I decided to reveal myself to the world so there is less "mystery" behind the site. Plus, one former trumpet forum went down, and not a single person knew who the owner was!

https://austinbenesh.com/about-me

Welcome, newcomers. You may have been familiar with the now (seemingly) defunct forum TrumpetMaster. Or, you may be a regular user of TrumpetHerald. My goal as creator and admin of TrumpetBoards is bring together the positive experiences of both, while solving some of the problems that occurred in past forums. Here are a few of the features that distinguish our community:

• State of the art software: I am a professional software engineer and am committed to bringing you the best experience with the staunchest security.
• Unlimited photo & file uploads at the click of a button: Simply click "upload" and your photo is there. Couldn't be easier!
• Embedded Videos: Just past the URL from Vimeo or Youtube and it appears.
• Groups: Join the "Martin Committee" club or "Old Guys" club...just for fun!
• Events posting: Post your event along with an embedded calendar. Soon to come -- google maps showing exactly where your event will be!
• Easy internationalization: Change your menu languages in the click of a button.
• Credentialed Professionals & Sellers: Know who to trust. No more will pros get flamed by 12 year-olds and not have a way of defending themselves. Of course, we always welcome 12 year-olds too!
• Classifieds are just posts: Create your classified ad as a post. If a seller is a "Trusted Seller," that means that they are either a well-respected member of the trumpet community or they have had 5 positive sales interactions on this site.

Those are just a few of the many, exciting developments to come. So, please join in the fun!

I understand there is some lingering sentimentality with TM. However, I am not the owner of that site, nor am I attempting to reproduce it. I simply saw an opportunity to fill a gap. As far as objective design standards go, this site is 10x better than TM and 100x better than TH.

I don't know, it seems it would be hard to fly one while you practice.

I vote to have a "Troll / Wannabe" group, just in case.

Captured one of the best shots I have ever gotten while snowshoeing this weekend.

Just reading the train-wreck that is the "Chicago Symphony on Strike" thread on TH, I'm hoping to keep that stuff to a minimum here, but I guess we shall see. With @Tobylou8 on here, we may not make it very far

My first horn was a Selmer Radial. I don't see anything wrong with vintage horns as a first horn, so long as it's not a peashooter.

Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2003 23
:41:49 EDT
From: JLindem96@aol.com
Subject: [TPIN] Jens Lindemann mouthpiece

I have received many e-mails from TPIN members who were at the ITG conference asking the classic "what-mouthpiece-do-you-use" question. I thought I would take this opportunity to give you my personal theory on mouthpieces.

I believe that far too many trumpet players use mouthpieces that are basically too big. IMHO, going larger than a Bach 3C or the Yamaha/Schilke equivalent 14c4 or smaller than a Bach 7C or Yamaha/Schilke 11 should be considered 'specialized' equipment.

We seem to have no shortage of trumpet players out there who would say that very small mouthpieces are considered 'cheaters'. Have you ever seen a Bill Chase mouthpiece? It is about as small as you can possibly get and it served him very well for the type of playing he did. Could he have done that on a larger mouthpiece? Of course, but specialized lead players are artists in their own right. Those who do it for a living are very cognizant of what they are hired to do in the most efficient manner possible so that they can continue to do it for as long possible!

True lead players are also extremely rare. Think about how many people in your own community would be considered monster lead players...specifically the so-called 'screech' players. You would probably come up with a relatively small number in any given city. I can also virtually guarantee you that those inviduals play on more 'specialized' equipment that probably falls out of a standard industry medium. In my opinion, you should only mess around with their type of equipment if you were interested in the type of air velocity that they themselves use for their specific job. Remember though that everything comes with a price. Extremely small, shallow mouthpieces simply do not resonate that well in a section. They may have good 'cutting' projection but try playing softly with a good attack...very risky. Of course, if you never have to play softly with a good sound then you should consider yourself a true specialist...go for it!

By the same token, the great orchestral players use equipment that would hover around a Bach 1 1/2 or 1C or the Yamaha/Schilke equivalent 16-18C4. These individuals should also be considered 'specialists' because they are. Playing in an orchestra requires the ability to blend first and foremost and occasionally lead the entire brass section. But even then, the best players are simply riding on top of overtones being laid down by the rest of the section. They are not trying to 'cut' through in the way that commercial trumpet players might want to sizzle over a big band or rock group.

I just finished playing with the Summit Brass this week. Allen Vizzutti, Allan Dean and David Hickman were also in the trumpet section. Playing with them was AMAZINGLY easy because everyone blended and played in tune and everyone occasionally had the opportunity to lead the section and lay down a style that the others would follow. When the section is in tune and balanced, it is very simple to play for long periods of time without feeling true fatigue.

It is my understanding that the great Bud Herseth began his career on something like a Bach 7C and only switched to a larger mouthpiece (Bach 1X...made for him) after his car accident so that there was greater sensation in his nerve-damaged lips. Obviously, Bud Herseth is one of the greatest orchestral players ever but his own switch to a large mouthpiece (largest ever at the time) was based on an extreme situation for a highly specialized job. However, since most classical players wanted to sound like him, many made the same switch without thinking of the potential ramifications. Specifically, working too hard to find the sweet spot...more on that later. Bud Herseth is one the most efficient players of all time and he was efficient on a Bach 7C for a long period.

