iMav's new toy

[iMav]

Purchased a new 3+1 compensating euphonium on friday.

[chongyixiong]

Awesome. Maybe upload a video of you playing it next?

[quadibloc]

It is beautiful.

But my first impulse is to be glad that at least you didn't spend your money on an ophicleide.

Thus, my question would be: is this perhaps not the first brass instrument that you own? Perhaps you already own one or two (or more!) brass instruments of a more conventional nature...

A French Horn, or a Tuba; a Trumpet, a Bugle, a Cornet or even a Flugelhorn; a Trombone or a Saxophone.

Or perhaps you play in a marching band rather than an orchestra, where the Euphonium is still quite commonly used.

Going to Wikipedia, I see that the fact that it's a "3+1 compensating euphonium" means that it's one of the good ones. It has the standard three valves that you see on many brass instruments - and an extra valve off to the side to make the pitches of some notes more accurate.

And reading more about this, I learn that trumpets and cornets compensate by having a tiny little slide (like a trombone) that I never noticed on the extension that one of the valves switches in... but the compensating valve on a Euphonium instead moves the whole instrument down a perfect fourth, so you only need to use the good finger combinations.

[alaricljs]

I've only ever gotten used brass... that looks particularly newish and quite nice.  Shame I have too many hobbies I enjoy more than playing.

[ricercar]

What are they compensating for?

[iMav]

My son dropped his compensation slide from his baritone from the top seat on the football bleachers.  Ka tink a tink a TINK!

Luckily he found it after the game and I managed to bend it so it fit back in.

I'm hoping he gets a scholarship to Stanford so I can get tickets to the games.

Most horns that we call "baritones" are actually small bore euphoniums.  

If the tubing is mostly tapered, it is a euphonium.  If a large portion of the tubing is non-tapered (cylindrical), then it is likely a true baritone (which you VERY RARELY see in the US).

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It is beautiful.

But my first impulse is to be glad that at least you didn't spend your money on an ophicleide.

Thus,  my question would be: is this perhaps not the first brass  instrument that you own? Perhaps you already own one or two (or more!)  brass instruments of a more conventional nature...

A French Horn, or a Tuba; a Trumpet, a Bugle, a Cornet or even a Flugelhorn; a Trombone or a Saxophone.

Or perhaps you play in a marching band rather than an orchestra, where the Euphonium is still quite commonly used.

Going  to Wikipedia, I see that the fact that it's a "3+1 compensating  euphonium" means that it's one of the good ones. It has the standard  three valves that you see on many brass instruments - and an extra valve  off to the side to make the pitches of some notes more accurate.

And  reading more about this, I learn that trumpets and cornets compensate  by having a tiny little slide (like a trombone) that I never noticed on  the extension that one of the valves switches in... but the compensating  valve on a Euphonium instead moves the whole instrument down a perfect  fourth, so you only need to use the good finger combinations.

I have been a euphonium player since 8th grade.  Was, briefly, a euphonium performance major in college (before I, basically, drank myself out of college).  

I also played tuba, trombone, and trumpet.  I started back up when my kids started playing trumpet and needed some help practicing.  Then I got the itch to start playing in an organized group again...which will start later this summer.

Euphonium (or "baritone" as it is most often incorrectly identified as) is quite common.  Not at all as obscure as you think.

[iMav]

My son has a true baritone, forward facing.   It's pretty ancient.  Hopefully he won't drink himself out of college though.  Luckily I have a LSD addled formerly homeless brother in law with a stroke so my son is pretty scared of drug abuse.

I'd still be willing to bet it is a small bore euphonium (see above picture).  

Anyways...low brass rules!!

[alaricljs]

Mmm.. brass.  I started on trumpet about 6yrs old, then on the suggestion of the orthodontist moved to the Euphonium around 12yrs old.  Stuck with that through highschool. Moved back to the trumpet after HS since I didn't own a Euphonium... didn't take long before my interest disappeared.
Still pondering whether to see if my son would be interested in playing...

[alaricljs]

Considering how well I was making hamburger of my lips I appreciated it.  Some guys I knew could deal with it, not me.

[TexasFlood]

Cool, haven't played big brass since high school.  I used to particularly enjoy play in brass quartets, loved the sound of it.

[iMav]

That picture is pretty much exactly what I figured he played. Cookie cutter small-bore American euphonium.

[TexasFlood]

That picture is pretty much exactly what I figured he played. Cookie cutter small-bore American euphonium.

You calling my kid small-bore!

Dem fighting words!

Small-bore euphonium, is that anything like Hank Hills narrow urethra on King of the Hill? :doh:

[D-EJ915]

That picture is pretty much exactly what I figured he played. Cookie cutter small-bore American euphonium.

I played one of those in high school, I am not really a fan of them.  I much more liked the upright I had before that.  I've been wanting to buy a "french" horn for a long time because I love the sound but man, so expensive for something I will rarely use.

[bpiphany]

You calling my kid small-bore!

Dem fighting words!

I was there just about a year ago, visiting friends and picking up some internet shopping. That stadium is big.. (well I don't go to see a lot of sports anywhere) I saw some unimportant game they paid to win, but it was fun anyhow, not crazy full of people. I sat in the top rows of the short side opposite to the score board. Didn't see a whole lot of the game. It was my first day there and I had socializing to do.

The sports/club culture of American schools is impressive. We have a band too at the university here in Stockholm. They are only a few more than the number of tuba players at that game =P And in the half time break there were something like a thousand high school cheerleaders filling up the field.