Re: Bucking the trends


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Posted by Dave on April 22, 1999 at 16:33:39:

In Reply to: Bucking the trends posted by JRTapes on April 22, 1999 at 10:20:17:

If you've been doing your homework, which it sounds like you have, you have probably read previous posts as to why CC and not BBb for most professional players. Due to the professional demand (however it started!), manufacturers are for the most part, putting more care into their CC horns than their BBb horns. That's not to say there aren't any really good BBb horns, and if you know all your scales and have a good ear I don't fall for the whole orchestral "sharp keys" thing. It's just been my experience that on average, CC horns seem to be of higher quality than BBb horns.

As for quintet performances...guys I play with seem to like a big tuba sound in the quintet. Some quintets play very aggressively (Empire Brass) and are strong enough for the tuba player to really play out (boy, Pilafian sounded incredible with that "teensy" 2145 back in the good ol' days...ahhh...). I've tried three different horns with the quintet I'm now in: a Willson EEb, a Meinl Weston 2155, and a Holton/York 6/4 I just purchased. I loved the way the EEb could dance around technically, but in those big moments (Ewald) I felt a little bit handcuffed. The MW is a great match. And with a little bit of care, believe it or not, the 6/4 also works just fine (in fact, the group really likes the cushion and backbone of the Holton, you just have to be a musician and use those ears!). We have two really strong trumpet players, and that helps.

All this to say...pick what you like. Sounds like your VMI is the winner!

Hope I've helped!

Dav


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