Adolphe Sax's Brasswind Production with a Focus on Saxhorns
- groovlow
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Adolphe Sax's Brasswind Production with a Focus on Saxhorns
Historic horn pics and more...scholarly stuff http://www.academia.edu/5427655/Adolphe ... nstruments
I'm looking for some comprehensive histories of French brass builders.
I've been having alot of Franco fun with a Hilleron BBb helicon and a little Eb tuba,
maker J. Henri Marchand. Maybe I can get some pics up after cleanup.
Joe
- roweenie
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Re: Adolphe Sax's Brasswind Production with a Focus on Saxho
The first picture (with the curved bell-front) is very interesting.
I'm aware that Sax was basically starting from scratch (since he really didn't have much before him to build on), but one has to wonder why he would go through the considerable trouble to put a sideways bend in a bell, just to put it in the way of the player's line of sight....
I'm aware that Sax was basically starting from scratch (since he really didn't have much before him to build on), but one has to wonder why he would go through the considerable trouble to put a sideways bend in a bell, just to put it in the way of the player's line of sight....
"Even a broken clock is right twice a day".
- Heliconer
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Re: Adolphe Sax's Brasswind Production with a Focus on Saxho
roweenie wrote:The first picture (with the curved bell-front) is very interesting.
I'm aware that Sax was basically starting from scratch (since he really didn't have much before him to build on), but one has to wonder why he would go through the considerable trouble to put a sideways bend in a bell, just to put it in the way of the player's line of sight....
I believe if you were to hold this former horn in a more Horizontal position, it would not be at all in the players face. Imho it's a better playing position anyway.
A bunch of metal fart noise machines
- groovlow
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- groovlow
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- Location: Nashville TN
- roweenie
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Re: Adolphe Sax's Brasswind Production with a Focus on Saxho
Maybe so, but I would think that would have the left hand valves practically in your lap, and put your left wrist in at an awkward angle, like the groundhog-caller in the picture above....Heliconer wrote:roweenie wrote:The first picture (with the curved bell-front) is very interesting.
I'm aware that Sax was basically starting from scratch (since he really didn't have much before him to build on), but one has to wonder why he would go through the considerable trouble to put a sideways bend in a bell, just to put it in the way of the player's line of sight....
I believe if you were to hold this former horn in a more Horizontal position, it would not be at all in the players face. Imho it's a better playing position anyway.
To each, his own.....
"Even a broken clock is right twice a day".
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Re: Adolphe Sax's Brasswind Production with a Focus on Saxho
I have a Belgian Saxhorn ca. 1905, if you are interested in some pix.
Dennis
Dennis
There's a reason it wasn't Werewolves of Lubbock....
- groovlow
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Re: Adolphe Sax's Brasswind Production with a Focus on Saxho
Pics welcome
groundhog caller
groundhog caller
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Re: Adolphe Sax's Brasswind Production with a Focus on Saxho
I've always suspected, although I have no proof, that the more unconventional features of the saxhorn nouveau family (like the curved bells with unusual tapers, and the 6-valve systems) were an attempt by Sax to come up with something new and novel he could patent since his original saxhorn patents were widely ignored and hard to defend since there were prior art instruments from other makers that were so similar.
- Heliconer
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Re: Adolphe Sax's Brasswind Production with a Focus on Saxho
He was also a fan of the ascending valve system from a few things I've read lately. Anybody have any experience with an ascending system? Supposedly air goes through ALL of the tubes, and the over all length is shortened when you press a valve.
A bunch of metal fart noise machines
- emcallaway
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Re: Adolphe Sax's Brasswind Production with a Focus on Saxho
I have a vintage CC/F double tuba. It's naturally in CC and then you press a change valve and the pitch raises to F. This may seem like a handy mechanism if you're a CC expert who wants more clarity in the upper register, but the fact is that it's a similar experience to playing an F tuba with the 4th valve down all the time-- it's very stuffy compared to the "ascended" F side. Something to consider: we generally choose to play any given note with as few valves as possible to bring the note into tune because it's "more free blowing" or simply easier.Heliconer wrote:He was also a fan of the ascending valve system from a few things I've read lately. Anybody have any experience with an ascending system? Supposedly air goes through ALL of the tubes, and the over all length is shortened when you press a valve.
I have since reversed the spring mechanism on the change valve so that it is an F tuba with a change valve to CC. By a strange coincidence I now play the horn much more often. Your mileage may vary.