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brass band instrumentation

Just a few thoughts....from the Woods Mfg BB

Now that we from the Woods BB have obviously opened up a can of worms regarding 
the use of various instruments in the brass band, it's time for us to reply....

Thank you very much to all of you who have tributed to this discussion, 
especially those positive minded people in Australia and Ireland.

Should we start the discussion with what instruments to use in the brass band 
from the top down or the bottom up??? and should we also include percussion in 
this discussion???

Starting (for our australian friends with a glass of beer in hand) bottom's 
up....

Bb bass - or BBb bass? or tuba and not bass....should this instrument be 3 or 4 
valved, compensating or not? should the 4th valve be operated with the left 
index fingure or the small fingure of the right hand? should rotary valves be 
permitted? should the C Tuba allowed and should a C tuba player be permitted to 
play a Bb bass..or BBb bass? and should these instruments be right or left 
shoulder? If different facing bells are permitted does this alter the 
traditional seating of a traditional brass band?

Ditto for the Eb or EEb bass or tuba and not bass.... F tuba or bass allowed?

Euphonium - or Baritone for some of our american friend (as terms are 
interchangeable) should this instrument be 3 or 4 valved, compensating or not? 
should the 4th valve be operated with the left index fingure or the small 
fingure of the right hand? Forward facing bell or not? double bell?

Bass trombone or G Trombone w/ handle!!! Should the modern bass trombone be 
permitted or not in single or double rotor form? We would suggest for a 
"traditional" brass band only G trombones be allowed!!!! This would exclude most 
bands from ever having a bass trombone players and set our industry back a very 
long way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

next...

Straight Tenor trombone or w/F attachment which one should be allowed??? If the 
latter is acceptable should conditions be applied that it can not be use 
(F/attachment) during a performance in competition or a traditional work!!! It's 
use would automatically disqualify that band (any level)!!! this would be 
closely policed - should the trombone player in a traditional brass band be 
limited to the use of a "traditional" small bore trombone (bore sized measured 
before competition)

Baritone - should this one be right or left or forward facing bell? should this 
instrument be 3 or 4 valved, compensating or not? should the 4th valve be 
operated with the left index fingure or the small fingure of the right hand? 
larger or small bore? does the american baritone qualify as a baritone or 
euphonium? again depending on which way the bell faces....seating?

Eb tenor or Eb alto or barking iron or peck horn....or Eb tenor cor(like a 
french fingured with right hand)....need we say more? In a traditional brass 
band could a Eb tenor be played with a French horn mouth peice with adapter if 
not why is there such a thing as the adapter? French horns are handicaped due to 
the following: must use left hand (great if you're are a southpaw) must stuff 
the other hand up the bell, transpose, a must presumably turn pages with their 
feet.

We are fortune (I suppose) to have french horn players who can play the likes of 
Carnival of Venise, the Arrival of the Queen of Sheba, and the list goes 
on...our french horn player have yet to hear an Eb horn player play the Strauss 
Horn concerto. Maybe more of you should hear Barry Tuckwell play the french 
horn.

Flugel Horn or alto flugal horn? should this be 3 or 4 valved? do bands that 
have alto horns need a alto flugal horn?...

Bb Cornets...should a common consenses on bore size be reach and should a C cup 
mouth piece be allowed? Perhap the tradition small cornet only be allowed and 
this combined with the right mouth piece - would produce(at times) a brighter 
sound than the trumpet. Should a trumpet player indeed be even allowed to play a 
cornet? should players of this instrument not form their own Guild??

Eb cornet or Eb soprano cornet - should the players of this instrument strive to 
produce the "traditional" sound or try to mimic the Eb trumpet (listen to many 
modern (recordings)? Where should they sit in the band?

Percussion - traditional bands used to only have snare drum and bass drum with a 
cymbal on top. Let's leave this one to the percussionist!

Of course this discussion can go on indefinetly - that's not our point here. As 
Canadians, our population of about 30 million is spread out over one of the 
largest geographical areas, and therefore we have to adapt. We would love to 
have a traditional brass band set up but refuse to be limited by one. Our idea 
in starting our band was to enable brass player to broad their horizons and 
musically challenge them!!! Is this not one of the "tradition goals" set up by 
the common man Brass Band!

Guthrie Woods (our "traditional" sponsor) wishes you all well and good luck in 
any brass band competition you enter regardless of your instrumentation.

A conglomoration of thoughts by the Woods Mfg.Co.(Ottawa) Ltd. Brass Band


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