Dave Mickley

I play in a church with a person that has a degree in trumpet performance and has many years of lessons with one of our local Inianapolis Symphony players so he has good technical ability. His C is the first tune-able bell that Schilke made, it was made specifically for a certain pro whose name I forgot. My question is that when he plays his C instead of the Bb he sounds like he is almost playing on a cornet. The C trumpets that I have played [never owned] all had a type of ring to them and seemed a little brighter then my Bbs. I am wondering is it his playing or are C trumpets supposed to sound dark and mellow? Dave

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formerly known as old geezer Dave
C7
Yam. 231 Fl. 15383
King Master Cornet 295628
Weril Cornet Lo 7535

Dale Proctor

Have you ever heard him play a Bb horn? If so, how does he sound on it? I know the timbre of a C can really be mellowed by a very deep mouthpiece. I play my C with a Bach 6BM, and it takes the edge off, a nice Bb trumpet sound, but not a cornet sound. Maybe the guy just naturally has a mellow tone.

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dcstep

To each his own, but I'd rather have my C-trumpet sound more brilliant than my Bb. I think that's the case for the majority of us. I've got a cornet and a flugel for when I don't want to sound like I'm playing trumpet.

Dave

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Schilke '60 B1
Selmer Paris -- '57 #20 K-Modified/
'03 Concept TT w/ GR66.8B2.8
'94 Lawler TL cornet w/ Sparx 2B
Conn Vintage One flugel - GR66FD
www.pitpops.com www.ucm-inc.com
Rocky Mountain Trumpet Fest

rowuk

Dave, it is probably that specific horn. Most C trumpets that I have compared have a different sound, when played by some brighter, by others more "liquid", "silky", "creamy". The slurs sound smoother, the tone clearer. To me the Bb is "brassier", you can get more edge (distortion) in the sound.
If I am playing something and it is supposed to be "smooth" I will probably take the C. If hell, fire and brimstone are required, the Bb is much better. That smoothness is maybe what you are calling "cornet like"?
I did The Planets a year and a half ago. Saturn on the Bb is exactly what I think was going on in Gustav Holsts head when he composed it. There are more asteroids in your sound than with the clear undistorted C sound. Try it - you'll like it! That would be something for Manny to take on his tour to China next year. He could take Mr Songlins' trumpets to melt-down!

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camelbrass

Robin,

I'm glad somebody who knows what they're talking about thinks the same thing (not that other people don't, it's just that I don't). What I know about playing C you could write on the back of a postage stamp but the way you characterised the sound is exactly how I want to sound playing a C and it's what I look for when I try one out, rightly or wrongly.

My recent mix with Carmina Burana had me thinking that here was a piece that was meant for Bb, although I'm sure some people play it on C.


Regards,


Trevor

Vulgano Brother

Depending on how the instrument is set up, a C can be a great chamber and/or orchestral horn. Mine seems to have has a "maim and kill" function (well, I guess all my horns do, funny about that) that works just fine for Carmina -- three C trumpets can hold their own with the trombones (last time for me it was two players from "Miss Saigon" in Stuttgart and the bass trombonist from a RSO doing their darndest) just fine in the "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" fanfare. I think it is more of a horn than a key issue.

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camelbrass

VB,

It's probably to do with my limited experience on C although I really like that fluid sound that I can get on some Cs. I can 'maim and destroy' on a flugelhorn..ask the guys I play with.

"Chitty chitty bang bang" fanfare. Love that description and I know exactly the section you mean....it's something else of yours I may have to 'borrow'.


Regards,


Trevor

Dave Mickley

He said it is a large bore if that means anything, he sounds like a normal Bb trumpet on his Bb. He does tend to overblow for the size of the church. His C is very mellow sounding and he uses the same type and cup mouthpiece on both instruments. Maybe he was trained to sound this way on the C. I played on a med. bore older Sckilke [I wish that I had bought it] and my tone was bright almost crystal like, to my ears it was beautiful but what do I know. Any way thanks guys for the input. Dave

__________________
formerly known as old geezer Dave
C7
Yam. 231 Fl. 15383
King Master Cornet 295628
Weril Cornet Lo 7535

dcstep

I'd venture to say that most of us play large bore Cs and that gives the brilliant sound we're looking for. You say this guy's a good player, but why's he overblowing in church?? He's in control, not the trumpet.

Dve

__________________
Schilke '60 B1
Selmer Paris -- '57 #20 K-Modified/
'03 Concept TT w/ GR66.8B2.8
'94 Lawler TL cornet w/ Sparx 2B
Conn Vintage One flugel - GR66FD
www.pitpops.com www.ucm-inc.com
Rocky Mountain Trumpet Fest