Big horn or Little horn?

PaulT · 2020-04-19 1:42 p.m.

(there are no right or wrong answers. I'm just curious.)

For those of you with multiple horns in different sizes (bores), if you could pull out a horn to play for personal enjoyment only rather than as a tool required for your trade/band, which would you tend pull out more often, the large bore or the small?

Pre-Corvid, I mainly played my large bore or medium bore (with triggers) because they were the horns I used in band, so my thought was, practice with the horn you will be performing with. (for me, that’s community band)

But, with the cessation of band, I began pulling out my .508... and all the stuff I had been working on went better. For instance, when I play the Bordogni etudes I have been working on with my .508, the longer phrases that had left me out of gas and gasping when played with the .547, I am now finishing with gas left in the tank; I am finishing the phrase on my terms, not my depleted lungs'.

In short, across the board, I feel I am more musical.* And I am having even more fun with the horn. The .508 is just plain lighter and easier to whip around the corners (sports car vs truck analogy).

So guys, if you could remove function as a factor and could chose the horn based solely on self pleasure, would you be more inclined to reach for your .547 trigger horn or your small bore?

There is no band and the only venue is your practice room at home, which horn do you grab?

*to be “bore fair”, the .508 is paired with a smaller-throated mouthpiece, a Yamaha 47 vs the Yamaha 48 (.525) or 51C4 (.547) I use on the two larger horns. But, the .smaller bore .508 allows me to get a full sound with a smaller-bore mouthpiece, the other two don’t. So the bores, small and large, seem linked.

FOSSIL · by **FOSSIL** » 2020-04-19 1:49 p.m.

Conn 6H. It's going back to the source... simple, light and the real trombone sound....loving it.

Chris

LeTromboniste · by **LeTromboniste** » 2020-04-19 2:07 p.m.

Kind of depends for what, but yes smaller is nice. I've gone through some of the classic Paris Conservatoire pieces on my 19th century Courtois peashooter and it's such a different experience (and a better one IMO) than I've had playing them on large bore when I was in college.

LeTromboniste · by **LeTromboniste** » 2020-04-19 2:08 p.m.

(also makes Bolero a walk in the park and actually fun to play)

brtnats · by **brtnats** » 2020-04-19 2:14 p.m.

Yes. I left the .547 at school and brought the .508 and bass home.

Vegasbound · by **Vegasbound** » 2020-04-19 2:20 p.m.

Small horn every time

WGWTR180 · by **WGWTR180** » 2020-04-19 2:40 p.m.

My Sterling 2B. But I do love my Holton 180.

Burgerbob · by **Burgerbob** » 2020-04-19 3:43 p.m.

I've been playing everything, but the most enjoyable have been my 42T and 3BSS.

marccromme · by **marccromme** » 2020-04-19 3:53 p.m.

Bass bone is the most fun. Would like to have a 0.547 to valve Indy for even more fun

Bach42t · by **Bach42t** » 2020-04-19 4:22 p.m.

I have been playing a Corporation 36B. It's a quick blow, don't have to work "too" hard to get a nice sound. I am in love with my slide, she doesn't look like much but the slide setup by the Slide Doctor has been amazing. Not sure why I had to have a large bore through college. I get it, I can get greater dynamic range on the large bore Bach, but this would have been much much easier.

HawaiiTromboneGuy · by **HawaiiTromboneGuy** » 2020-04-19 5:09 p.m.

I always gravitate to my Bob Williams Model 8. That is one killer horn that I just can’t put down.

bimmerman · by **bimmerman** » 2020-04-19 5:26 p.m.

My .508 for sure. I like the sound I get from my larger horn but with limited time and endurance, the .508 just ends up more fun for me. Can do the fundamentals routine AND still have energy and ability to play some music too.

note-- am in woeful playing shape, soooo don't read too much into that. Haven't had time to consistently practice for months.

harrisonreed · by **harrisonreed** » 2020-04-19 5:53 p.m.

