trickg

I picked up a Schilke B6 a week ago and while I really like the way this trumpet plays and responds, in a nutshell, I was alarmed at how bad my intonation with this trumpet was when I had it in the studio on Thursday evening. (There were some times where my intonation was right on, and then other times where my intonation was really out - much moreso than my last few studio sessions with my Bach.)

Without trying to over-analyze the situation, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the reason that I am having intonation issues is because of two main factors:

1.) The trumpet new and it is not my "usual" trumpet - I have played the same LB Strad with roughly the same mouthpieces for roughly 8 years.

2.) Not only is this trumpet new, but it is a different brand with some different design concepts, thus, intonation throughout the horn is going to be different than what I am used to.

I have played Bach Strads almost exclusively since around 1986 and all of a sudden I find myself on a Schilke. I think that the problems that I am having with intonation with the Schilke are probably due to the fact that Strads tend to have several intonation quirks (flat Ds and Es above middle C, just to name a couple) and I am so used to compensating for that, that because of that, I am actually lipping the Schilke out of tune.

Thoughts? Suggestions on how to get through this transition phase?

I figure if I just keep practicing, playing with an ensemble, and listening, eventually I will find the efficiency in the horn, and if it has any intonation quirks, I will learn to adjust to the horn, but it is my understanding that the intonation on a Schilke is actually supposed to be better than a Bach.

Anyway, if anyone has any other suggestions, please, send them my way.

__________________
Patrick Gleason
email me at: trickg1@hotmail.com

"What we do in life echoes in eternity"
"At my signal, unleash hell."
- Maximus Decimus Meridius