Switch from a large bore to a small bore

[totob]

Hi guys!

I am using a yamaha xeno 882 right now but for a project I have, a balkan fanfara, I would prefere to use my small bore trombone (yamaha 354). It's lighter and not so expensive as the Xeno so it's better if we are playing in the streets...

Do you have any tips about this change? wich mouthpiece would you suggest?

with the large bore I use a bach 5 1/2 and with the small bore a Schilke 51B, but I feel not so good...

Thanks!

[BGuttman]

Bach 5.5? Do you mean 6.5?

A Schilke 51B is a little larger than a 6.5AL and that may be the problem. Or do you need more upper register than you can get now?

Still, if you plan on using a more-or-less disposable horn for the fanfara, don't get too hung up on mouthpiece.

[totob]

oups, my large bore mp is a Bach 5G, not a 5,5!
Both with large and small bore i have no problem with upper register. I think the schilke 51b is similar to the 5g but deeper.
I would like to find a mp that helps me on not overblowing when i use the 354... (i know it can't be the same as a large bore bone, but maybe there are mouthpieces i never tried that could help)....

thanks!

[totob]

oups, actually my mouthpiece is a 5g!

with the upper register it's ok... i just would like to find a mouthpiece that helps my to avoid overblowing when using a small bore, and also when i use the 51b on the yamaha 354, i am not conviced by the sound...

[sirisobhakya]

The 51B should be shallower than the 5G, with smaller throat. That makes it sound brighter than the 5G, and coupled with the horn and the fact that you might be used to the sound of the 882 (a heavy-type orchestral horn), that may be the reason you don’t like the sound.

My experience is: if you define “overblow” as “breaking up”, the 51B would be easier to overblow than the 5G. If you define it as “inadvertently play too loud” then the 51B will be harder to overblow with the amount of air and pressure you are used to. But the tone will not be quite pretty...

I would suggest, if you already have it, a small shank 5G. If not, don’t bother buying for this only gig.

[Burgerbob]

and also when i use the 51b on the yamaha 354, i am not conviced by the sound...

When going to the small horn, you really need to change your sound concept pretty hugely. Expect much less of the wide sound off the side of the horn. Record yourself from out front to see what it actually sounds like. This is something that trips up a lot of people going to the small horn, I think... it feels like you have to try really hard to make this large sound, when the horn doesn't want to do that at all.

[BGuttman]

To add to what Aidan said, a small bore requires a lot more finesse while a large bore takes air. Try not to blow the small bore so hard. You should get plenty of sound from it without working too hard.

[Doug Elliott]

Playing large bore is like riding a bike uphill.
Playing a small bore is like riding on level ground.
Playing alto is like riding downhill.

Don't work harder than you need to.

[harrisonreed]

You can easily switch to a small bore from large bore. Get a Doug Elliott setup that's got the rim you're used to and a C+ cup and D shank. Done.

I don't even find the blow all that different on my 3B vs a large bore. The sound is definitely different, which is why we have different horns to begin with. Where people get hung up on small bores, if they are used to large bores, is usually the bell position. You see many folks playing small bore with the tuning slide out two inches or some crazy amount. That's because they don't understand about slide vibrato or how a lot of small bores are designed to be tuned.

[totob]

thanks guys for yours advices!

[Vegasbound]

Talk to Doug Elliott, have a Skype lesson with him, it will be your best investment and save you money and wasted effort