Giardinelli GTR 812 Masters Series Pro Trumpet Lacquer
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Giardinelli GTR 312 Student Trumpet with Case Lacquer
Giardinelli GTR 312 Student Trumpet Lacquer
The Giardinelli GTR 312 Student Trumpet has many intermediate instrument features: a .460" bore and 4.9" bell, a lacquered finish with nickel silver trim, nickel-plated top and bottom caps, finger buttons and water key, a tuning slide water key, adjustable third-valve slide finger ring, and adjustable third-valve slide stop. The Giardinelli GTR 312 comes with hard case and thickwall mouthpiece.
Giardinelli GTR 512 Professional Trumpet Gold Lacquered
Giardinelli GTR 512 Professional Trumpet Gold Lacquered
In creating the Giardinelli GTR 512 Professional Trumpet -- the first Giardinelli trumpet -- the goal was simple: to offer the best possible instrument at the lowest possible price. Working with a leading European manufacturer, Giardinelli has developed a trumpet that more than meets that goal: a professional-quality horn for a student-level price! Every trumpeter who has played the new GTR 512 has absolutely loved it. It is a responsive, free-blowing horn with excellent tone. Impeccably crafted throughout, it features a .460" bore; rose brass lead pipe and slide crooks; hand-lapped stainless steel pistons; adjustable 3rd slide ring; and a 4.9" bell. The Giardinelli GTR 512 Professional Trumpet comes with hard case and thickwall mouthpiece.
Brass Mouthpiece Buying Guide
Every brass player should have an understanding of how their mouthpiece works and what they need from it. Unfortunately, it usually takes years of experimentation for players to discover what type of mouthpiece suits them and their playing style best. The staff at Musician's Friend would like to help you cut that search time down by guiding you through the myriad options you must consider when purchasing a new mouthpiece.
A good mouthpiece will give the player a tone that is firm and compact with good projection. It will also be comfortable, helping to develop a better embouchure and more precise technique. Since it is rare for any two players to have exactly the same shape lip or tooth/bite construction, there are an abundance of variations in mouthpiece construction to meet nearly everyone's needs. For students, medium-sized mouthpieces offer the most benefit. As your embouchure and abilities develop, you may gravitate toward either a larger or smaller mouthpiece, but many professionals play a medium-size unit their entire career. The many variations in its construction mean the medium mouthpiece has a lot to offer in terms of tone and comfort.
Parts of the mouthpiece
Having a grasp of the components that form a mouthpiece will help you know what you may need to get the level of comfort, ease of play, and solid tone that you want. A mouthpiece consists of the rim, cup, throat, and backbore.
The Rim is the round edge of the mouthpiece that you place your lips against to play your horn, and therefore is one of the most crucial parts to consider. A rim with a fairly flat contour allows nice, even lip pressure for a good air seal and feels very comfortable, but doesn't give much flexibility. Rounded rim mouthpieces give a lot of flexibility, allowing the lips to move back and forth in the cup, but also require more lip pressure and muscular lips. A player without the air volume and embouchure needed will end up pressing too hard against their lips, cutting off circulation and limiting the flexibility gained from using a rounded rim. What's needed is a medium-wide rim with a semi-rounded contour and a slightly sharp inner edge. This rim will provide sufficient surface for easy lip pressure and also give the player the lip movement needed to cover a wide range.
The Cup is the cup-shaped area the player blows into inside the rim. Generally, the larger and deeper the cup the darker the tone and more volume it produces. Large cups also require lots of control, which can quickly tire the player. As the cup gets smaller and shallower the tone brightens, control and response is improved, and less effort is required. Going too shallow can kill volume and flexibility. In choosing cup depth, keep two things in mind: the pitch of the instrument and the individualities of the player, i.e., embouchure, lung power, and the lip/teeth formation. When selecting cup diameter, go for the largest diameter you can comfortably use without tiring yourself too quickly. The benefits are a more uniform response across all registers and easier lip control resulting in more flexibility.
The Throat is the opening leading out of the cup. Do not expect to see wide variations in throat size or length. The throat's job is to let you push air from the cup and concentrate it into a stream without too much, or too little, back pressure. A bigger throat will allow you to blow harder and produce more volume but it will also require more air pressure from your lungs and make playing soft passages very hard. A too-small throat will choke your tone and produce more back pressure than is comfortable. Most manufacturers design the throat to complement the cup and backbore design in order to achieve the best tone and projection.
