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Trombone question

To: <brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Trombone question
From: "Kevan Lomas" <kevan.lomas@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2000 21:17:58 +0100
Importance: Normal
Priority: low
Reply-to: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dear all

The message below is from a fellow listee from the Trombone-l. I have his
permission to forward the message to you in the hopes of some replies.
Please reply to the list or to me  privately and I will make sure that the
details are forwarded.

Thanks for your help

Kevan Lomas

Bass trombone
Warrington
England

kevan.lomas@xxxxxxxxxx




I've been exchanging a few e-mails with our friend Adrian Drover on the
subject of using large bore trombones with brass bands. Since I now know
that there are several list members who play in brass bands, I'd be
interested in knowing the size of the horns you use in your groups. I'll
start things rolling with this: After joining a the Alleghney Brass Band
here in Pittsburgh as a 2nd trombonist last July, I played a King 4B because
the principal played a Conn 88H. Our bass bone is a Getzen Dual valve .562
bore). When I heard a recording of our first concert, I immediately noticed
that the trombone section seemed to be lost in the midrange/low overtones of
the band. I switched to a 3B for our Christmas concert and found that my
horn cut through much better. So I convinced the principal to switch to a 3B
as well, and our latest recording has produced the best blend yet. We don't
overwhelm any of the sections, but neither are we overwhelmed.  I say it's
because the smaller bore horns work better in this environment.

I asked Adrian what the practice is in the UK these days, and he tells me
that large bore horns have to a large extent supplanted small bore horns.
I'm not what you would call a purist, but in studying the history of brass
bands, I've come to the conclusion that the orginators chose small bore
trombones for two reasons: 1. They were the predominant (and maybe only
available) instrument of the time; 2. Their sound was used to cut through
the rest of the band.

Adrian and I are wondering what the current practice is on this side of the
Atlantic. So, what horns do you brass banders use, and why?  And how do you
feel about the overall sound of the group if you use large bore horns? Have
you experimented with smaller bores to see what happens? ..................

Dave Molter
Pittsburgh, PA


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