[Trombone-l] Thoughts for a restart in mid-life.
Jim Battell
jbattell at comcast.net
Wed Jul 25 15:24:11 CDT 2007
Dave,
Thank you!
Excellent considerations on the Selman. The answer is that I do not know
about its durability/survivability in the field as I have never had and
probably never will have it out of the stable long enough to find out.
I am concerned in general about the durability of some foreign made horns.
Recall the great duel between First Act and Brooks Mayes. I would rate the
Selman as easily better than the fabled "instrument shaped object." And, I
do not know how it will fare in the field. I will happily send you the
horn, you pay only the shipping (figure $35), you keep the horn, and you
tell me/the list over time how the horn does.
I will say, on behalf of First Act, that they stand behind their products
100%. We/Osmun's are one of their repair agents and there is zero
resistance seen on their part in doing what it takes to fix a horn. That
kind of commitment could rule the day. On the other hand, we could find
Shires student and intermediate level horns being offered one day in Costco
(or wherever), and sweeping the competition off the shelf. It could be a
race, and I am nor sure I want chuckle hard about that.
For one thing, the so called lesser horns are approaching the pros in
quality. And, for another, Steve could take one of his standard line
horns - ala Getzen/Edwards - and declare it the horn for all ages, and price
it to sell. Sort of the road rising to meet the tromboni. I understand
that this might not occur next week.
There are fit and finish problems with many new horns, regardless of brand.
As does Consumer Reports, I find the better horns to have fewer fit and
finish problems. That might even be part of what I mean by a "Better" horn.
For some fit & finish considerations, see the Osmun "Prep" offering for the
Conn 8D French horn, at:
http://www.osmun.com/services/8dprep.htm
- the idea of taking a good horn and making it better. It's like
hot-rodding a car, like I used to do. I know of no one offering such
services for the Selman (or trombones in general). I have noted a flurry of
activity on slicing and dicing the Selman mouthpipe, for better effect.
I'll be happy to hook you up with such considerations when you are ready.
(Of course, there is me and my fanaticism in adding Bb attachments to nearly
every alto in sight. And, that is purely fanaticism.)
Jim
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dave Demko" <demko61 at gmail.com>
To: "Jim Battell" <jbattell at comcast.net>; <trombone-l at server5.samford.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2007 1:11 PM
Subject: Re: [Trombone-l] Thoughts for a restart in mid-life.
>> The push into pro-hood can be a brief foray, or an outright blitzkrieg.
>
> Jim,
> I can foresee brief forays, at least for equipment money and the
> occasional Hickey's order. I'd like to stay cashflow-neutral with my
> trombone habit.
>
>> I am happy to wax prolific with you anytime about the alto.
>
> My plans include taking up alto for chamber playing (the topic of an
> earlier thread on this list). The Shires looks like my idea of an
> alto. But how a horn sounds and my available cash will be the key
> criteria.
>
>> The Selman ain't bad.
>
> How's its durability?. I worry that low-cost horns are easy to break
> and difficult to repair. But I've read some positive comments about
> the Selmans.
>
>> I continue to look for the alto which will let me play a fifth higher,
>> with
>> no further work on my part.
>
> This reminds me of my disappointment when I lurked in a trumpet
> master class and learned that a piccolo trumpet wouldn't automatically
> give me another octave on top, like going from euphonium to Bb
> trumpet. Dang!
>
>
> On 7/23/07, Jim Battell <jbattell at comcast.net> wrote:
>> Dave,
>>
>> Back again on this.
>>
>> The push into pro-hood can be a brief foray, or an outright blitzkrieg.
>>
>> I get the renewability of the fuel. The span of renewability remains to
>> be
>> tweaked, in my mind. For example, I can see my self as a coal fired
>> plant
>> and run for a while. Or as a nuclear reactor, and run a LOT longer and
>> more
>> cleanly. And, the nuclear reactors, at least of my Navy days, required
>> refueling/refitting after a while. We have seen fusion reactors - the
>> sun -
>> and they can last a really long time. and eventually they run down, or
>> so
>> we think. We might think of receiving joy from the environment, as from
>> the
>> other stars in my life - you included. And that system is thought to run
>> down. Then, there are things like the Brahms Requiem, or his Three
>> Motets
>> (Schaff in mir, Gott/O Cast Me Not Away/(and a third) which seem to have
>> a
>> life of their own - a luminosity. Charm. Attractiveness. They bring or
>> induce joy. What's with that? Maybe music has a future after all.