The Backbore is the chamber that finally transfers your breath to the horn. The backbore must match the overall design of the other components of the mouthpiece with slight alterations possible in order to blow comfortably and provide good intonation. Changes in shape and size can produce a brighter or darker tone, raise or lower volume/projection, and raise or lower pitch. The backbore that has emerged as number one in all-around performance and tone, and -not surprisingly-popularity, is one not very large or small with a smooth, slightly curved taper from throat to well-rounded, even backbore.
The rim and cup are the most vital components of the mouthpiece, forming a bridge between the player and the instrument. The rim is the main point of contact and must be comfortable and seal against the lips while still allowing them to move inside the cup to affect pitch and tone. While important to sound, feel, and performance, the throat and backbore are matched to the cup and rim by the manufacturer and are of less concern. When all is said and done, most players will find that a mouthpiece with a medium cup and rim will suit them quite well. Armed with what you've learned from this guide and the information your mouth will give you, you'll find the mouthpiece for you.
A good mouthpiece will give the player a tone that is firm and compact with good projection. It will also be comfortable, helping to develop a better embouchure and more precise technique. Since it is rare for any two players to have exactly the same shape lip or tooth/bite construction, there are an abundance of variations in mouthpiece construction to meet nearly everyone's needs. For students, medium-sized mouthpieces offer the most benefit. As your embouchure and abilities develop, you may gravitate toward either a larger or smaller mouthpiece, but many professionals play a medium-size unit their entire career. The many variations in its construction mean the medium mouthpiece has a lot to offer in terms of tone and comfort.
Parts of the mouthpiece
Having a grasp of the components that form a mouthpiece will help you know what you may need to get the level of comfort, ease of play, and solid tone that you want. A mouthpiece consists of the rim, cup, throat, and backbore.
The Rim is the round edge of the mouthpiece that you place your lips against to play your horn, and therefore is one of the most crucial parts to consider. A rim with a fairly flat contour allows nice, even lip pressure for a good air seal and feels very comfortable, but doesn't give much flexibility. Rounded rim mouthpieces give a lot of flexibility, allowing the lips to move back and forth in the cup, but also require more lip pressure and muscular lips. A player without the air volume and embouchure needed will end up pressing too hard against their lips, cutting off circulation and limiting the flexibility gained from using a rounded rim. What's needed is a medium-wide rim with a semi-rounded contour and a slightly sharp inner edge. This rim will provide sufficient surface for easy lip pressure and also give the player the lip movement needed to cover a wide range.
The Cup is the cup-shaped area the player blows into inside the rim. Generally, the larger and deeper the cup the darker the tone and more volume it produces. Large cups also require lots of control, which can quickly tire the player. As the cup gets smaller and shallower the tone brightens, control and response is improved, and less effort is required. Going too shallow can kill volume and flexibility. In choosing cup depth, keep two things in mind: the pitch of the instrument and the individualities of the player, i.e., embouchure, lung power, and the lip/teeth formation. When selecting cup diameter, go for the largest diameter you can comfortably use without tiring yourself too quickly. The benefits are a more uniform response across all registers and easier lip control resulting in more flexibility.
The Throat is the opening leading out of the cup. Do not expect to see wide variations in throat size or length. The throat's job is to let you push air from the cup and concentrate it into a stream without too much, or too little, back pressure. A bigger throat will allow you to blow harder and produce more volume but it will also require more air pressure from your lungs and make playing soft passages very hard. A too-small throat will choke your tone and produce more back pressure than is comfortable. Most manufacturers design the throat to complement the cup and backbore design in order to achieve the best tone and projection.
The Backbore is the chamber that finally transfers your breath to the horn. The backbore must match the overall design of the other components of the mouthpiece with slight alterations possible in order to blow comfortably and provide good intonation. Changes in shape and size can produce a brighter or darker tone, raise or lower volume/projection, and raise or lower pitch. The backbore that has emerged as number one in all-around performance and tone, and -not surprisingly-popularity, is one not very large or small with a smooth, slightly curved taper from throat to well-rounded, even backbore.
