patton45

Can I please get some info on how the unique mariachi brass sound is created.

Different mix of brass instruments? Trumpets tuned differently?

Only have one brass player in the home, anything he can do by himself with this music.

Its an amazing sound, how is it done?

thx - Craig

bigpapajosh

a mariachi sound is very very bright. generally a mariachi sound is attained through a light horn designed for the style, a ridiculously shallow mouthpiece.
another way to have a mariachi sound is to just be born with it. i cant remember who, but the intern at my school played a recording of a man playing a classical tune, and the piece sounded as such, but the trumpet still played with that mariachi sound.
a good way to develop that sound i think would be to listen to a whole lot of mariachi trumpet, and spend lots of time imitating, and trying to perfect that mariachi sound.

rowuk

There are 2 types of Mariachi sound: the original from real players that just learned it by living it, actually like any amateur band does. The second type is from experienced players in the studio with optimised recording, mixing and production techniques. The fastest way is to find a good teacher that plays this type of gig.

This also applies to any type of folk-music. "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" sounds a lot different from a New Orleans street band than from the Canadian Brass!

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Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

richtom

Two or three years ago, my cousin's step-daughter got married and at the reception, they had a top-notch mariachi band perform for a while. Since I enjoy mariachi music, I was immediately impressed with the 1st trumpeter's big bright sound on what looked like a standard Bach.
Of course, when they were done, I went over and talked to him. He actually was using a standard Bach 37! He could have cut the wedding cake from 30 paces with the sound he was getting.
As with any trumpeter worth his or her salt, he knew what sound he wanted to produce first and then let the Parduba mouthpiece work its magic in combination with the Bach 37.
I truly enjoyed that band.
Regards,
Rich Tomasek

Ed Kennedy

"90% of it is half mental." Yogi Berra It's mostly a concept. I played in Mexican dance bands in Chicago in the '70's and there was a large variety of different instruments. The guys from Mexico had the mariachi concept. I did see a lot of Parduba mouthpieces. Bach's were a real status symbol and Schilke B1's were popular. I would describe the sound as bright but fat.

Al Innella

Don`t forget to use plenty of vibrato

talcito

Conn Constellations are favored among many players in Mexico.......you will see lots of them on Bachs when they play in the US. They love Parduba mouthpieces....they'll just walk into a music shop and order a Parduba like I order a combo meal at Burger King......no need for a trial period.

The style is learned on the job.......very little music available to practice from.....just look at the valves of the guy next to you and if you screw up just lower the sombrero gently over your face.

oldlou

The style is learned on the job.......very little music available to practice from.....just look at the valves of the guy next to you and if you screw up just lower the sombrero gently over your face.[/quote]


I doubt that my friend Esteban Carrillo, principal trumpet and musical director of the Mariachi Cobre at the Mexican Pavillion at Epcot Center hides under his sombrero. He is the one that any other trumpeters playing with his band emulate. By the way, he plays a Strad with a 1C Bach mouthpiece. His practice horn at home is the Olds Recording cornet that Raphael Mendez gave to me and I gave to Esteban.


OLDLOU>>

__________________
Couturier trumpet
York Master Model trumpet
York Elite trumpet
York Airflow cornet
King super 20 Master Model cornet
King Liberty trumpet
Reynolds Professional cornet
Bohm & Meinl professional trumpet
Besson 10-10 trumpet with Holton M.F. bell
Olds Special cornet Los Angeles
B&H Sovereign cornet
G.R.Band Instr. cornet
Getzen Super Deluxe trumpet and cornet
Getzen Deluxe trumpet and cornet
Many others no room to list

lovevixen555

Rember guy's 90% of your sound comes from you! Only 10% is equipment assumeing you are useing equipment that is proper working condition.Instead of wanting to check out a person's equipment when they play great it might be less shallow to check them out! Really if the guy was that good I am sure I could give him my Reynolds Medalist and my 14B4 Yamaha mouth piece and he would still sound great! To many people make it about the gear when it really is not the gear. What do you say to a guy useing an Old's Ambasador student horn playing in a New Orleans Orchastra? Do you say wow you sound great but you would sound better if you played a Bach Strad 180-37S since only looser's play a student horn!!! You follow me?

I have a friend that played Marichi and from time to time I would fill in when their lead trumpet would get sick. It was good money. Normaly I played wedding's and dinner parties. I did this from 6th grade through 12th grade. I also played some jazz and blues club's in Germany when I lived their. All I am saying is that too many people get caught up with the gear.

roggtrumpet

If your looking for a beginning method book to start playing mariachi music than check out Northeastern Music Publications for a student book available for $9.95 plus shippping and the teachers edition for $29.95 plus shipping!

Ryan