Trying to start a marching program at my small rural school (less than 20 students in band 7-12) I bought a new set of drums and began teaching anyone interested to play percussion and we started a drum line last spring. I'd like to think we had a fair amount of success with the drum line premiere at the spring concert and then the one local parade this past summer. I would now like to add a set of bells as I have a clarinet player who is a pianist and would love to march the bells. As I have no experience with marching bells I turn to you my more educated and experienced brethern for some advice.
We've had some pretty good talks and/or debates on the Schiller brand of horns (or M&M, JinBao, or whatever you want to call them) that Jim Laabs sells. Does anybody have any experience or knowledge about their Trixon line of percussion? Specifically http://www.jimlaabsmusic.com/drums-perc ... _2813.html My biggest attraction to this aside from the price is the weight as most of my students are smaller JH kids.
Well, that's one variety. The other is the lyre-shaped glockenspiel that is mounted vertically in front at an angle.
It's a marching instrument. Make sure the bars are secure. Use the small brass mallets. If there is not "glock" or "bells" part, give the player a flute or piccolo part and go for it.
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bloke wrote:Aluminum bells will not be the loudest nor the most shrill, but they do work.
I'd like to think I'm a realist so I know it wouldn't be the best set-up, but neither are my JH kids the greatest drum line out there. I would just like to make a decent showing at the local parades her in rural ND without embarrasing my students. There is also another local school doing the same thing so their director and I are trying to drum up some friendly rivalry and competition (pardon the punn )
However, neither do I want to waste money if this set of bells is simply going to suck. If that is the case then I'll wait till next budget year to get a good set.
I have a set of the lyre bells with the horns off. I'll take the picture of the harness mount to the shop teacher and see what he thinks, but that's not a bad idea. Thanks.
We found that a good harness for the bells can be found in a lot of honor guard flag holders...The quality of the bells is something beyond this tuba player's grasp, however.
The contact address for Trixon Drums USA is identical to that of Jim Laabs Music, the purveyors of the Schiller brand brass instruments. Based on that, I presume that these are rebranded Jinbao JBGS0632 glocks. Make of that what you will.
If weight is a concern, I seem to recall the Jenco linked by Bloke weighs in at around 10 lbs. If memory serves, my HS had four of them, and the glock/lyre players held them more-or-less upright with the supporting peg in a flag holder.
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pgym wrote:If memory serves, my HS had four of them, and the glock/lyre players held them more-or-less upright with the supporting peg in a flag holder.
another vote for the old school glock in a pocket holster.....
The player also has more control over the instrument during drills should you go for a more 'military' band approach rather than 'drum corps' style of marching.
and it a strap with a pocket stores a whole lot eaiser than those big frame drum holder things.
As far as playing, a decent glock with brass/steel plates played by someone who is not afraid can be heard over a band of 200.
for some advice. 
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