>> Maybe
>> we've got this thing backwards. Compaq should be in existence to support
>> its band, and not the other way around.
>>
>> I am happy to wax prolific with you anytime about the alto. I have 6
>> altos,
>> from a new Shires down to a rare, authentic Selman. The Selman ain't
>> bad.
>> And it does not get the nod from me compared to some of my others:
>>
>> Shires - the sweetest of the lot for me, 3 interchangeable mouthpipes,
>> tuning in the hand slide, very light feel to the slide nonetheless. I
>> see
>> me using it for the purely alto efforts, like a Mozart or Schubert Mass.
>> I
>> hope that Steve will see his way clear to making an alto with Bb
>> attachment.
>> I stuff the ballot box about this every chance I get. The horn gets the
>> nod
>> sometimes, otherwise sits on my practice stand at Osmun's. Or, it sits
>> in
>> our showroom waiting for me to blow a few notes between customers, a
>> meantime closing up fast these days. The horn attracts other tromboni
>> like
>> flies.
>>
>> Yamaha YSL-871 with Bb attachment from an Olds F Attachment (appropriate
>> inside tubing diameter). This is the sweetest, for me, under the Shires.
>> It has a Bb attachment which keeps me away from those treacherous and
>> unfamiliar 6th & 7th positions. I get there a lot in mixed brass work -
>> like horn parts in a quintet. Or, even in trombone ensemble where I
>> might
>> swap out the 1st part to someone. Osmun's (Jim Engele) installed the Bb
>> attachment.
>>
>> Yamaha 671. A lesser 871, for me. Also with Bb attachment, crafted by
>> Jim
>> Becker of Osmun's. The Bb attachment is configured in a "Reynolds" wrap.
>> Sits on my practice stand at home.
>>
>> Conn 36H, Bb attachment. Retired, in standby.
>>
>> Mirafone alto, with Jim Becker installed Minnick wrap Bb attachment,
>> retired
>> in standby.
>>
>> The authentic, rare Selman. Not due to be retired soon.
>>
>> I had an Amati with Brass Bow installed Bb attachment (scarily large
>> inside
>> tubing diameter, otherwise beautiful job. Played well.), Retired and
>> sold.
>>
>> Bach 39, retired and sold.
>>
>> I continue to look for the alto which will let me play a fifth higher,
>> with
>> no further work on my part.
>>
>> Jim
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Jim Battell" <jbattell at comcast.net>
>> To: "Dave Demko" <demko61 at gmail.com>
>> Sent: Sunday, July 22, 2007 2:15 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Trombone-l] Thoughts for a restart in mid-life.
>>
>>
>> > Agreed!
>> >
>> > And, personally, I advocate a little drift into pro-hood. Perhaps to
>> > the
>> > point of self-sustaining - able to support my trombone/equipment/sheet
>> > music acquisition mania. This is why I joined the staff at Osmun
>> > Music.
>> >
>> > 1. They are Top Guns, IMHO.
>> >
>> > 2. If I'm on this side of the counter it's a shorter throw to put my
>> > money into Osmun's cash register. A certain efficiency there, you see.
>> >
>> > 3. I might have joined Shires, also Top Guns, and alas they are too
>> > far
>> > away. Let's talk again, Steve, when you move to Arlington.
>> >
>> > Jim
>> >
>> >
>> > ----- Original Message -----
>> > From: "Dave Demko" <demko61 at gmail.com>
>> > To: <trombone-l at server5.samford.edu>
>> > Sent: Sunday, July 22, 2007 12:28 AM
>> > Subject: Re: [Trombone-l] Thoughts for a restart in mid-life.