The rim and cup are the most vital components of the mouthpiece, forming a bridge between the player and the instrument. The rim is the main point of contact and must be comfortable and seal against the lips while still allowing them to move inside the cup to affect pitch and tone. While important to sound, feel, and performance, the throat and backbore are matched to the cup and rim by the manufacturer and are of less concern. When all is said and done, most players will find that a mouthpiece with a medium cup and rim will suit them quite well. Armed with what you've learned from this guide and the information your mouth will give you, you'll find the mouthpiece for you.
Bach 180-37R Stradivarius Professional Trumpet
Bach 180-37R Stradivarius Professional Trumpet
he Bach 180-37R Stradivarius Professional Trumpet is tuned in the key of Bb. .459" medium-large bore, 37 Sterling Plus (99.99% pure silver) bell, 25 mouthpipe, Monel valves, clear lacquer finish. Please Note: All Bach trumpets and cornets come with 1st valve slide hook, 3rd valve slide ring, case, and mouthpiece, unless otherwise specified.
Bach 180-37 Stradivarius Professional Trumpet
Bach 180-37 Stradivarius Professional Trumpet
The Bach 180-37 Stradivarius Professional Trumpet is in the key of Bb. .459" medium-large bore, 37 bell, 25 mouthpipe, Monel valves, lacquered finish. Bach includes a mouthpiece and casewith the 180-37 Stradivarius Professional Trumpet.Please Note: All Bach trumpets and cornets come with 1st valve slide hook, 3rd valve slide ring, case, and mouthpiece, unless otherwise specified.
Bach LR180S-43 Anniversary Custom Stradivarius Trumpet
Bach LR180S-43 Anniversary Custom Stradivarius Trumpet
In configuring the Bach LR180S-43 Anniversary Custom Stradivarius Trumpet we've put together some of the most popular custom options for this perennial favorite: key of Bb, lightweight body, .459" medium-large bore, 43 bell, 25LR (reverse) mouthpipe, Monel valves, silver-plated finish, gold-plated inside bell, gold-plated trim, anniversary pattern engraving.Please Note: All Bach trumpets and cornets come with 1st valve slide hook, 3rd valve slide ring, case, and mouthpiece, unless otherwise specified.
French Horn Buying Guide
Due to its complex manufacture and the huge amount of labor required to construct a French horn, it is one of the more expensive orchestral instruments. This makes it especially important that you select the right instrument for your needs. Here are a few pointers on the basic differences between various models and their pros and cons.
Single horns
French horns (known simply as "horns" in non-English speaking countries) come in two basic types: single horns and double horns. Single horns come in two keys: F and Bb. Each type of single horn features three rotary valves. The F horn (for the key of F, not an abbreviation of "French") is the most popular single horn for students in the U.S. For larger beginners, a double horn is preferable since most students will move to a double horn anyway within a year or two. A single horn is sometimes preferred for younger beginners because of its smaller size, lighter weight, and smaller price tag.
Double horns
Through the wizardry of tubular engineering, a double horn is actually capable of shifting between the key of F and the key of Bb through the use of a fourth valve. Actuated by the left thumb, this valve actually cuts out about four feet of tubing from the vibrating air column within the horn. Some horns can be changed so that the lever works the other way around, turning the horn into an F instrument when engaged.
That's a wrap
A: A French horn is simply a very long tube that is coiled up to make it portable and is fitted with valves to lengthen or shorten the air column by rerouting it. The specific design of this coiling is called the "wrap." There are three basic types of wrap. The Kruspe wrap locates the fourth rotor valve above the other three when the horn is in playing position. This makes for a shorter linkage between the finger key that actuates the fourth valve and the actual valve.
The Geyer wrap (which-like the Kruspe wrap-is named for its German designer) locates the fourth rotor valve below the other three. Since the linkage reaches past the other three valves, it is much longer.
The child's wrap, children's wrap, or 3/4 wrap is a student single French horn that is coiled very tightly to make it easier for a child to handle. The vibrating air column is the same length, just in a smaller package.
Rotor linkage - string and mechanical
B: The valves that vary the length of the vibrating air column in a French horn work by rotation. The valves comprise thick disks with holes drilled through them that rotate to connect various tubes to one another. These disks are well below the finger keys that control their rotation. The keys are connected to the valves either by super-strong string or by metal rods (mechanical linkage).
String linkages are very quiet in operation but eventually the string can break and need to be replaced. It is the most popular type of linkage in the U.S. Europeans tend to prefer the mechanical linkage because it never needs replacement, though it can sometimes be heard during quieter passages.
