Good luck! I hope you will be pleased with your new Festivo.
Type: Posts; User: dkstone
Good luck! I hope you will be pleased with your new Festivo.
The compensating loops on the first and second valve have a tendency to collect condensation over time while playing since they loop down from the valve casing. Since those loops are fixed and...
The small compensating loops on the first and second valve are permanently fixed, so there is no slide to pull. The compensating loop on the third valve has a pull ring and is no trouble to remove. ...
After several months with the instrument, I am pleased with my purchase. Familiarity has overcome most of the few complaints I originally had, such as the position of the lead pipe and the stiffness...
In an earlier post on this thread, I said the Wessex 4Y felt very similar to a Wick SM4. I found my SM4 and did a more careful comparison, and they are indeed very similar. However, the SM4 has a...
Maybe this will help.
While playing seated, I have usually placed my euphoniums centered in my lap resting on both thighs and tilt the horn slightly from the vertical either left or right (for...
Here is a photo showing the Festivo's lead pipe.
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Compare that to the lead pipe of a Reynolds Contempora Diatonic BR02, which is a traditional American style euphonium from the mid 1960s....
In case I did not make it clear, the quality of the Wessex Festivo far exceeds that of any other instrument of Chinese manufacture with which I have had any experience - both those that I own and...
I have had the Wessex Festivo now for a little over a month and have played it with a full wind band, an octet, a quintet, and a quartet, so I now feel confident in making a few observations about...
The case is included in the price.
I'll post an update soon on my impressions after playing the horn in a variety of ensembles. I'm still discovering a few quirks as well as strengths.
The Wessex Festivo has arrived, and kudos to Wessex for getting it here exactly when they said it would arrive. It came via FedEx and was very securely packaged. It comes with a very large hard...
We are all different, so what suits one may not suit another. As far as finger strength goes, my pinky is actually stronger than my third finger. Perhaps that is because of all the work it has...
A couple of weeks ago I placed my order for a new Wessex Festivo euphonium. According to a post by Jonathan Hodgetts elsewhere on this site, about half a dozen horns will be arriving in this first...
The 3rd valve slide spring basically has two main purposes, and both involve having the 4th valve slide pulled out in order to play in the "compensating" range between pedal B-flat and low E. For...
A good source for vocal arrangements is www.musicnotes.com. You can purchase, download, and then print your copies, and you have the option to transpose the key before you download. For example, the...
The best method to find the total volume of the entire mouthpiece is to fill it with water, then pour the water into a graduated cylinder to find how many milliliters it took (1ml = 1cc). If you are...
In my opinion this piece is well suited to euphonium and sounds wonderful on the instrument. As for the key, I have always believed that a piece should be played in the key that best suits the...
Some excellent suggestions. Can you tell us where to find a copy of the arrangement (perhaps a link)?
I have found the vocal repertoire to be an excellent source of material for euphonium, and it...
Thanks for the links. The Salvation Army site has quite a treasure trove of material. I'm glad y'all pointed me in that direction.
I do try to avoid treble clef as much as possible. I call it...
The forward facing bell has an advantage when playing outdoors. The traditional bell-front American euphoniums were primarily dual-purpose horns that could serve as both marching and concert...
The rim of the 52E2 is in no way similar to the rim of a BB1. Again, here we have a problem with semantics. When someone says the BB1 has a sharp rim, they are referring to the inner edge of the rim....
I've been on the BB1 for a couple of years now, and I spent a considerable amount of time on a Schilke 51D before that - along with periods on most of the other common euphonium mouthpieces. I have...
Our community band did Pineapple Poll last season. I have always been a "4 inline piston" guy, but that was the first time I had to resort to using two hands. My fingers were getting tied in knots....
Regarding mouthpiece tapers:
I don't claim to be an expert on these matters, but here are a few things I have discovered over the years. What we are calling a Remington taper is actually called a...
The Schilke 51C4 is a nice compromise for a brighter sound than a 51D. Although brighter, it still feels and plays very much like the 51D. The Schilke 51B is even brighter, but to me it has a...