Anyone else do this?

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Bach5G
Posts: 2874
Joined: Apr 07, 2018

by Bach5G »

Concert tonight and I’m tempted to change up my gear. Because I can.

Does anyone else do this?
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Doug_Elliott
Posts: 4155
Joined: Mar 22, 2018

by Doug_Elliott »

I experiment on gigs sometimes. It's really the only way to find out how something works outside your own studio.

Also because I can, and I know my own chops can get away with almost anything. I've played gigs on borrowed horns and mouthpieces nothing like what I use.
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Burgerbob
Posts: 6327
Joined: Apr 23, 2018

by Burgerbob »

In low-exposure situations, yes. Otherwise you'll never know what works and what doesn't. But if I'm playing something important or high-level, no.
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Kdanielsen
Posts: 609
Joined: Jul 28, 2019

by Kdanielsen »

It should be illegal to have new mouthpieces arrive on Friday-Sunday morning.
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Posaunus
Posts: 5018
Joined: Mar 23, 2018

by Posaunus »

[color=#0000FF][quote="Bach5G"]Concert tonight and I’m tempted to change up my gear. Because I can.

Does anyone else do this?
[/quote][/color]

Sometimes - cautiously. Perhaps with a familiar backup at hand.

But I think that my chops, like Doug's are pretty flexible.

Good luck tonight!
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imsevimse
Posts: 1765
Joined: Apr 29, 2018

by imsevimse » (edited 2022-03-27 6:03 a.m.)

[quote="Bach5G"]Concert tonight and I’m tempted to change up my gear. Because I can.

Does anyone else do this?[/quote]

I experiment in rehearsals (a lot) not so much at gigs. I have a lot of older trombones that I like at home and have tried, but some of those do not blend very well and that I don't want to discover at a gig. If the equipment works then I might use it for the concert too. Sometimes my colleagues don't want me to use a certain trombone because they don't like it and sometimes they tell the horn I just showed up with sounds terrific. With such strong opinions I can not use any horn on the concert. I need to consider also what the others like to some sense because we are there to do the concert together. On bass trombone I might switch mouthpiece for a certain part during gig if I think the part needs another mouthpiece.

/Tom
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robcat2075
Posts: 1867
Joined: Sep 03, 2018

by robcat2075 »

I've never been in a position to be tempted.

There has always been just one horn available to me and if there was anything lacking about my playing... it probably wasn't the horn's fault. :shuffle:
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Matt_K
Posts: 4809
Joined: Mar 21, 2018

by Matt_K »

Typically not on performances but in rehearsals almost constantly
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norbie2018
Posts: 1051
Joined: Apr 05, 2018

by norbie2018 »

I too experiment in rehearsals but usually not on performances.
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JohnL
Posts: 2529
Joined: Mar 23, 2018

by JohnL »

I have a large stable of trombones, but there's a "short list" of go-to horns that I normally use for gigs.

The orchestra I play in normally does 5-6 rehearsals leading up to concert; I might try something else in the first rehearsal or two; if I like the way it's working, I'll keep it for the cycle. If not, it's back to old faithful.

A group like Bones West is great for trying out new stuff. We only do a couple concerts a year, plus there's a lot of other trombone players who are quite willing to offer their opinion on your latest acquisition.
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MrHCinDE
Posts: 1039
Joined: Jul 01, 2018

by MrHCinDE »

Yes, even between the final rehearsal and gig if there is a surprising acoustic or section balance issue.

For example I‘ve done a last minute change-up from a 48h to an 8h when the venue turned out to be much livelier than the rehearsal space. Went from a Holton TR150 to an 8H on another occasion when it was vice-versa. Come to think of it, maybe I‘d just be better off playing everything on my 8h to start with…
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BurckhardtS
Posts: 253
Joined: Mar 25, 2018

by BurckhardtS »

Yes. I used to do it in rehearsal more, but since I've been out of school most of the gigs I do are done on little to no rehearsal, so the only other option is to experiment on the gig. But I haven't changed my main equipment in a couple of years.
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hyperbolica
Posts: 3990
Joined: Mar 23, 2018

by hyperbolica »

Yeah, I've done it. I'd been playing with a group using a 79h (medium bore), and suddenly decided that I'd be at less risk on high notes if I played a 48h (small bore). Well, the high notes were easier, for sure, but the small bore was a bit "hot" and took a lot of extra work to restrain it and make it kind of blend with all the 547s on stage...

Or going the other way, I'd been playing my Kanstul 1662i bass, and decided to show up with an Olds P24g (much smaller bass). Just didn't have the warmth, and there was no way to reel that one in. So it was all edge and hard attacks instead of velvet on bass that night...