[Trombone-l] Contra question

[Eric Swanson]

On May 20, 2009, at 5:13 PM, emrose79 at sonic.net wrote:

> Listers: Has anyone of you that plays an F contra (or a G bass)  
> used the
> handle? Any problems?  I can barely reach 6th position, but I just  
> can't
> get used to the handle (on the contra). Fortunately, the double valves
> almost eliminate the need, but...
>


Ed,

In school at UNT, I played a couple semesters on the F bass sackbut  
which had no valves and did have a handle to reach 7th position.  I  
don't recommend using the handle if you can avoid it.  Once you smack  
yourself in the chops a few times coming back into first position  
using the handle you'll see why.  It hurts like hell.

I am learning to play the F "contra" now using a horn with two  
valves.  If the valves are pitched correctly, you shouldn't have to  
go past 5th position so you shouldn't need a handle.  The possible  
exception, I guess, is if your slide is long enough to have 7  
positions, you could play the Bartok gliss.  You'd probably need the  
handle to reach the low B without using valves.

I got the play the Kanstul contra out at Ferguson's two weeks ago.   
The horn is pitched in F/C/Db/A and low Gb was reachable in an easy  
5th-ish position with no handle (it doesn't have a handle).

I say loose the handle except for playing those B to F glisses.

Eric Swanson