Posts made by Dale Proctor

I’d guess most of us think they’re probably junk and have never owned or played one.

@mike-ansberry

I had an Ambassador that was hopelessly flat for some reason, and I finally resorted to shortening the tuning slide receivers and the slide legs about 1/4” so I could push in a bit more. I would have gone a bit shorter than that, but a brace pad was in the way. I don’t know if I’d do that to a Recording, though...

Here’s a question I’ll throw out there.

How many of you have played a late night gig, concert, rehearsal, etc., and when you get home you’re too wired to go to sleep? It happens to me about every time, and I have to unwind before going to bed. That’s especially difficult if you have a day job and have to get up early the next morning to go to work. About the only time it doesn’t happen is if I have an hour or two drive home from an out of town gig, and then I’ve already unwound by the time I get home.

I don’t think finger position on the valve buttons or in the pinky ring really matters, as long as it feels natural and doesn’t slow you down.

I’ve been told by the local instrument restoration shop that ultrasonic cleaning will often open up all sorts of red rot damage that wasn’t leaking before the cleaning. They warn people about that before accepting older or obviously compromised instruments for ultrasonic cleaning. I can tell you from experience, though, that they are very good at plugging those tiny holes almost invisibly.

@dr-go said in Traits that make a great sight reader?:

Add to the challenge of sight reading that most the parts I get are for C instruments, so in addition to sight reading I am also transposing the notes as I go, and trying to remember to add two sharps to the written key signature.

That’s what C trumpets are for...lol

I’ve found that lots of experience reading unfamiliar music, the ability to look ahead a few bars while playing, familiarity with common rhythms, having scales under your fingers as second nature, and tunnel vision levels of concentration are very helpful traits for sight reading. As far as left brain vs right brain attributes, I have no idea.

@flugelgirl said in Differences between grades of instruments:
“...My first horn was a VERY used King Cleveland cornet - my mom paid way too much for it, and I still have no idea how I played it successfully for as long as I did! It plays so badly that I kept it to make sure no other kid ever got stuck with it. I’m pretty sure it was a terrible player even when new! It will become a lamp this summer.”

My first instrument was one of those, a brand new one around 1963. I didn’t know any better back then, but after playing it again a few years ago (my youngest brother now has it), I’m really surprised I stuck with playing cornet at all. That thing is terrible!...lol

If you’re certain that you have the valves in the right holes, then the one that doesn’t work correctly may not be turned correctly for the guide to lock in, which lines all the valve passages up.

Today, the main difference between a lot of beginner and intermediate instruments is the trim level - basically the same instrument, but with more extras. The professional model is normally a huge step up in quality and playability, but a beginner or inexperienced player will have trouble telling the difference.

When talking about vintage instruments, the beginner, intermediate, and professional models were unique instruments, different from each other and more of a step up in playing quality the higher you went up the ladder.

@_mark_

The vintage Conn 22B (not the newer one with the slanted bell braces) is a really good trumpet. I prefer the ones from the 1920s because of the top-sprung valves, but the ‘30s - ‘60s ones are good, too. I sold this really nice 1929 one about a year and a half ago for $375 if I remember correctly.

Welcome to the forum! Glad you picked up the instrument again and joined us.

@eatontkd said in Bugles Across America:

New member here. I've heard of this organization. They had representatives at both my brother and my father's funeral.
What is considered a fake bugle?

I’d guess a “fake bugle” is one of those bugles with the digital bugle call module in the bell, pretended to be played by a “fake bugler”. A real bugler is preferable, as long as they are fairly proficient, but at least those electronic bugles are a significant step above a boom box and are surely better than no Taps at all.

I played an Easter service today in our church (Baptist) with a large double brass choir. I played the top line on both pieces, but I usually play 2nd part in the church orchestra. This was the call to worship:

This was the second hymn of the service - fanfare and melody on V.1, fanfare and descant on V.3:

@richard-iii said in Henry Lehnert Mouthpiece:

I missed it if you said, what do you think the diameter is?

I have an unmarked cornet mouthpiece. Construction looks like late 1800's. Perfectly fits my 1903 Conn Wonder. Sounds great. Small diameter makes it more of a challenge. Working to get acclimated. Have you had any issues with yours and playability?

I took out the calipers this morning and measured it as best I could. All dimensions are in millimeters, most rounded off insignificantly, and the 13mm dimension is the cup depth. Comparatively, the cup width is somewhere in the Bach 7 to 9 range, throat is about a 22.

To answer your second question, my initial playing impression was that it suits the cornet very well and seems to be very playable for me, even though I normally play slightly wider cups (Curry 3C. on trumpet). I’m currently preparing for some slightly difficult Easter playing, so I’m not messing with the new cornet mouthpiece until after Easter.

I recently bought an extremely rare cornet mouthpiece on eBay. I’ve been looking for an original, marked mouthpiece for my circa 1870 Henry Lehnert SARV Bb cornet for many years, and this one popped up on eBay about a week ago. I clicked the buy it now button, and it came in the mail today.

It’s in very good condition to be so old, and the shank, which is smaller than modern cornet shanks, fits my cornet perfectly. I was very surprised at how well it played. It’s nice to reunite orphaned vintage pieces to their parent instruments. Now, if I only had an original Lehnert case...lol

@_mark_

So, what mouthpiece is giving you the pain?

@bigdub said in Jackie Gleason Plays Cornet:

@dale-proctor
Another thought: how many times have you seen someone ( try to ) play the Carnival of Venice with about a 6”x8” sheet of music on a lyre?

It was probably the marching version...lol. I’d guess a few measures were all he needed, since the script called for him to go cross-eyed at that point. Probably 99.9% of the people watching the show had no idea what the piece was, anyway. We are an elite minority, for sure.