| Thanks Larry, for your kind words and to everybody for the positive feedback and encouragement. I’ll do my best to answer the questions about Derek but I’m a little concerned that I might leave you disappointed by my lack of detail.
I don't know if its to do with the famous cold reserve of the British as a nation but, when I was emerging as an eager young player, desperate for information, I soon found that my constant questions about mouthpieces, equipment and technique were not met with great enthusiasm from my superiors. The thing I love about TM is the openness and willingness of contributors to share information. The enthusiasm for all aspects of playing and the attention to detail is a real breath of fresh air for me and I am constantly surprised at the generosity and friendliness of the Americans on the site. I get the feeling that the prevelant attitude amongst the older generation of players in the UK was to keep what they knew to themselves. I often joke that the Dennis Wick tone enhancer/booster is so popular over here because it keeps the identity of your mouthpiece a secret (I don't use one myself by the way).
The usual topics up for discussion on sessions are the weather, the traffic, golf swings, cars and, of course, football and I guess that's the same the world over.
In the future I’ll endeavour to be a little more observant and ask some direct questions where necessary so that I can be confident about posting information here.
I know that Derek played Bosey and Hawkes instruments from the mid seventies. He helped Richard Smith, then a B&H employee, to develop and refine a line of professional instruments, The B&H Champion, I think. That relationship developed into the formation of Smith-Watkins who produce the trumpets we all know of today.
Derek has told me that he likes to have the resistance in his set up as close to his lips as possible for better control and feel. I think his basic horn is a large bore (.464) with the second largest bell (I don’t know about the weight) and usually a smallish pipe (number 10 or 12). Derek always has 2 or 3 lead pipes with him and changes depending on the musical setting. Lately he has also been playing a medium bore horn with the smallest bell - modelled after a Chicago Benge - which has a more cone-like flare and a smaller diameter. He told me that he feels this gives him a more compact, focused sound which records really well. I am pretty certain that with this bell he will use a larger pipe to compensate. He believes that what you take away in one area you have to put back in another to maintain the resistance you like to play with.
Of course the other factor in the equation is the mouthpiece. Derek will sometimes use a bigger mouthpiece on an orchestral session but basically he has played that Giardinelli 10S since the year dot. The rim is a 10W, as was the fashion at the time he started playing, which is very badly pitted and worn down to the bare brass! He is very skeptical about having it reconditioned in case it feels different afterwards and is always on the look out for vintage Giardinellis and rims (any offers out there?). I think that he modified it himself years ago with an old fashioned hand reamer - a kind of file - to open out the back bore. The end of the backbore is filed to a very thin edge which he told me helps to shoot the air into the lead pipe faster. I think it also has a pretty large throat too. My own 25 year old Giardinelli 6S has a bigger backbore than most mouthpieces I have seen - definitely much bigger than on the new Giardinelli range - but it is way smaller than the one Derek uses.
I hope that is of interest. All the best, Noel.
PS Thanks for everybodies support regarding the impending industrial action in the West End.
__________________ Noel Langley - Eclipse Artist noel@eclipsetrumpets.com
Eclipse Medium Yellow, scratch gold
Eclipse Medium Heavy Red, custom 'Diamond Back' in 24ct gold
Eclipse Red Brass Flugel
Custom Scherzer piccolo with copper Wedgewood bell, finished in scratch gold
Giardinelli 6S, 6M, 6FL Bach 3CW |