Hey there guys

i want to learn a a new instruments, a brass one hopefully, but im not sure what i want to do. i really like the trombone, because i think it would be good for playing jazz / blues being able to slide it and all that, and more fun than most other brass instruments. i really dont want to learn french horn.

Thanks


so who voted for the serpent.... :@
lol

Play Trombone if you like it, don't play it because its an jazz instrument though. Pick an instrument you know you like because of the sound, you can usually find music you like after that.

well the jazz part was a bonus, i just think its interesting / cool. but i lkinda like the tuba, because its not as common as the otheres (i think) and would be great, because no one else at school plays it, i could play it in the orchestra without feeling really bad at it! then again i guess its the same with the trombone


oh god a stalmate!

Play the french horn

oh god no not the french horn!!

*Throws up all over a french horn shop*

Can you try both tuba and trombone and then make up your mind? My daughter's teacher teaches both and at the beginning of the year he had a new pupil who already played the piano, wanted to learn an orchestral instrument and was hesitating between the tuba and the trombone. The boy spent about a month trying out both in lessons (and just taking a mouth piece home to practise on) and eventually opted for tuba.

My daughter learns the trombone and one of the things which attracted her was the slide.

TUBA! And if in doubt listen to some of the New Orleans Brass Bands with funky tuba bass - The Rebirth Brass Band, The Dirty Dozen or (for those more into hip hop) The Youngblood Brass Band (from Winsconsin, I think)

nick

Sousaphone!

This is a picture of a sousaphone being played at a jazz festival I went to last year...


and this is a youtube clip of the same band

Tuba is fun, but a hassle to take anywhere.

Contrabass Bugle! Just to be obscure, and develop a one-sided humped-back

Well THAT is just a tuba with pretensions...and the sousaphone is just a white curly tuba

so TUBA! (btw, I play saxophone mostly...)

Nick

LOL ive seen that sousaphone picture a couple of times on here now

What about this pink one instead then...

A few guidelines (working from the bottom up, as 'twere):

tuba - not the easiest embouchure to master; type of music played can be limited (oom-pah molto); rather large to carry about; players normally have a taste for beer

trombone - cheap to buy; very wide repertoire; relatively easy embouchure (and is forgiving of wonky teeth); real shortage of players; players need a sense of humour & need to know how to do 'vulgar'

french horn - expensive instrument; needs good ear; gets to play sublime music, including Mozart; players inclined to be temperamental (only joking, probably)

trumpet - cheap to buy; wide range of music; difficlut embouchure to master (and not forgiving of wonky teeth); players need to be confident (if not to say show-offs)

On the serious side, one of my sayings is that 'there are no part-time trumpet players'; it's something you either do seriously and regularly, or not at all, as the embouchure needs regular maintenance (practice!) - the larger-mouthpieced instruments (trombone & tuba) are somewhat less critical in this regard (apart from at the higher levels, of course), so are a better choice if regularity of practice might be an issue.

Cornet would be good if you have transport issues getting to school

Serpents are awesome...
They have loads at the Musical Instrument Museum, Belgium - had a whole knid of pyramid display!
You'd have to find an early music group really though.
Check out the Early Music thread... I play the rebec...

well any brass instrument would be fine, its only about 6 and half miles to walk to school.

If you like then trombone, go for it! Its versatile in that it can play in many different styles but not so much orchestrally! A lot of people who play trombone also play baritone or euph as the mouthpieces are similar sizes I think

And excuse me! I object to the abuse Im getting here!
Anyway whats wrong with horn?! (Other than off-beats, not technically brass*, rotary valves, shape)



I'll leave you to decide that!


*though Im a tenor horn player too

I would say to try the cornet first as it is nice and small and easy to hold for beginners, plus the case isnt very heavy to carry round.
Then if they felt adventurous, they could move onto something bigger.

The only instrument that leaves you at a bit of a loss if you dont like it is the trombone i suppose; valve positions can be applied to any brass instrument, but by learning slide positions you restrict yourself to just one instrument.

But of course the trombone is a wonderful instrument, so getting ''stuck with it'' wouldnt be too bad ;]

I wouldn't say that you restrict yourself with trombone at all. After passing my grade 8 trombone, I decided to have a go at euphonium, and picked it up pretty quickly despite the switch from slide to valves. The slide positions all link with particular valve combinations, so it really doesn't cause any problems. That's my opinion any way.

I'd go for trombone, if I were you. You seem to be most enthusiastic about trombone, and I've found that I've had quite a few opportunities in orchestras as trombone is one of the less-played instruments. It's also great in Big Band playing! I love it anyway!

For me it would be tuba.

I am a bone player but I am on a mission from god!

There are not enough tuba players and if you can get one go down that road.

actually i like horn but u don't like it so i voted trombone
i like trombone too, it's a nice instrument and able to play low notes.
and i like the glissando effect too!

tuba is a nice instrument too and the rare one too..

Well,
I regret to say i am no longer considering a brass instrument,as
a) not cheap
b) don't want practise pressure whilst doing GCSE's
c) Im going to teach myself recorder

Thanks for your advice though

Oh well, perhaps later ... otherwise you'll never really know what you're missing...

For the record, yes (French) Horn players are temperamental, but usually they are one of the better looking group of the orchestra!!

I would have to disagree (as where I am most of us are female!) I would say trombone!
Sorry to hear you've decided not to take up brass as what Brian said you wont know what you're missing!

All 6 of us are guys here (I know, what's that about?), although we have a honourary 7th horn who is a girl, but, em, well...

Just to give advice to others reading the thread.

Nobody at all has mentioned that you need a good ear to play the trombone! Someone did mention that you need a good ear for the french horn.

I'm a euphonium and trombone player. I think if you want to learn a brass instrument there isn't really a choice that you can make yourself a teacher will find which one suites you the most.

The french horn is without a doubt one of the harder instruments to play though.

The tenor horn is fairly "easy" to pick up, and from there you can decide if you'd suit a smaller or larger instrument.