Richard Oliver

The following paragraph was written by James Donaldson and can be found here: http://www.dallasmusic.org/gearhead/...t%20Guide.html

He's speaking of selecting a high quality trumpet:

"So How Do I Even Pick One?

First things first: The horns described below are all exceedingly fine instruments. Each of them would no doubt meet all the demands you could place on them throughout high school or college. The difference in horns is minimal compared to the differences in players. If you practice, the horn will sound great. If you don't, a quality horn isn't going to help you any. We all sound pretty much the way we sound. If I play your horn, I still sound like me. If you play my horn, you still sound like you. There may be some differences in tone quality and intonation which could be heard by attentive listeners, but most of the difference is in flexibility, response, and ease of use which are more felt by the player than heard."

The reason I began this thread is because I would like to read your responses as you opine upon the above paragraph.

And like many who post on the "Horns" section, I am in the midst of acquiring horns. Mr. Donaldson's "We all sound pretty much the we sound. If I play your horn, I still sound like me. If you play my horn, you still sound like you" brought me some peace of mind as I purchased two horns this year after a 25 year layoff.

I have yet to purchase a C trumpet and a top line cornet. I'll probably buy the cornet this next week. Some emails and phone conversations will determine that. The C trumpet will come next year.

I've noticed college players asking questions and requesting to be advised as they select a horn for their college days. They and I are not in the same boat, but we are upon the same lake so to speak: they are developing their skills, I am seeking to recapture some skills and further develop them.

There's a certain vigor I experience as I contemplate buying a horn. An excitement, no doubt the same excitement that comes with any major purchase. A mingling of doubt and feverish elation.

Mr. Donaldson brought me back to earth. His words calmed the storm. Of course, you can tell, I'm assuming he's correct. Spot on. After all, he's the trumpet pro, not I.

Within industries, marketing blurs fact upon occasion. To what extent do professional and certainly developing musicians buy into the following statement: "Oh! I am going to be sooooo hosed if I buy the wrong axe?"

My guess is pros don't.

And to what extent, does "marketing" serve to create and augment the assumptions behind that sentence?

Or, is Mr. Donaldson Johnny Raincloud? And we want to say, "Oh pish, and shush! Let us roil in the anticipation of spending our money and getting something that will excite us?"

B15M

I'm not sure that your sound won't be affected by a trumpet. I've read over and over on here that you need to get a trumpet that matches the sound in your head. That is probably true but, your sound can be altered. What if a trumpet maker builds a trumpet to sound like a cornet? What if the trumpet is extremely light or heavy?

You need to think about what your going to play and how you want to sound. That will narrow the field a little.
You need to decide how much you want to spend. Again that will narrow it down. (Maybe not if that doesn't matter)

I would say the last thing you need to do is play the trumpet. I don't think it has to be the one you take home but, something from the maker.

I don't care who the Maker is, there will be some compromise. Your sound against the band sound. Can you hear yourself enough. Are you too loud. Are you too soft. Are you playing in tune without bending notes too much.

Does your C match the B flat? Do you want it too?

I promise that no matter what trumpet you get you will notice something to work on with respect to how to physically play the thing.

Walter

I have just recently changed my trumpet and decided to do a little very un scientific recording test. I played about half a song on three different horns (same mouthpiece)......I tried to play at a similar volume and the same distance from the microphone. At first I had to listen very carefully to know which horn was being played! After awhile I could hear the small differences caused by the trumpet but unless you were really listening many would miss it. The recording equipment was quite good but not pro......In this case all horns were dark ish by nature ...I am sure many have struggled to know when a recording artist has even switched between flugel and trumpet without being able to see the change.

It may be easier to tell differences in horns in a live situation where projection, volume and harmonics come into play more......but your personal sound is probably much the same...........when I hear Brian Lynch play on his recordings Tribute to the Trumpet Masters and
Simpatico (although it always sounds like him) I can clearly hear the difference between his Yamaha and Monette trumpets....of course both sound fantastic.... FWIW

I am really curious to hear what others have discovered?

Walter

a

camelbrass

I'm sure that the whole concept needs qualification. I know I sound different on my Bach as compared to my Taylor..even unskilled listeners can detect it. I don't think they can detect differences between my Bach and me playing a Yamaha, although I imagine I can. So in a broad sense, yes, we carry our own distinctive sound but the statement is nowhere near a complete picture and don't think was ever intended to be. The core of how we sound is always there but the devil is in the detail.

Marketing is marketing. It's designed to turn wants into needs and it's no different with trumpets. The real advantage that our circumstance has over 'needing' the latest mobile phone is that with a couple of weeks of hard work in the practice room we will probably achieve more improvement than what the marketing blurb could ever achieve. To paraphrase Wilmer 'the biggest improvement you can make is to the player'. If you want the latest thing go out and buy it..we all do, no-one is immune.

However, I think that good players that have developed their skills to a high level (and know their strengths) are more likely to make better choices than developing players who are still discovering weaknesses. That doesn't mean to say that they won't choose wrongly but are less lilkely to.


Regards,


Trevor

Walter

Hi Trevor

I am sure you are right...my test was just for fun but I was surprised by the recordings.....


PS Please excuse double post etc I am still getting the hang of all this....

Regards

Walter

B15M

There is no question that switching trumpets one after the other can change the sound.

How about if you play a trumpet for a month and record yourself and then play the other for a month and record yourself and then compare the recording.

camelbrass

I'm not so sure.

I have no science to back me up but instinctively I know I sound different. Sure I'm the player so I'll have a significant input into the sound but I still maintain that the devil is in the detail.

I maybe wrong though (wouldn't be the first or last time) and that I sound the same on the Bach as on a Benge but I wouldn't bet on it.

Regards,

Trevor

W Scott

I disagree with the idea that you sound pretty much like you on every horn. Sure, if the designs of the horn are very similar, you will. But, I have (and play) a Conn 22b and a Conn Constellation. Similar bore, different design, different sound. The 22b is darker and sweeter. The Constellation is brighter, with more 'ring' to it. I've recorded both 'live' and 'in studio' and the results are consistent and noticeable.

The problem with marketing is that often a horn is advertised as 'dark', 'sonorous', 'rich', 'bright'----o.k., but that was with whoever the artist was who helped design the horn playing. How will I sound on it? That's the 64 dollar question...


Bill

__________________
Gabriel is NOT a woodwind player!

Scooter01

I beleive the intent of this statement is that if you buy Brand-X you will not sound like your idol, but rather like yourself playing Brand-X. Or rather, we sound like we would sound playing on any horn we play on. I sound different on different horns, but I sound like me on those horns. I do not sound like Maynard on an MF Holton nor do I sound like Doc on a Destino. I sound like me on the MF Holton and me on the Destino.

This article seems to be directed at diffusing the tendency to select an instrument based solely on what a famous player uses. Endorsements are intended to help sell products emotionally. If you like a particular person or have high enough respect for them then they may lend a certain amount of credibility to a product by endorsing it. If it's good enough for so and so then it's good enough for me. Unfortunately there are those who are misled and believe they are emulating their idol by purchasing the same product in an effort to be just like them. Marketing is used to create an emotional response to a product. People buy based on emotion, they justify it later with logic. It's much easier to justify a decision if it puts you in good company.