Lyric Brass “Developing Tone in Young Brass Musicians.” Copyright © 2008 by LBQ. www.lyricbrass.com

Lyric Brass QuintetHoward County Public School SystemFall Music Professional Development DayWilde Lake High School – August 20, 2008

Developing Tone in Young Brass Musicians Handout

Bob Couto & Kevin Dines, trumpets; Larry Williams, horn;Brandon Rivera, trombone; Andrew Spang, euphonium & tuba.

Mouthpieces

Beginner Middle SchoolHighSchool andBeyond

LBQ says…

Trumpet Bach 7C Bach 3C Bach 11/4 C

Kevin says “Every trumpetcomes with a 7C or 7C copy.Get away from that as soon aspossible and learn to play a 3C.”Bob says “3C until you are readyto move to a 11/4 C in highschool or college.”

Horn Yamaha 30C4Holton MDC

Larry says “these stockmouthpieces always work; getthe kid on them as soon aspossible.”

Trombone Bach 12C Bach 61/2 AL

DennisWickHeritage5AL or 6AL

Brandon says “get rid of that12C beginner mouthpiece assoon as possible. They are awfulunless you’re specializing in jazzlead playing.”

Euphonium Any Schilke 51DAndy says “nothing is better thanthe Schilke 51D, any age. Justmake sure you get it with thecorrect shank for theeuphonium.”

Tuba Any Conn HellebergSchilke Helleberg II

Andy says “You cannot gowrong with a Hellebergmouthpiece, from beginner totuba major. There are reallygood pro mouthpieces out there,but the Helleberg will makeanyone sound better.”

Kevin recommends silver plate on professional trumpets; Bob says silver or brass sounds great.Brandon also recommends the following professional trombone mouthpieces: Monette Prana 4or 5, Greg Black 4G or 5G, Greg Black Alessi 3 or 5, or Carl Hammond 12M, 12ML, 11M,11ML. Andy plays a Monette tuba mouthpiece, but does not recommend them unless the playerand their teacher agree on that mouthpiece; they are often too dark for the average player.

Lyric Brass “Developing Tone in Young Brass Musicians.” Copyright © 2008 by LBQ. www.lyricbrass.com

Step Up or Professional InstrumentsRecommended Make & Model LBQ says…

Trumpet Bach Stradivarius ML-180-37Bach Stradivarius ML-180-37R

Bob is not a big fan of the reverse (“R”) pipe; Kevin likesthem.

HornHolton H179 or H180Yamaha YHR-667 or 668Yamaha YHR-667V

Larry says “No Conn 8D for middle schoolers! The belltaper is too large for little kids!” Also, Larry recommendscut bells (screw bells) whenever possible, for sound andconvenience.

Trombone

Conn 88H-CL-2000Yamaha Xeno (Open Wrap)Rath R4FShires (Large Bore Tenor)Edwards (Large Bore Tenor)

Brandon says “88H are a little smaller than most pro hornsand can be more easily handled than many pro trombones.”

EuphoniumYamaha YEP-321 (intermediate)Yamaha YEP-642Willson 2900S

Andy says “The YEP-321 is a small bore, non-compensatingeuph; if they want a “pro-horn,” you must get a large bore,compensating euph like the YEP-642 or a Willson 2900.

Tuba

Yamaha YBB-621Jupiter 582LConn 56JGetzen G50Meinl Weston 2000Meinl Weston 2145 or 2155Perantucci 6P or 7P

Andy says “Buying tubas is a strange process. It depends ifthe kid will major in college (then get a CC), otherwise stickto a BB-flat.” Tubas are measures in completely arbitraryfractions: 3/4 are “small,” 4/4 or considered “normal,” and5/4 or 6/4 are “big” pro orchestral horns. In elementary andmiddle school, play a 3/4 instrument like the YBB-621.Moving a successful tuba student to 4/4 instrument like theJupiter 582L will give you a MUCH bigger sound. “Rotaryvalves are NOT necessary for a good tuba; I recommendpiston valves whenever possible.”

Brass Players must listen to quality sounds to develop quality sounds. Whenever possible,get professional players in for kids to hear, or at least plan on playing them recordings regularly.If you had to choose just one or two CDs to serve as exemplary tone quality for young players,what recordings would you recommend?

TrumpetKevin recommends “any recording of Maurice André playingthe Haydn trumpet concerto.”

Maurice André The Trumpet Shall SoundLabel: Deutsche Grammophon (ASIN: B00008ZPE9)

Mauric André Trumpet ConcertosLabel: EMI Classics (ASIN: B000002SDO)

Lyric Brass “Developing Tone in Young Brass Musicians.” Copyright © 2008 by LBQ. www.lyricbrass.com

TrumpetBob recommends “just about any recording with Rolf Smedvig,lead trumpet with Empire Brass. His solo CD with organfeatures a lot of music that the kids can already play themselves,with an incredible sound.”

Ceremonial Music for Trumpet and Symphonic OrganRolf Smedvig, trumpet; Michael Murray, organ.Label: Telarc (ASIN: B000003CZG)

HornLarry recommends Barry Tuckwell doing the Haydn concertos;they are available on many different recordings, but HornConcertos on the EMI is a great bargain, with 2 CDs for theprice of one. The other recording is the Dennis Brain recordingof the Mozart concertos. “Timeless and unmatched.” This isthe best example of horn sound, and it is on a budget-pricedCD.

Horn Concertos [Barry Tuckwell, horn]Label: EMI Classics (ASIN: B0007RO59I)

Mozart: Horn Concertos 1-4; Quintet K 452 [ORIGINALRECORDING REMASTERED]Label: EMI Classics (ASIN: B000BPN24U)

TromboneBrandon recommends Trombonastics by Joe Alessi, “if I had tochoose just one.” But “I also would have to put SlideHampton’s recent Brazilian tribute to Jobim on the list.” Hedescribes his sound as “unmatched.”

Trombonastics [Joseph Alessi, trombone]Label: Summit - Classical (ASIN: B000063WYC)

Slide Plays Jobimwww.slidehampton.comLabel: Alleycat (ASIN: B000G16UQ6)

Lyric Brass “Developing Tone in Young Brass Musicians.” Copyright © 2008 by LBQ. www.lyricbrass.com

EuphoniumAs for euphonium recordings, Andy recommends “anything byStephen Mead. He’s incredible, but you can only get his CDsfrom his website.” A more easily obtained CD would beEufish, by Mark Fisher, or Michael Colburn’s CD. Beforebecoming conductor of the U.S. Marine Band, Colburn was theprincipal euphonium of the President’s Own. His solo CD ispristine in tone quality.

Eufish [Mark Fisher, euphonioum]Label: Albany Records (ASIN: B0000049OT)

The Golden Age of Brass, Vol. 3: Virtuoso Solos with Band[Michael J. Colburn, euphonium]Label: Summit – Classical (ASIN: B0000038JN)

Tuba“Textbook musicianship and tone quality in all registers” is howAndy describes Chicago SO principal tuba Gene Pokorny’s firstsolo release.

Tuba Tracks [Gene Pokorny, tuba]Label: Summit – Classical (ASIN: B0000038J1)