@SSmith1226 That's the Irish for you!

@Dr-GO said in New to my collection:

Interesting bell rim. Likely a significant influence on the tone.

The Selmer K-Mod had the same.

HERE is an original Sousa recording, dated 1911, from a Graphophone cylinder:

@Kehaulani said in Fast Tempo and old farts:

Original performance by the composer and his band:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov1kjVvYpWk&t=47s

I very much doubt that this is an original Sousa recording, especially as it says "Conductor: John Wallace"...

@Trumpetsplus So far, in 32 years of trumpet playing so far, having gone through more than 150 instruments (current count is 38), most of them vintage, I have never felt the need to change valve stems... and I don't know a single player who ever did that (except in cases of horns with parts missing, so-called "lamp horns")

@Amis-Stanley So we can definitely rule out transport damage. That is important to know.

@Amis-Stanley Can you please specify the damage, and give details? Sweeping accusations don't really help.

@J-Jericho Still, it could be worse...
https://www.classicfm.com/music-news/latest-news/piano-smash/

@stumac said in Wanna hear/see somethings exceptiona/l?:

Among the best tap dancing I have seen, great playing by all, BUT if I had come in cold during any of the long solos I would not have a clue what tune they were playing. All scrambled egg music. ( perhaps I am showing my age).

Regards, Stuart.

Not scrambled egg music, because with scrambled eggs, you recognize them and know approximately what's in there. These solos are something like that Chinese food, "Eight Jewels" - looking and smelling nice, but you have no clue whatsoever what's inside. And in some Chinese restaurants, you don't even want to know...

For many years, I had a similar problem - fast fingerings were a nightmare. Then, I bought a cheap euphonium and started playing that in a local band. And hey presto! suddenly I was able to play much faster... seems the fear of fast fingerings on trumpet hindered my practising, and with the euph, that was gone. And now is gone for trumpet as well.