horncups.com

PHC Horn Forum
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 1:13 pm

All times are UTC




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: WICHITA BAND INSTRUMENT COMPANY NOW SELL PHC "Z" CUPS
PostPosted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 10:49 pm 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2008 12:49 am
Posts: 1296
Location: Robertsbridge
Wichita Band Instrument Company have taken delivery of an order of PHC Z cups so horn players living and working in the USA will now be able to buy Z cups directly from

GARY L RAY
WICHITA BAND INSTRUMENT COMPANY
2525 EAST DOUGLAS
WICHITA, Kansas 67211-1616, USA
Tel: 316-684-0291
Fax: 316-684-6858

PHC

:idea:


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: WICHITA BAND INSTRUMENT COMPANY NOW SELL PHC "Z" CUPS
PostPosted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 10:14 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2008 1:35 pm
Posts: 129
Location: Dover, Kent, UK
Quote:
Do American horn players use PHC m/pieces? Have they heard of z cups?


A good question, Mike. The answer is, yes, and yes! The smaller rim sizes are popular, and furthermore I've heard quite recently that Z cups are VERY popular on the New York scene. :D


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: WICHITA BAND INSTRUMENT COMPANY NOW SELL PHC "Z" CUPS
PostPosted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 11:39 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2008 5:34 pm
Posts: 245
Location: Pennsylvania, USA
This leads to my query. Why do [we] Americans like smaller rims? It seems contrary to the desire of wanting the big dark sound. (Americans believe bigger is better: cars, houses, midriffs, national debt, et al.) I found PHC because I wanted a larger diameter rim -I use an 18mm- in order to facilitate the lower register. I found after just a few weeks that my upper range was back to where it was before the switch. Orchestral trumpeters use quite large rims over here, but not many horn players. Any thoughts?


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: WICHITA BAND INSTRUMENT COMPANY NOW SELL PHC "Z" CUPS
PostPosted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 12:01 am 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2008 12:49 am
Posts: 1296
Location: Robertsbridge
I have thought about this for years. Certainly there are enlightened horn players who do play PHC mouthpieces in the USA. In no particular order my conclusions are that

1) American horn players are very good students and will often follow the advice given by their teachers regarding which horn and mouthpiece to use and then stick to this advice, often for many years.

2) American horn players are keen to maintain the tradition of American horn playing which has embraced the traditionally narrow rim and fairly small internal diameters for many years.

3) American horn players are fairly conservative, with a small c, and are not in a hurry to explore new or different ways of achieving the results they need to achieve.

4) There is great emphasis on very tidy, clean 'attacks' in the US and there is a belief that this can be accomplished by playing a narrow rim.

These are broad generalisations and the numbers of American horn players who DO play PHC mouthpieces show this to be the case. It is possible that the days of "play a Conn 8D with a Giardinelli Chambers rim" are not quite so dominant but the USA will be a big nut for us at PHC to crack, but we are trying.

Your experience has shown you that a wider rim does not harm your high register and the wider, cushion rims used by your brass sections do not lead to weak high registers or soft, spongy 'attacks' (not a word I like for the start of a musical sound or note).

There was a tradition of narrow rims with small IDs in the UK and I believe that this was to help players pick out high notes on their small bore, long F crook peashooters. The low registers of these players were not great and even Dennis Brain and Alan Civil were only really comfortable over about two and a half octaves.

So you tell me. What have we missed or overlooked?


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: WICHITA BAND INSTRUMENT COMPANY NOW SELL PHC "Z" CUPS
PostPosted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 3:44 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2008 5:34 pm
Posts: 245
Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Tony, I agree without comment with points 1 to 3, of course allowing for a few 'out of the box' people over here. I like to think I am in the latter group. Re. point 4, I would hope that a horn player from any nation would strive for tidy attacks. Most I have talked to attribute the shape of the inside edge of the rim as the biggest factor for clean attacks. the thought is that a small radius helps sharpen attacks but a larger radius facilitates slurs. Over here, we call that mouthpiece rime aspect the "bite." Perhaps you do too.

In my question, I was speaking solely about the inside diameter of the cup, not the width of the rim. Personally, while I prefer the large diameter, I do lean toward the narrower rim. I strive for as light pressure against the lips as possible. The narrow rim keeps me honest, because I can readily tell if I am pushing too hard. Some say that a narrow rim will allow more movement of the lip because presumably there is less friction. But if one subscribes to the notion that all the action should happen within the mouthpice (motionless face) then the ability of the lip to slide along the face of the rim would be a pointless concern, since that very phenomenon is to be avoided. I do keep the face of the rim moist, but I do so more for achieving a good seal under light pressure, less for allowing motion of the lip across the rim. (Or so I hope!)

As far as "cracking the nut" of marketing to Americans...If I had the answer to that I would be a wealthy man. One of the most successful ad campaigns over here used the slogan "I drink Dr. Pepper and I'm proud, because I'm part of an original crowd." How could one proudly claim he is free thinking if he has merely changed membership from one "crowd" to another "crowd?" We want to believe we think for ourselves, but only if there is not the risk of being alone if we do so. How do you create an instant crowd? Give something good away for free. In lieu of that approach, the best I can offer is give it time, and see if it can grow one-by-one into a crowd. I will say having ample supply will help...Americans are very impatient.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 

All times are UTC


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group