| Re: How to try a new trumpet.
At the DFW TrumpetFest (prior to the last two years, at least) and the Rocky Mountain Trumpet Fest, we provided rooms where you could go hear yourself and listen to someone else play the trumpets for you.
You have to be very careful in the exhibitor room not to blow your chops out. The suggestions about playing the B scale, quiet playing. KO, of Reeves, a few years ago, had me play a middle-line G as softly as possible and the cresendo it to the max volume and listen to the intonation. With a good trumpet/mpc match it'll stay consistent. Check the top-space E, second-line D, etc. to see how far the intonation compromises work and then listen for resonance and freedom of stress. The last testing may require you to move to a quiet room, with an assistant to hear the horn on both sides.
BTW, we're very close to setting the date for the next Rocky Mountain Trumpet Fest, to be held at CU in Boulder.
Dave |