Rick Floyd
Miraphone 5050 - Warburton BJ / RF mpc
YEP-641S (recently sold)
Doug Elliott - 102 rim; I-cup; I-9 shank
"Always play with a good tone, never louder than lovely, never softer than supported." - author unknown.
Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches
El Cumbanchero (Raphael Hernandez, arr. Naohiro Iwai)
Chorale and Shaker Dance (John Zdechlik)
Yamaha really does manage to make great "everything". Their logo is three tuning forks after all. I have two yamaha trombones, from the 600-series, and both are excellent, well made, and very consistent in sound. They also make nice motorcycles...
I was able to talk to Chuck McAlexander at the Brass Lab, before its very unfortunately closure. He said over the years he had watched as Yamaha became better at "designing" horns instead of just engineering them. Just nice horns.
Now, I guess a question regarding the trigger, is it generally only used on the low register for the Db, C, and B natural, or are there other areas on a compensating horn where it would be employed?
Sterling / Perantucci 1065HGS Euphonium, 1952 B&H Imperial Eb Tuba, and a bunch of trombones.
Most players put the majority of "mile" on the trigger on the 6th partial (in bass clef, the Eb, E, and F above the staff). On compensating horns the Db and C below the staff are generally pretty good. However, on those rare occasions when you need to play a low B, the trigger would be helpful. A compensating 4-valve horn compensates for 4 plus any 1 of the other valves. But the combinations within the right hand are not compensated, if that makes sense. So when you have 4 down, a low B needs 123 as well, and the 123 combo is a quarter tone sharp, just as it is an octave higher without the 4th valve.
Dave Werden (ASCAP)
Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
Adams Artist (Adams E3)
Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
YouTube: dwerden
Facebook: davewerden
Twitter: davewerden
Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium
My experience with the Neo very closely parallels Matonizz's with respect to the main tuning slide and intonation. In a sense, I'm glad he shared about the tuning slide, since I had attributed my issue with it to some major defect in my playing. I had the tuning slide area shortened 1/4" and still have to push it almost all the way in. My experience with the B flat a seventh above middle C is the same as his--I use 2&3 for extended high B flats. I can lip the E flat and F above middle C acceptably.
One thing Matonizz didn't mention was that the Neo can really wail in the high register. I can pop out double B flats very easily on the Neo! I am also liking the combination of the Neo with the Wedge mouthpiece. I found the Neo to be more mouthpiece-sensitive than any other horn I have owned--and I have owned "several" over the years!!
Last edited by Snorlax; 07-30-2019 at 12:28 PM.
Jim Williams N9EJR (love 10 meter CW)
Formerly Principal Euphonium in a whole
bunch of groups, now just a schlub.
Shires Q41, Yamaha 321, 621 Baritone
Wick 4AL, Wessex 4Y, or whatever I grab.
Conn 50H trombone, Blue P-bone
www.soundcloud.com/jweuph
Sterling / Perantucci 1065HGS Euphonium, 1952 B&H Imperial Eb Tuba, and a bunch of trombones.
I wonder why Yamaha didn't shortened the main tuning slide when it seems like it's a relatively common issue.
"Never over complicate things. Accept "bad" days. Always enjoy yourself when playing, love the sound we can make on our instruments (because that's why we all started playing the Euph)"
Euph: Yamaha 642II Neo - 千歌音
Mouthpiece: K&G 4D, Denis Wick 5AL
https://soundcloud.com/ashsparkle_chika
https://www.youtube.com/user/AshTSparkle/
I posed the same question to the individual who works on my horns--he said that the design of the tuning slide is somewhat of a compromise in that any commercially manufactured instrument has to accomodate players of various styles and ability levels. He told me he has done the same shortening on numerous tubas and euphoniums. So certain players have certain tendencies in that aspect, just as certain players have upstream or downstream embouchures.
Jim Williams N9EJR (love 10 meter CW)
Formerly Principal Euphonium in a whole
bunch of groups, now just a schlub.
Shires Q41, Yamaha 321, 621 Baritone
Wick 4AL, Wessex 4Y, or whatever I grab.
Conn 50H trombone, Blue P-bone
www.soundcloud.com/jweuph
I should also mention that there are trombone players who have to have tuning slides lengthened or cut down, even on such legendary horns as a Mt Vernon Bach 50 Bass trombone. Even when you have a whole bunch of people playing the same exact model instrument, you'll see main tuning slides all over the place.
Sterling / Perantucci 1065HGS Euphonium, 1952 B&H Imperial Eb Tuba, and a bunch of trombones.
Yamaha provides a 51L with the Neo and they way I understand Japanese engineering - that's the mouthpiece the instrument was designed to operate under. So then you replace that mouthpiece with a bucket (say SM3 classic) and you quickly see why there would be a problem with the tuning slide being too long.
You look at the market of middle class high school student vs hobbyist / professionals then you would understand why they have set the instrument up that way.
When I was watching that video, I was wondering if anyone would think the 842 sounded better? It sounds so thin compares to the 642. But Matonizz prefers the 842 sound, and I know that there is plenty to like about the 842 sound I just don't think the recording captured the true quality of the 842...