Multi-instrumentalists!... this ones for you!

[Naomi McFadyen]

Being a multi-instrumentalist (as I've stated previously) I do find it hard to keep up all instruments at a good standard... and believe me, when you play nearly 30 instruments and you only own half of them its a struggle! lol

As there's a thread on changing between cornet and trumpet (debate on using mouthpieces) I thought I'd open a thread to discuss any instrument changes, how easy people find it to change between instruments, and what other peoples opinions are on changing between instruments etc...

I'll start off by saying that I play brass, keyboard, wind, guitars, as well percussion instruments... I personally find it easy swapping between any of these, whether it be after a day, week or minute!
Some friends I know have questioned me doing this (this is, swapping between instruments you blow down obviously), saying that it would ruin my embouchoure (however you spell it) etc etc... then there's those who say that's a load of rubbish... Of course, being able to do this easily I don't see any problem- you just have to adjust to these things; practise makes perfect after-all... so they say...

Over to you!
;-)

 

[lynchie]

i've restricted myself to trombone and bass guitar so there's not really any issue... caloused fingers dont affect my trom playing and strong lips are very rarely useful playing bass!

 

[lynchie]

oh and rachel makes a cracking triangle player!

 

[beard_4b]

Aswell as cornet, I can play percussion, piano, recorder and guitar. I dont have any probs, never had any problems. 8)

 

[Aidan]

i cant play sop

 

[Accidental]

I'm one of those people who always ends up switching instruments "for the good of the band" (ie. because no other b***** will do it :lol: ) and I've played cornet, trombone, euph and Eb bass (complete disaster!!) for various contests over the years. I'm swapping between horn and baritone at the moment as we're helping another band out for a contest, so I'm literally doing one night on each. The horn's fine, but my pitching on baritone gets a little wobbly!

I've learnt the basics on flute and clarinet too, and they didn't affect my embouchure for brass at all. I try to stick to just one instrument now, but I think its more to do with practise time than the lip.

 

[Maestro]

With the exception of soprano, which imho is a law unto itself, (as are the players) the only other brass instrument that I have had a major problem with is the double B. I just can't seem to pitch anything on it. It seems to me that the guys that play these monsters must be some sort of Gods, or perhaps even higher!

*Eagerly awaits payments from Double B players* :shock:

 

[picju96]

Haven't we had this before? I can play trumpet, cornet, french horn, tenor horn, sop (soon!) and clarinet and don't have any problems, although not owning a french horn or tenor horn, it makes it hard to practice on, so it takes me a bit more time to get back into practice. I play on my sister's french horn when I can though, but it's not very frequently. Oh and piano, but that's not a wind instrument.

 

[PeterBale]

I wouldn't say I generally have any problems switching between woodwind and brass, but sometimes a little more thought could be given to programming if playing a saxophone solo in the middle of a band programme. It's nice to have the chance to blow some air through the instrument first and give the embouchure a chance to adjust - not the best thing to go straight from a heavy blow, as I've had to do on occasions.

Strangest one I've ever done was at an SA junior music school, where I was playing BBb in the massed bands and individual bands (I was on the staff and there was only one bass-playing student), 2nd horn in the "A" band, and a saxophone item as well, all in the final festival.

 

[bennem]

I play cornet, mandolin, mandola (just an octave lower than the mandolin) and Sop (badly). Don't find an issue with jumping between cornet and Sop with pitch but surprisingly when playing mandolin and cornet I do. Reading music and learning tunes on the mandolin upsets my pitch for cornet. This isn't drastic but does cause a problem for a couple of pieces

I have had to make it a rule to not play the mandolin before going off to band.

 

[McEuphie]

I am the band "idiot" who will play (well try to play) anything. Went to Blackpool area contest playing Eb bass and ended up playing Solo Horn on the day and then did one Whit Friday ready on horn only to be stuck on Eb bass - my back's never been the same since!!

Tried most brass when I was younger (hardest was SOP) but always went back to the horn - now trying to stick to the Euph.

Can't "play" any other types of instrument but can pick out a tune on the piano, strum a few chords on guitar and used to be able to play a couple of scales on the flute - can't manage a "squeek" out of reed instruments.

 

[Lauradoll]

Personally, after helping a kid in my GCSE class with a trumpet piece (on her trumpet) and then going to band at night, my baritone mouthpiece feels like a bin and takes a couple of minutes to get used to again. And when I played french horn at school, that mouthpiece was a killer little thimble. I'm better sticking to my bashed bari I reckon.

 

[sparkling_quavers]

oh and rachel makes a cracking triangle player!

8) 8) 8) I thought I got a promotion but then I had to go back onto Cornet! :?

 

[horn1]

Originally I am a flugel player but switched to cornet to get experience in higher section bands. At Salford I played both in my first year with no probs before switching to horn. I found pitching very difficult at first (I suppose you get used to Bflat after playing it for 13 years) and still don't find it entirely natural. I now play a lot of cornet when I'm teaching and am finding it easier to switch with practise! I'm OK at pitching on bigger instruments (not bass!!!) but struggle to fill them!

 

[stephen2001]

Currently, I can switch between Euph and Trom without too much of a problem.
I have also in my time played, Baritone, Eb and Bb Bass, Tenor Horn and a tiny bit of keyboard although am totally out of practice with those now.
I have tried to play Cornets before, but my mouth is too big I think!

 

[leisa]

oh and rachel makes a cracking triangle player!

8) 8) 8) I thought I got a promotion but then I had to go back onto Cornet! :?

i didnt get chance to hear this!!! :cry:

i play flute, cornet, just got a flugel, have a trumpet wouldnt say i could play it erm.......used to play violin but gave that up!!
my solution! i dont practise the flute at all infact not quite sure why i still play it i practise my cornet every day andf have just started doin flugel in my lessons and every other day!

 

[Janet Watkins]

.........I have tried to play Cornets before, but my mouth is too big I think!

....You said it!!!

Janet (Mum)

 

[AndyCat]

I try and keep a reasonable standard on Bass Trombone and BBb Bass. Only others could tell you if I succeed!! :?

Andy Cattanach, BBb Faireys, Bull Trom Wigan Jazz Club Big Band.

 

[Naomi McFadyen]

I'm one of those people who always ends up switching instruments "for the good of the band" (ie. because no other b***** will do it :lol: ) and I've played cornet, trombone, euph and Eb bass (complete disaster!!) for various contests over the years. I'm swapping between horn and baritone at the moment as we're helping another band out for a contest, so I'm literally doing one night on each. The horn's fine, but my pitching on baritone gets a little wobbly!

I find this too...
Over the summer I was swapping between percussion, cornet and tenor horn with Soundhouse Brass- because I don't own my own tenor horn my pitching was a bit wobbly, because I'd been used to the Bb tuning for so long... once I got into the swing of things I had no probs- but the first stages of rehearsals was amusing for me and the other horn players!

I love playing brass instruments though- have my own cornet and played the other instruments (well, all but Bb bass!)... would like my own Eb bass (that was an interesting story on how I got onto that!)... or tenor horn (because I played these more regulary in my previous bands when the percussion parts were boring or non-exsistant )... or to play in a band once a week to keep up the practise with band instruments... ;-)

 

[PeterBale]

I'm fortunate in that I do not generally have problems adjusting between piching on Eb or Bb instruments. Probably a good thing as, on bass, you can sometimes be a fourth or fifth out for a while before you pick it up - find I do have to be careful when carolling and switching between one and the other. The music is so familiar that you tend not to read it, and then suddenly realise you are on Eb and not Bb and it doesn't fit any more :!: :wink: :lol: