AMIGOS, Do You Really NEED A Scond Horn for Your SandBox?

[SpanishFly]

Visiting Boston last night I had the opportunity of talking with a few kids Berkelee College of Music. The discussion was a need for practice instruments or not. Well, they went on and on about having a back up horn or two or three to beat up for practicing and one goo-one for performances. My comment to them was if they get used to playing the practice horns then how they gonna ever get the marriage down pat with their true love numeos unos horn? She gonna not like sharing la cama con el puta!! lol! I don't know man, I just don't get it. I think some of the greats like Contrane, Lovano or Getz like only one horn and that all they practice and play. Why these kids think they gotta have a YTS-62 for putting around when they got a top of the line Keilwerth Shadow or mint Conn 10M? They so different inn power and tone to a student horn. I think maybe bad habits gonna carry over to he good horn and punish them for it. I can see buying maybe something that sounds different like soprano or alto but do you really need three tenors?

[click]

What about people who play flute, clarinet and sax?

Do you theorize that "maybe bad habits" carry over from one instrument to the next in these cases also?

If a person can adjust between a flute in C, an Eb clarinet, and a Bb tenor sax, it seems as though an adjustment between two Bb tenors would be pretty easy.

Keeping one horn at home and one at school seems pretty convenient. Having one horn for the marching band or the drunk bar scene and one for the concert hall seems like a solid plan, too.

As long as a person was playing on a horn regularly and was familiar with it, having another horn in another place for another purpose that was also played regularly would tend to increase the likelihood of practice and therefore be a good thing. Do not have to haul a horn around every time to play when you get where you are going.

I kept a horn at my office (early mornings, nights, holidays, and weekends, odd times when no one was about). Did not have to worry about when or if I would be able to play. Had the horn there, ready.

[StageFright]

I live in the northeast (US) and have a lovely Yamaha Custom Z tenor, but picked up a very nice YTS 32 for days when I have to leave the horn in the car all day in the winter when it's well below freezing outside, or on those 90+ degree summer days with 90% humidity. I don't know it for a fact, but given the pad materials and adhesives used for various components, not to mention oils and grease in the mechanisms ( I guess I mentioned them anyway :-))I'd rather not have the very expensive Z sitting in the car on those days. The 32 is a beautiful playing horn that I have significantly less invested in so if a problem develops I'm not as concerned, and going between that and the Z is effortless.

[Dr G]

Do you really NEED a 5-digit Mk VI? Do you REALLY need to visit Emilio Lyons?



Do you REALLY NEED to question other people's choice?

[SpanishFly]

[QUOTE=Dr G;2950306]Do you really NEED a 5


"How do you feel about deck paint on your pads?"

Hmmmmm....responder a esto? lol! NAH!!!

[SpanishFly]

[QUOTE=StageFright;2950290]I live in the northeast (US) and have a lovely Yamaha Custom Z tenor, but picked up a very nice YTS 32 for days when I have to leave the horn in the car all day in the winter when it's well below freezing outside, or on those 90+ degree summer days with 90% humidity. I don't know it for a fact, but given the pad materials and adhesives used for various components, not to mention oils and grease in the mechanisms ( I guess I mentioned them anyway :

You like the YTS 32 over the 62?
Graci-

[SpanishFly]

What about people who play flute, clarinet and sax?

Do you theorize that "maybe bad habits" carry over from one instrument to the next in these cases also?

If a person can adjust between a flute in C, an Eb clarinet, and a Bb tenor sax, it seems as though an adjustment between two Bb tenors would be pretty easy.

Keeping one horn at home and one at school seems pretty convenient. Having one horn for the marching band or the drunk bar scene and one for the concert hall seems like a solid plan, too.

As long as a person was playing on a horn regularly and was familiar with it, having another horn in another place for another purpose that was also played regularly would tend to increase the likelihood of practice and therefore be a good thing. Do not have to haul a horn around every time to play when you get where you are going.

I kept a horn at my office (early mornings, nights, holidays, and weekends, odd times when no one was about). Did not have to worry about when or if I would be able to play. Had the horn there, ready.

Well, I can tell from your Avatar it's not much of a debate. If you got the money my friend, do it!

[Fader]

I played a show last saturday where the soundcheck ran considerably late...It was two hours before showtime on a Saturday night when I realized my Tenor was not working. Thankfully I am one of those who does have more than one choice. No - It's not necessary, but it sure can be helpful...

[Ballad state of mind]

An interesting question, but if we think it's a good idea to have a spare, should it be something along the same lines like a custom Z and a 23/25 or a 10M/ T901. Recently I went for the YTS 25 to be a backup for my custom Z and am very happy. change is minimal as stage fright mentioned.

PS. Then there is the possible experimenting with necks.

[turf3]

I think there are two different scenarios here.

1) Working professional has "good" instrument, used for daily practice and performances, except that he/she also has a backup instrument, probably same make but a less expensive model, used for weather conditions, nasty bar gigs, and if the main horn is at the shop.

2) Students who have taken note of (1) and decided they should do the same, but maybe with the twist of "saving" the good horn for special occasions.

Other than members of football marching bands, I very much doubt whether a student can really justify two instruments except in rare cases. Of course, I am an old fart and when I came up buying a mouthpiece was a rare, looked-forward-to event, as few/none of my musician friends had any money to be throwing around buying multiple examples of the same thing (expanding to alto-soprano-tenor-baritone-flute-clarinet is a different thing, as it increases your employability). Today I see young players throwing money at vintage instruments, boutique mouthpieces, etc., etc., at a surprising rate.

[SpanishFly]

I think there are two different scenarios here.

1) Working professional has "good" instrument, used for daily practice and performances, except that he/she also has a backup instrument, probably same make but a less expensive model, used for weather conditions, nasty bar gigs, and if the main horn is at the shop.

2) Students who have taken note of (1) and decided they should do the same, but maybe with the twist of "saving" the good horn for special occasions.

Other than members of football marching bands, I very much doubt whether a student can really justify two instruments except in rare cases. Of course, I am an old fart and when I came up buying a mouthpiece was a rare, looked-forward-to event, as few/none of my musician friends had any money to be throwing around buying multiple examples of the same thing (expanding to alto-soprano-tenor-baritone-flute-clarinet is a different thing, as it increases your employability). Today I see young players throwing money at vintage instruments, boutique mouthpieces, etc., etc., at a surprising rate.

That's true. I just did it so I am guilty myself. I could have gone out and bought two brand new horns but I did not get the same tone...or appreciative value.

My take

[jamiejazz]

I've been on one mkvi alto for 25yrs. I recently bought an 82z and having two altos has confused the hell out of me-they're both great too.

I've only ever played one horn at a time, and I find the (albeit small) differences become exaggerated in my mind; taking my mind off my musical 'voice'. I think Phil Woods, George Robert and Bobby Watson had it right in never looking back when they switched to the Yamaha. If you can play one horn, then I think it's better and I'm glad I never dabbled when I was young. I get why people do (I've been there with mouthpieces) but I personally wouldn't recommend it.

[DarrellMass]

I just sold my second horn. I'm still very much a beginner, and even though my playing is coming along, there's no real need for a "backup." If my horn needs to go into the shop, I'm just going to have to deal with it.

[artstove]

I don't think it makes sense to regularly practice on one horn and "save" the other for performances. I have two different tenors, and while in general switching between them is not a big deal, there is one key (right hand chromatic F#) that is quite different, so I want to practice on the horn I am going to use to perform. I do think it may make sense to have a backup horn for outdoor gigs, etc.

I recently played with a street marching band at a protest march, and I used by daughter's plastic clarinet instead of my nice wood one. But otherwise I practice with the horn I am going to use to perform.

[Jimmylh]

I have two tenors. Why? Because I can.

[whaler]

I have two tenors. Why? Because I can.

I have three, Why?
I recently bought a beater Mark VI so I don't have to play a Japanese horn any more.
It's a great feeling.

[KeithL]

So why is this thread in the "Acoustics" Sub-forum again?

I have 4 tenors that I've accumulated over the last 30 years. The one I normally gig with is at Sax Alley for some work and it's taking a little longer than normal since they are really busy. A sub trombone player knocked my backup horn off the stand at rehearsal on Wednesday night. Lucky for me it fell into a guitar amp which held it up enough so I could grab it before it took the complete plunge. I had 3 gigs this past weekend and could have easily been on to my backup backup tenor and I'm not even a professional musician.

I don't know about a bunch of college kids but if you make your living playing an instrument you'd better have some sort of "Plan B" whether that's knowing how to do basic repairs yourself, knowing a tech or two who will fix your horn on short notice, having a buddy you can borrow an ax from, or having a backup horn of your own.

[SpanishFly]

I have three, Why?
I recently bought a beater Mark VI so I don't have to play a Japanese horn any more.
It's a great feeling.

Why would you buy a Mark VI to beat on!? That's loco.

[Guto]

How about the third, forth, fifth.... horns?

[Fader]

How about the third, forth, fifth.... horns?

I have no rationale for those...but I have them anyway. Too lazy to sell them is my current excuse....