Bell throat size
The throat of the bell is the area where the hand is placed while playing. A smaller throat makes it easier to control the tone, but the timbre will be thinner and less resonant. A larger throat size provides a more open, full-bodied sound, but is more difficult to control.
Bell and first branch material
Any serious player can tell you—and scientific research has verified—that differing materials used in the bell and the first branch (what the bell attaches to) make a significant difference in the instrument's tone. Yellow brass produces a bright tone (accentuating the treble end of the spectrum) and has a very snappy response. Rose brass, also called red brass or gold brass, produces a darker tone with a little bit less-defined response. Nickel silver produces the darkest tone.
Players from different regions, which are associated with slightly different playing styles, tend to choose different throat-size/metal combinations. For example, Los Angeles and New York players often select a large-throated, nickel horn; while Chicago players usually prefer a medium or small-throated horn with yellow or rose brass bell.
Screw bell
C: Many French horns come with a bell that can be detached by twisting it off the first branch. This is called a screw bell or detachable bell and allows the horn to fit into a smaller case for easier transport. There are no significant drawbacks to this design, and it's a very popular option.
Single horns
French horns (known simply as "horns" in non-English speaking countries) come in two basic types: single horns and double horns. Single horns come in two keys: F and Bb. Each type of single horn features three rotary valves. The F horn (for the key of F, not an abbreviation of "French") is the most popular single horn for students in the U.S. For larger beginners, a double horn is preferable since most students will move to a double horn anyway within a year or two. A single horn is sometimes preferred for younger beginners because of its smaller size, lighter weight, and smaller price tag.
Double horns
Through the wizardry of tubular engineering, a double horn is actually capable of shifting between the key of F and the key of Bb through the use of a fourth valve. Actuated by the left thumb, this valve actually cuts out about four feet of tubing from the vibrating air column within the horn. Some horns can be changed so that the lever works the other way around, turning the horn into an F instrument when engaged.
That's a wrap
A: A French horn is simply a very long tube that is coiled up to make it portable and is fitted with valves to lengthen or shorten the air column by rerouting it. The specific design of this coiling is called the "wrap." There are three basic types of wrap. The Kruspe wrap locates the fourth rotor valve above the other three when the horn is in playing position. This makes for a shorter linkage between the finger key that actuates the fourth valve and the actual valve.
The Geyer wrap (which-like the Kruspe wrap-is named for its German designer) locates the fourth rotor valve below the other three. Since the linkage reaches past the other three valves, it is much longer.
The child's wrap, children's wrap, or 3/4 wrap is a student single French horn that is coiled very tightly to make it easier for a child to handle. The vibrating air column is the same length, just in a smaller package.
Rotor linkage - string and mechanical
B: The valves that vary the length of the vibrating air column in a French horn work by rotation. The valves comprise thick disks with holes drilled through them that rotate to connect various tubes to one another. These disks are well below the finger keys that control their rotation. The keys are connected to the valves either by super-strong string or by metal rods (mechanical linkage).
String linkages are very quiet in operation but eventually the string can break and need to be replaced. It is the most popular type of linkage in the U.S. Europeans tend to prefer the mechanical linkage because it never needs replacement, though it can sometimes be heard during quieter passages.
Bell throat size
The throat of the bell is the area where the hand is placed while playing. A smaller throat makes it easier to control the tone, but the timbre will be thinner and less resonant. A larger throat size provides a more open, full-bodied sound, but is more difficult to control.
Bell and first branch material
Any serious player can tell you—and scientific research has verified—that differing materials used in the bell and the first branch (what the bell attaches to) make a significant difference in the instrument's tone. Yellow brass produces a bright tone (accentuating the treble end of the spectrum) and has a very snappy response. Rose brass, also called red brass or gold brass, produces a darker tone with a little bit less-defined response. Nickel silver produces the darkest tone.
Players from different regions, which are associated with slightly different playing styles, tend to choose different throat-size/metal combinations. For example, Los Angeles and New York players often select a large-throated, nickel horn; while Chicago players usually prefer a medium or small-throated horn with yellow or rose brass bell.
Screw bell
C: Many French horns come with a bell that can be detached by twisting it off the first branch. This is called a screw bell or detachable bell and allows the horn to fit into a smaller case for easier transport. There are no significant drawbacks to this design, and it's a very popular option.
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