>> >
>> >
>> >> Greg,
>> >> I have hardly played for 24 years, a brief wedding-band stint
>> >> excepted. But playing for a service last Christmas with my kids (high
>> >> school brass players) revived my interest strongly. I found a good
>> >> used .547 horn and have worked on the basics: Remington, Tyrell,
>> >> Rouchut. Also, I've learned or re-leaned some pieces I like.
>> >> My tone went from out-of-shape to OK pretty quickly. I'm still
>> >> chasing that gorgeous trombone sound in my brain. I'm impatient,
>> >> thinking about taking up alto and returning to euphonium. But common
>> >> sense and lack of hours in the day help me concentrate on the horn in
>> >> hand.
>> >> If amateur means a) playing for love, not money, and b) not good
>> >> enough to make steady money with the trombone anyway, then I'm doubly
>> >> an amateur. My plans are to join a brass ensemble or community band
>> >> and take occasional lessons for course corrections.
>> >> Six months into it, I'm pretty happy with my re-start. It doesn't
>> >> seem nuts to me. Enthusiasm and enjoyment are my fuel, and that fuel
>> >> is renewable.
>> >>
>> >> Dave
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> On 7/18/07, Greg Jones <conductorjonz at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>> >>> I haven't played trombone in 15 years or so and never really learned
>> >>> properly to begin with. I taught myself every bad habit in the
>> >>> world.al
>> >>> by
>> >>> myself!
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> Having laid off the horn for 15 years, I began staring longingly at
>> >>> my
>> >>> old
>> >>> King 2B (Which never left its stand in my office.) and thinking about
>> >>> playing again.but the proper way this time. I have been reading the
>> >>> e-mails
>> >>> on the list with great interest, and have a great respect for those
>> >>> on
>> >>> this
>> >>> list, many of whom I have admired over the years. So now that I've
>> >>> gotten
>> >>> nerve to ask.am I nuts to do this and spend this kind of money at 39
>> >>> years
>> >>> old. Is it mid-life crisis early?
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> I had my old 1938 King 2B overhauled and love it more than ever. A
>> >>> wonderful instrument!! I bought a new King 3B since that is what I
>> >>> played
>> >>> before for jazz, and recently acquired a 1940's Olds Recording with a
>> >>> slide
>> >>> and valve section. I just started lessons with an instructor, but
>> >>> still
>> >>> have doubts that I have lost my mind. I thought learning to read
>> >>> this
>> >>> time
>> >>> might be helpful.
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> My wife is supportive.so far. She hasn't said a thing about
>> >>> vacationing
>> >>> with our new "child in the black leatherette case." She continues to
>> >>> encourage me. However I still think it may be a bit late in life for
>> >>> such
>> >>> things. I've also had some profession musician friend who have given
>> >>> advice
>> >>> and been kind enough to answer questions as needed.
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> While I'll never be the next Alex Iles, or Dick Nash, I would be
>> >>> happy
>> >>> to
>> >>> help by playing music for the Salvation Army band or some local
>> >>> bands.
>> >>> I
>> >>> don't have any delusions of being a "professional", but rather just
>> >>> want
>> >>> to
>> >>> challenge myself and keep my "gray matter" working before I get too
>> >>> feeble.
>> >>> (HA!)
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> Your thoughts would be appreciated. I'd also be curious to have any
>> >>> feedback on playing valve trombone since I've rather enjoyed
>> >>> practicing
>> >>> both
>> >>> slide and valve horns.
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> Thanks!
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> Greg Jones
>> >>>
>> >>> Toledo, Ohio
>> >>>
>> >>> _______________________________________________
>> >>> Trombone-l mailing list
>> >>> Trombone-l at maillists.samford.edu
>> >>> http://maillists.samford.edu/mailman/listinfo/trombone-l
>> >>>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> "The awesome destructive power of the double trigger bass trombone
>> >> could never have been imagined by the founding fathers when they
>> >> granted us the right to keep and bear arms." -- Albert Manglesdorf
>> >>
>> >>
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> "The awesome destructive power of the double trigger bass trombone
> could never have been imagined by the founding fathers when they
> granted us the right to keep and bear arms." -- Albert Manglesdorf
>
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