Stephens/Yamaha/Shires Comparison

[WilliamLang]

Hi all!

I made a video detailing my instrument and mouthpiece journey over time, which includes a comparison of the original Shires that I played on for many years, a Yamaha 882V that replaced it, and finally the Stephens Horns trombone that I play on now. I've also included the mouthpieces I used for significant amounts of time, and why I changed what I changed when I did.

This was very much stream of consciousness more than highly produced social media - I've tried to keep my material more down to earth for my own reasons, mainly that we get inundated with the "best of the best" often, and to me that lacks a little of the human element.

Honestly, I'm a little unsure why I've made this, and even why I've made the mouthpiece videos sometimes. But in the end I hope these niche points of view can at least illuminate something to someone and help down the road in someway.

[BGuttman]

This is much more valuable than the 10 trombone comparison I loaded the other day. At least we are comparing similar instruments.

[Posaunus]

Very nice William. I enjoyed the story of your (continuing) journey.

I would never be able to play well on your favorite (deep) mouthpieces, but you sound great on them.

[braymond21]

Great video, thanks for sharing! Really interesting to hear other people's horn journeys and see a comparison between some not-so-common horns!

[RJMason]

Thank you for sharing Will! You’ve always been one of the most forward thinking and beautiful sounding trombonists I’ve known and this review is amongst the best I’ve ever seen online.

The comparisons were extremely helpful as I am currently entering a Yamaha phase (small bore) in my own playing journey and am curious about their .547 offerings. I’ve had to mess with mouthpieces to find a complimentary pairing but it is working out (891ZD, Greg Black 6C light). Also loved Apres un Reve- I tend to play that piece to test horns as well.

I can hear how the Stephens horn really balances the character of the Shires/Bach and the clarity of Yamaha. And I still remember how wonderful your first horn played! Sounds like you’ve landed in a wonderful place. I think all three instruments give you a wide sonic palette and versatile toolkit to approach all formats of your ongoing work. Keep going and thanks again!

-Ray

[WilliamLang]

Ray! Thanks so much for the thoughtful words - it's also been really awesome seeing your journey since freshman year orchestra! For the large Yamahas I thought the 882V was amazing, and of the rest the large bore line up that I got to trial at ITF the 882GOR was my next favorite - for me it had the Yamaha clarity with the most complex sound for the models (there's one for sale here right now I believe.)

There really is something about having a "simple" song ready to go to test out horns - if it doesn't feel like singing you know you're not heading towards the right place!

Also thanks Bryce, Posaunus and Bruce for listening as well!

[atopper333]

Thank you so much for posting this. Hearing you speak about the different horns and mouthpieces and the changes they made is so very helpful. It helps to hear someone put words to these changes and it really helps me to understand how to listen to feedback and how to understand the characteristics of a sound concept. It is truly helpful.

Also, I’ve always been curious about that particular Yamaha…for some reason the valve design intrigues me…

Your sound is truly beautiful on all three instruments, but there is definitely something special about the Stephens…

[elmsandr]

Lovely playing and excellent examples for what you wanted and why.

BUT…

Stop getting people interested in that V valve. I’m still trying to pick one up for cheap for my valve museum.

Love your videos, very informative.
Andy

[GabrielRice]

I love the way your cat is so completely uninterested. Mine don't care which trombone I play either.

[hyperbolica]

William,
It's interesting to hear your perspective on horns, and the things you think are important.
As far as the style of the post, I think the stream of consciousness thing is the way to go, as long as your thoughts are well-organized, which yours seem to be. You seem to be much less self-conscious than other video makers, which makes it all easier to watch/listen to.

It was interesting what you said about the LI Brass mouthpiece, and the sound between the notes or whatever words you used there, where the other mouthpieces were more slotted, that one gave more transition.

There's always a bit of discussion between trombonists about allowing some slide sound between notes in the way guitarists might accept some finger slide on the strings as a characteristic of the instrument. I learned from a guy (interestingly was originally a baritone player) who wanted the trombone to sound like it didn't have a slide, and drilled into me the desire to make transitions as clean as possible. It seems like the LI mouthpiece leans into that whole idea a little. What's your thought on the idea of a little slide gliss between notes here and there?

[WilliamLang]

I think that the social conditioning the music industry and classical music traditions have given brass musicians and specifically the trombone world are rather silly.

Very often we're still seen as second class musicians, or not worthy of being soloists in the way that violinists, pianists, and cellists can be soloists. But it's all non-sense. The instrument that we hold does not defined the musician who is holding it, though people are conditioned to think otherwise.

A person walks on stage at Carnegie Hall holding a violin, and an audience member will have an expectation. The same exact person walks out with aa tuba, what will the audience be expecting? It has nothing to do with the person.

What do you call a version of Yo-Yo Ma that grew up playing trombone instead of cello? It's still Yo-Yo Ma, and still a musical genius, though they would be a fraction as famous. Why?

I believe that music can be somewhat independent of the instrument, and that some portamento between notes, or vocal flexibility, or just style should be celebrated and understood. The rigidness that we've put on ourselves in the classical industry can be great from a craft standpoint, but from a musicality side it can be constraining.

I will say when I teach people on other instruments, one of the first lesson I can give across the board is to get those musicians to play in time and without vibrato. It's almost 100% effective on every non-brass person I've taught. Reducing the music to the most basic of craft, then adding in conscious choices on top of that, rather than mimicking someone else's style, is a highly effective tool. But it always makes me think of how we teach each other - why not use the best of both worlds?

Last thought - we're often seen as trombonists first and musicians second, when I think we should be musicians first who happen to play trombone.

[BGuttman]

Bravo, William.