Posted by Matt G on January 24, 2000 at 20:43:06:
In Reply to: Anyone go to or know about ucf?? posted by PedalBb on January 23, 2000 at 22:09:34:
Pedal Bb,
As an alumni of UCF and especially the music department, I second the notions that Jeff A. has about those school horns. The two Mirafone's are pretty poor and were never good to begin with, and I played mirafone's only for about 8 years of my life, and I never played any as bad as UCF's. The school also has a Rudy Meinl 3/4 BBb, but it doesn't quite have the guts needed for much more than brass ensemble and quintet. The sound of the rudy is great, but it doesn't go very far, and the intonation is really hard to control (needs some slide cutting). The school does own a King BBb 4v w/ detachable bell, that is pretty respectable, but it is on leave of absence with Mike Roylance. My advice would be to play what you are given at first when you show up there, but if you want to continue, keep your eye out for a really good used BBb. It sounds like it would serve you well in your tenure there as a music minor, and if you want to sell it later, you can get what you payed for it, if you keep it in good shape.
By the way, Mike is no longer the teacher there unfortunately, but Paul Weile is and he is a fine teacher also. My advice to you is to take as many lessons with different players in the area. Mike Roylance, Willie Clark, Bob Carpenter, Ed Firth, Paul, Claude Kashnig, and many others are very friendly and have a lot to offer, with many different influences and styles of playing.
Lots of luck,
Matt G UCF Spring '98