumpet remembering my military bearing. Taps flows beautifully out of this custom made horn and because of it’s conical bore it can sound bugle like. The widow and family, who have been trying to keep it together, burst into tears as I give their loved one (our veteran) his final salute. A final salute from a proper trumpet and not a tape recorder. It’s the least we can do for those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom.
4. Why me? Certainly not because I’m the greatest player in the world. If you pick my design then I guess it’s because you liked it and that’s reason enough. |