My T396 and my alto.

hyperbolica · by **hyperbolica** » 2020-04-19 6:08 p.m.

I've got a new frankenhorn, and the honeymoon is on. It's an 8h neckpipe, sl2525 slide, Blessing 88 tuning crook, and a 36b bell. It feels great to play it, and I love the way it sounds.

LeoInFL · by **LeoInFL** » 2020-04-19 9:11 p.m.

since I just got the thing assembled, I play my Olds bass more often and I think playing it makes me a better brass musician overall. there are no cheats or shortcuts playing bass when it comes to proper breathing. I'm now finding that those big gulps of air I take when playing bass have carried over to my practice time with my large bore tenor. phrasing is better, the ends of notes are better, articulation is better with proper breath support. I should mention that bass-playing takes seemingly no toll on my chops. I play a few hours on bass and I'm still good for a full session on my Getzen. the only thing that limits me these days is some mild back pain and some soreness in my left hand from holding the horns for so long.

to answer your question, big then small(er).

TheBoneRanger · by **TheBoneRanger** » 2020-04-19 10:02 p.m.

I've been playing the horns that I find produce the most interesting sound.

For me, that my mid-60's Bach 50, and my Bach bass trumpet.

Andrew

Kingfan · by **Kingfan** » 2020-04-19 10:12 p.m.

I've got a sub .500 bore, a .508, a .547, and a .562. The horn that responds the best to me, and sounds the best when I'm playing, is my large bore .547.

walldaja · by **walldaja** » 2020-04-20 7:21 a.m.

I grab my 0.547 first but I have started playing a small dual bore just to shake it up. For some reason I end up playing the small horn left-handed, can't seem to get my mouth on it right handed. I do miss the trigger too. I do end up with more air available. It's nice tailoring horn to the music, do that with trumpet, flug, and cornet but not trombone until recently.

MrHCinDE · by **MrHCinDE** » 2020-04-20 8:10 a.m.

[quote="PaulT"]if you could pull out a horn to play for personal enjoyment only rather than as a tool required for your trade/band, which would you tend pull out more often, the large bore or the small?[/quote]

This is a really interesting question, I'd already been trying to get back to basics and focussing on just two instrument/mouthpiece combinations so had one setup with a .547 and one with .508, both without F-attachment.

Since the band and orchestra playing has been put on hold, I've found myself enjoying the .508 more. I think this is mainly because I'm playing through a load of improvisation tutor books, alongside some Rochut and the Telemann fantasies and enjoy having more fuel in the tank to really play around with this music than I feel I would have with the larger setup. Phrasing, range and intonation all feel easier on the small bore which naturally means I have more endurance too.

At some stage, once I know what I'm trying to achieve musically, I'll probably change over to the .547 for a bit and see if I can still play everything on that in the way I want to!

bigbandbone · by **bigbandbone** » 2020-04-20 10:04 a.m.

Modified Conn 20H. A joy to play.

dukesboneman · by **dukesboneman** » 2020-04-20 11:39 a.m.

My main horn for 85% of my playing is my Bach Lt12G. Since the Stay at Home orders went into effect I`ve been rotating my horns and trying to get some time on all. I finding that my Mt. Vernon Bach Lt36 has become my lock down go to. Easier to play than the 42`s, Darker, rounder sound than the 12`s and just fun to play

davetrombizzle · by **davetrombizzle** » 2020-04-20 12:04 p.m.

I went through a period for about a year, where I almost exclusively played .508" bore, for everything, practice and gigs. It's just what felt right. I only played .547" when I was playing in the mid to lower parts in a symphonic setting, or exclusively in the lower register. Bass/alto when it was called for. I learned a lot about finesse, air control, articulation, slide technique, range, tone color, et al. I am now back to more regularly practicing different size horns, but I take those lessons with me.

I would suggest, especially in this time of extended practice at home, do what you need to do. If a certain size horn is calling to you, you need to play it. You may make some important discoveries that you can adapt to your other size horns in the future. Carpe diem!

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Big horn or Little horn?