HBM – Instrument Selection

Instrument Selection – fac.hsu.edu/bucknej

  1. Consider style of playing- use concert band for decision, not jazz or marching
  2. Consider players stage of development (Bach trumpets are inefficient and require more effort; therefore, for HS students, not beginners; lightweight Bach’s are easier to play but brighter tone ( lead and steel bells)
  3. Instruments should not be too stuffy (or too open)
  4. Go with standard size bore (measured at 2nd valve slide), bell size, lead pipe, Bach ML 37, 43, 72 (dark)
         number means NOTHING – it is the model sequence number
        one-piece bell, two-piece bell, beryllium bell
  5. Silver = brighter wears better
         lacquer = darker, shorter life
         gold = last forever
         bare = poisonous, darker
         nickel
  6. Should be reasonably well in tune (esp. 5th partial-D, E-flat, E
         must not be too flat, as the Benge tpt); use a tuner
  7. Slotting
  8. Reasonably consistent tone
  9. Ultimate test- how the player sounds on it – Harry James vs. Bernie Glow – it was a dog!
  10. Try four identical instruments; pick the best of the four – Luther Didrickson:  you should sound like you

Student Models

  1. Must be strong to withstand carelessness
  2. Should not be too hard to blow (too much resistance)
  3. Fairly good intonation
  4. Check with music store about rent applying toward purchase price
  5. Foreign imports often not good

Beginner trumpet- Bach TR300, Cornet Bach CR 300, Yamaha, Olds, King Cleveland

Start students on cornet – easier to hold for short arms, warmer sound, easier flexibility (conical leadpipe, now on trumpet)

Bach factory testing – beginner = chromatic scale, low F#-high C, tested by a trombone player; Strad trumpets tested by a trumpet pro – if not satisfied, back to the man who assembled it

When stepping up, go to top-line model and skip intermediate

TPT – Bach Strad 37 ML, 43ML, 72 ML (dark)

Horn – Holton Farkes 179, 189 (newer), Merkermatic, Conn 6D, 8D (elephant horn); Yamaha, Geyer, Kruspe, Lawson

Breaking in valves – require frequent cleaning; student in Missouri who required daily cleaning until black stopped coming off; Bill Berry – 90% of the high school in the band, shut down the school when the band competed; raised $40,000 towards uniforms within the concert; drove a bus in Alaska during the summer

Used instrument should be half of discount price, equals ½ of 60%, which is 30% of list price