| Toots, Dave, all
I think Dave hit the main point of this piece on the head – how young or advanced a player you are, what ever your forte may be, whatever scenarios you played in whether it a large stadium at halftime while marching with a funny uniform on, a big band in some nightclub, pit orchestra , rock band in a big arena, orchestra at an wonderfully designed acoustic auditorium, brass quintet in a small , live room - this is an “ awareness “ subject , not really a gear/equipment subject, so to speak.
Equipment that we choice to play changes for alot of reasons :as we grow as players, decide a definite musical direction, play with certain ensemble and players on a reg. basis, want to spend more money on gear, etc.
To me, equipment is a tool to be used to perform a certain task, a means to get a certain end, not a marriage ,( I guess you do have that " for better or for worse " issue when choosing a trumpet, and there have been times I'd like to put my wife back into the case and store her in the closet for a while but that's probably another issue )
I (we) use Bach's as the generic " all-round " trumpet on the market. A Bach, in the hands of the right player can actually perform in any musical arena and made to do things it wasn't really intended to do. George Graham played a Mt V large bore, tunable bell Bach for the better part of 30 years, ( prior to his Bel Canto )and nowbody played lead trumpet both in big bands and show secenarios better than George. Mr. Bergeron always sat 2nd to George, that says it all.
Speaking of Bach's and there merits,I was fortunate enough to be at Charlie Davis’s house yesterday and what he does on his Bach 37 – Sterling Sliver Bell – gold plate trumpet is phenomenal. If I ever think I’m really “ something “ as a player, a trip over to Charlie’s and soon I again realize how much I still have to learn. Definitely a humbling experience.
So it’s not about brand loyalty at all– it's mainly about a “ hot “ sound or a “ dark “ sound, a projecting sound or a sound that tends to fall off quite rapidly, hearing yourself at any cost or projecting so much you play by feel the majority of the time.
As we all know, their are phenomenal players who defy logic and can play, at a very early age, very efficiently, with an intrinsic muscle control that let them play smaller equipment and yet get a large sound and commanding range.
Also, there is the great player , who at this point of their carrier is fortunate enough to always have a mic, monitor and soundman present when they perform ( Maynard, Doc, Maurice Andre, etc ) so they would definitely have a different perspective of projection and blowback.
This is really not to pit one trumpet against another. I usually carry 2 Bb’s to a playing situation that is unfamiliar to me acoustically/ musically and with whom I’m playing with, what I being asked to do section wise, etc. Both will play the same notes, but they will sound completely different.
Again – AWARENESS – is the big issue.
Lg |