passing observations: French horn people vs. tuba people

[tokuno]

Are you guys saying that the Geyer sounds "cheesy"? (Sorry -- couldn't resist)

A very close friend in high school had the Conn and sounded big and round. A few others in college had the Holton/Farkas/Geyer wrap and sounded pinched.

Umm, the Holton Farkas wrap is the same as the CONN. They are both Kruspe. Just FYI

I'm following this thread with interest, because my oldest brother plays an 8d (big, full, round sound) and my other brother plays a Holton (more core, penetrating sound), and I've always wondered what about them makes them sound so different, because they look very similar to my untrained amateur's eye. I'm wanting to go lay them side by side and check the bell flare. . .

[jonesbrass]

My wife retired from the army bands as a horn player. She played an Alexander 103, never liked Conns, although they sure could throw a fat sound downrange. She is "reformed" now, and is a trombone performance major. She never fit in with that "introverted" crowd anyway, was a MONSTER 4th horn player. Now plays a Shires axial-flow T-bone and a Conn 88HO. Thank goodness, she's much happier-we've commented how she was a trombone player the whole time and was just playing the "wrong" instrument.

[NDSPTuba]

I'm following this thread with interest, because my oldest brother plays an 8d (big, full, round sound) and my other brother plays a Holton (more core, penetrating sound), and I've always wondered what about them makes them sound so different, because they look very similar to my untrained amateur's eye. I'm wanting to go lay them side by side and check the bell flare. . .

The difference is mainly in the mouthpipe taper, the conn has a sewer pipe in the horn world for a mouthpipe, ie is opens up to full bore size quickly. The big thing about the Holton in my not so humble opinion is they suck. I never picked one up to play that I wasn't twice as motivated to put back down after the first trip to the high range. They are as stuffy as you can get in the high range. And to think I played one for all my high school and freshman year of college. It was before I new any better. Build quality is always an issue with them as well. You can find a new Conn that is a descent player, but it is the older Conns that are coveted. They go for more than the new ones, lol. The Conns do have a bigger bell flare than the Holtons also. I prefer the kruspe wrap, but I don't care for the Conns for reasons stated before. I prefer the Yamahas and Hoyers over the Conns. Holton isn't even a consideration.

[MaryAnn]

3..2..1.. Here I is.

Most of ya'll have said it all already. Frankly, when I read the post, what I wanted to ask was, given how I am perceived *here*, which do ya'll think *I* am? Tuba player or horn player?

I'll clue ya. I'm still about 1/10 fiddle player, and THOSE are a really, really twitchy bunch. Other than that, about half and half horn player and tuba player probably. I love beer, love hamburgers, but can eat neither since the food allergies went off the scale. Love cats too but don't eat them.

BTW, horn players DO have a hell of an elephant room (as somebody else said) if you go to the big conferences. But there is a bit more competition than I thought when I first entered the horn world. It was so much less competitive than the violin world, that for a few years I missed it. I since decided that a lot of the violin competition comes from there being so many people all on the same part, they can't help but strive to see who's on top of the heap.

I *hate* that hand-too-far-up-the-bell sound, but I think that is exactly what it is. Maybe the Conns have such big bell throats that it takes a huger hand than most to get that stuffed up sound? I recently heard an Eric Ruske recording on the radio playing Strauss, and I had it as Barry Tuckwell because of the hand-too-far-up-the bell sound. Was wrong. I like Hermann Bauman's sound, I like Marty Hackelman's sound, the best. Doesn't matter what wrap you play, you can't close the bell all the way off and you have to BLOW into the thing.


MA

[rocksanddirt]

3..2..1.. Here I is.

Most of ya'll have said it all already. Frankly, when I read the post, what I wanted to ask was, given how I am perceived *here*, which do ya'll think *I* am? Tuba player or horn player?

I'll clue ya. I'm still about 1/10 fiddle player, and THOSE are a really, really twitchy bunch.

'snip'


MA

I feel ya on the fiddle players. our eldest has been playing for several years now, and is starting to develop some real diva-ness to both her attitude and playing. it's good on the playing....less so on the 'tude.

[imperialbari]

Was the low attention a matter of bad weather conditions? Normally I skip postings on regional horn events, but I just saw that an event in Oklahoma will not be visited by its full potential of attenders due to bad weather.

Klaus

[DonShirer]

Has anyone researched brass genetics? My wife (ex-horn) and I (tuba) produced three sons, one horn, one trombone and one cello. (Lest you think that the third one fell far from the metal tree, he used to give performances on the musical saw.) All three enjoy beer.

[RadDad2005]

In the late 70's the was a Conical Tube Society at the University of Wisconsin, presumably the brainchild of horn prof Douglas Hill and whoever was teaching tuba there at the time. I did not go there, but visited there often and I'd see the signs hanging in the Music building. Any former Badgers here that know what I'm talking about?

[jonesbrass]

My wife retired from the army bands as a horn player. She played an Alexander 103, never liked Conns, although they sure could throw a fat sound downrange. She is "reformed" now, and is a trombone performance major. She never fit in with that "introverted" crowd anyway, was a MONSTER 4th horn player. Now plays a Shires axial-flow T-bone and a Conn 88HO. Thank goodness, she's much happier-we've commented how she was a trombone player the whole time and was just playing the "wrong" instrument.

Now to get her into bass trombone....



OR... you could get a new Cerveny valved F bass for the TWO of you to "share!"

Too late . . . we're shopping for a bass trombone, for both of us to share, or possibly a cimbasso just for me, or maybe a nice euph . . .

[MileMarkerZero]

Was the low attention a matter of bad weather conditions? Normally I skip postings on regional horn events, but I just saw that an event in Oklahoma will not be visited by its full potential of attenders due to bad weather.

Klaus

Klaus,

As a native Okie, I can tell ya: there are about 30 REALLY nice days in Oklahoma weather-wise (usually no three in a row). The other 11 months of the year it's either too ^%&$ hot, too &%#* cold, too &%*$ windy, or a tornado is taking you away to The Merrie Olde Land of Oz. I laugh at those that use weather as an excuse for anything. Pffft. Pansies one and all, I say.

[/tic]

And, to stay on topic, when I was in college, the horn player as a whole were the strangest section in every ensemble.

[imperialbari]

Thanks for the info! Now I know the purpose of your panhandle: holding down your state during tornados!

I kind of like your various state panhandles, especially the western one of Virginia, which reaches further to the west than any point of West Virginia.

Klaus