Re: Matt W., your AGR...


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Posted by Matt Walters on January 22, 2002 at 19:12:12:

In Reply to: Matt W., your AGR... posted by perennial poster on January 22, 2002 at 00:55:16:

The adjustable gap receiver is to change the response of the articulation. Especially in the beginning of the note. It is not the answer for everyone. Horns like the old Alexanders and Rudy Meinl CC's have the leadpipe extending all the way out to the end. There is a sleeve that goes over the leadpipe. Then the pipe is expanded out to accept the taper of a mouthpiece shank. Finally it is soldered in place. On horns such as that, a player has to use a harder articulation and anticipate the beat more to sound like he/she is playing on the beat and not behind. Those who think otherwise remind me of someone riding around in a car with worn struts/shocks. When you get a new set you'll think the car rides harsher. "I thought it was supposed to ride better!" It does, but maybe not what you were thinking it should be. The new shocks are properly keeping the car from rebounding, which helps the wheels stay on the road. No more float with new struts or shocks. If a person gets used to a playing style, and the new receiver set-up makes the horn play so differently that they can't adjust, it will prove to be a mistake. Just because I can hear the difference, doesn't mean the player can hear the difference. In times past, I wrongfully assumed everyone else could and would strive for the same clean articulation. Disagreements are often just people focusing on different aspects of the whole picture. Let me explain.

I have a friend who REALLY likes Country and Western music. Tom can't sing worth squat. I at least, can read the notes and match a pitch. Anyway, while I was visiting Tom and his wife, we were strumming the guitars and singing. Tom pointed to a chart and says "Can you play this one? I don't know all those cords." Well, I'd never heard it before, so I plucked out the melody, then proceeded strum and sing the notes as written. My buddy stops me. "No, that's not the right melody. I thought you said you could read that stuff. This is how it goes." Well Tom started to 'sing'. He started do all this moanful slipping and sliding all over the place and every 5 or six measures, he might have gotten a few notes in as written. Heck, it had no resemblence to the written line of music what so ever! Well to Tom, the song was all about the twangy glisandos and such while to hell with the melody line. You see, I actually like the melodies of C&W music but can't stand the amatueristic embellishments. I kept my mouth shut and Tom is still my friend. It is what a person is most focused on that they will see or hear. We sell a lot of mouthpieces to young kids who just want to sound loud on the tuba because whatever pro they heard last, played something louder than what they can play. They may not have even registered the clean articulation and musical interpretation of the phrase.

For the record I will say the following:

If you like the way your horn plays and sounds, leave it alone. Just do regular servicing to keep it playing like that over the years. If you like the sound of your horn but other horns are easier for you to play, then think about making improvements. If you don't like the sound of your horn, but like the sound of other horns, then think about getting another horn. If you like the sound of your horn, but it requires more work to play cleanly and in-tune than you are willing to put in the time for, then look for a new horn.

To your specific question, I usually ask the player where his tuning slide is. If they have the slide all the way in, then cutting the leadpipe is a no brainer. If the tuning slide is quite pulled, then I see if I can leave the extra leadpipe length to help them out. Minimizing gap in the tuning slide is another issue in helping a horn play better. As an example, many great trumpets will play horribly out of tune if the slide needs to be pulled more than 3/8".

I reserve the right to learn more, and change my mind on any issue.
Matt




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