Thus, the point of my ramble (I think I'm jet-lagged). EFFICIENCY!!! After starting on a Bach 7C like many of you out there, I graduated to bigger equipment...all the way to a Bach 1 1/4, 24 throat, Schmidt backbore. I love stats...it clears the room of everyone except trumpet players. So, now that we are alone, I can tell you about my realization. Unless I wanted to be Bill Chase, there was little point in playing through a pin hole. By the same token, it also seemed reasonably logical that unless I was recovering from nerve damage and needed to feel more of my lips so that I could play for Fritz Reiner in Chicago, I probably wouldn't need a 1X either.

Allen Vizzutti and I have discussed this often over the years and the simple fact is this, in order to play efficently you must be in the sweet spot of a mouthpiece. A large mouthpiece has a bigger sweet spot and, as with oversized tennis racquets and golf clubs, it helps compensate for our very human ability to miss the centre of the note more often than not. To accomplish the same goal on a smaller mouthpiece you MUST be more efficient or it will back up on you. I describe backing up as basically trying to overpower the sweet spot.

Currently, I am playing a GR mouthpiece which Gary Radtke made especially for me. This will be available very soon (complete with my website on it...the benefits of customization!). For years before that, my own equipment was made for me by a mouthpiece maker in Japan who worked for Yamaha. I don't know the exact dimensions but they are somewhere between a Bach 5-7 C or a Yamaha/Schilke 11. Never measured the throat or the backbore and I didn't really care because it basically got me to where I needed to be. I could pretty much do everything I needed to do in any register I needed to play in with that mouthpiece. Could it have been a more perfect mouthpiece? Of course! Will I obsess about trying to find an elusive solution? Of course not! The answer is fluid anyway due to the fact that my body, lips, dental structure, and vital capacity will always be changing naturally due to the aging process that everyone of us is undergoing as I write this. Now, if your thing happens to be the quest for the perfect mouthpiece, then at least be honest with yourself, it is the chase that you are into and not the solution.

The bottom line is this (again, IMHO) the name of the game is efficiency and flexibility and the best solution for an all-around game is middle of the road equipment coupled with focused, intelligent practise. Have fun experimenting but don't let it be the answer to your problems!

Jens Lindemann
www.trumpetsolo.com

@flugelgirl said in C Trumpets: Bach vs Yamaha vs Vintage Besson vs....:

I wouldn’t really go for a vintage C if you want something reliable unless you’re certain it’s in good condition. Many of them do not really have great intonation, and were built with a different sound concept in mind than what’s currently acceptable for an orchestral setting. However, I play a vintage Schilke, it plays quite well in tune, but I use it more for church services and brass quintet than anything else. My last C was a French Besson Classic and they are quite good for any situation- built by Kanstul and can be picked up at a fair price. Good one to look for - I only sold mine because it didn’t suit me as well as my Schilke does. We have plenty of Yamaha in stock, and my favorites are the Chicago and the NY with Malone bell. PM if you’re interested in one of them and I can tell you my personal favorites in stock as I play test them all. When testing, I check for intonation, resonance, and general ease of play, and if the horn meets that criteria and I could gig comfortably with it tomorrow, I recommend it first to customers.
www.brassandwinds.com

Thanks. I think that I will save up and purchase a Yamaha. They are incredibly reliable and hold their value. It's like a Toyota. You always know what you're getting. Maybe a bit "boring" in that regard, but it's a tool and those tools perform their job very well.

I'm thinking of getting myself a C trumpet again. I've played a lot of C trumpets and used to own various Bachs. I'm most familiar with 229/25H combo, but I've played Yamaha Chicago, Bach Chicago and even a Schilke C which was dreadfully out of tune. My goal is to play in a local, community orchestra. Naturally, I'm leaning toward Bach because I am familiar with it, but I was curious if anybody has experience with these vintage Besson Brevete / Meha horns. I've seen a few for sale and they piqued my interest.

The ties have the effect of keeping a phrase together, while the dots mean the notes are still separated.

@bigdub Separated -- "stacatto", but not "short".

@barliman2001 said in A little humour:

A Mom goes into a toy shop to pick a doll for her daughter. Sees two identical looking Barbies, one at $ 15 and one at $ 299. She asks the salesperson, "Why?" - "well, Ma'am, the cheap one is "single Barbie" and the other is "divorced Barbie"." - "Ah-hem?" - ""Divorced Barbie" comes with Ken's house, Ken's automobile and Ken's boat."

Divorced Barbie? Or better yet -- The Merry Widow!

@ssmith1226 said in A little humour:

Enough of this going on as it is.

This is the first time I've heard of this guy, but I really like his playing.

Unfortunately, Dr. Mark was just too aggressive. I wonder if he comes around from time to time...I don't believe his IP was banned, just his account.

@jolter

My favorite (least favorite) is when Roseanne Barr gets up and "sings" the national anthem. She does such a poor job that the whole croud boos her and she basically gives them the finger. What an awful woman.

@fairoakshorns

If only I weren't 2000 miles away!