The Brass Band Forum

Wow, I started this thread what seems like a lifetime ago. I'm still playing, but after 10 years on Sop I was asked to play solo cornet for a few contests (the last two) so I suppose I'm technically no longer the sop player. After reading a huge amount about mouthpieces etc. and trying a huge number...

Two years after I started this topic, I'm still playing soprano! More importantly Ive just received a best soloist award in the local compertition my first ever!! My acheivments in moving from back row cornet to soprano and getting a soloist prize in 2 years have also been recognised by the band and...

I quite like cavilaria rusticana though Im not sure its a soprano solo asuch. Most people just play from the intermezzo.

When i was younger it inspired me to play soprano.

Tiggs

We have a small single story band room. Running costs are not bad for heating lighting etc. Insurance is where it bites you in the butt. Insurers will only insure the property as a bussines, as it has no full time resident. So the insurance costs mega bucks. It might be worth getting some space in a...

On a simular note my sister owns a japanese violin. Its people assume its value before they hear it is ££-£££ but after ££££ at least :-D The maker is a highly skilled and sought after japanese craftsman. Its possible there are crafstmen in other countries who's instrument making skills rival those ...

Ive heard good things about the curtwa soprano, and have played both a yamaha and a shilkie. Someone told me that the curtwa was an easy soprano to play, while many concider the yamaha difficult to blow through and the shilkie easier to blow through. Despite its faults I do like to play my little ya...

Update to anyone reading this post looking for a mouthpeice for sop. Ive not shifted to a Vincent Bach 10DW which I found a good compromise between sound and ease of use in the high register. http://www.goldchops.co.uk - sells mouthpeices mail order which he will gold plate to your specifictations. ...

Someone once told me that taking the valves out and cleaning with petrol sometimes helps, stinks though. Ive polished valves with brasso to reduce rubbing. Its also worth checking if the valves are stright, incredible as it seems I had a cornet once in which the third valve had a very slight bend. T...

Im not sure why there are so few female players. Our band is very much male orientated, though there are a few female players most of them are married to bandsmen. Those who are not tend to leave when the get married. I once saw a contest where a female conductor was wearing some strange costume whi...

Im in wales, therefore in Britain but not England!!

England is but one country that makes up Britain.

Tiggs

__ __ | | | | | | * * * * * * Given 2 groups of quavers tu ku tu tu ku tu - with your tripple tounging tu tu ku tu tu ku - with the arben's tripple tounging tu ku tu ku tu ku - double tounging I can only think that perhaps the arbus selected method makes the third of each triplet the weak note givin...

The resitance provided by the practice mutes can train you to blow harder, this is an important factor. As a youngster I struggled to play loud, a practice mute really helped as you have to force air through it. I used simular techiniques to build the pressure I could produce when I first started on...

I did own a 7EW but I found it to small. (big lips ) so I bought a 7DW and a 7CW after trying both I found that the 7DW offered the best compromise between sound and ease of getting high notes.

I found the 7EW sounded rheedy when playing high.

Tiggs

I seem to go through alot of oil, I play almost every night. but my valves still require a few drops regulally?

I now play my own yamaha sop, but was playing a shilke belonging to the band. I concidered buying drum or tanker for that thing, it had to be oiled requlally though the rehursal!

Tigger

I read in a bodybuilding magazine you can increase the size of your rib cage by gently stretchng it usnig stright arm pullovers with a little weight. I wouldn't recomend this ;) I also heared form a friend in band that his brass teacher when he was young had his students blow up hot water bottles to...