Perhaps the most responsive horn I have played is a very old Raoux cor solo. It has no ring when one strikes the bell and so would fail any "thunk" test. And yet the bell responds magnificently to the slightest vibrating air column. I think that the test is how the horn plays, not how the bell responds when struck like a cymbal.
Tom Reicher -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Brass Arts Unlimited Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2011 10:19 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [Hornlist] Bell "ringing" - what does it mean? Howard wrote: "I don't want to cut the bell on my N series 8D because the bell rings forever. I suspect cutting it would destroy that. I remember one day up in Boonsboro Walter Lawson was telling me how their bells ring better than others. He whacked my N series 8D's bell with his finger, and it probably still hasn't quit ringing. He was visibly shaken, and immediately stopped telling me about that aspect of his bells' superiority!" I have always had enormous respect for Walter and his work, but this is one thing I could never understand. What does a ringing bell flare mean? What does the old "thunk test" prove? You could whack a steel mixing bowl and it work ring for a week. But would that bowl make a good horn bell? And, all other things being relatively equal, what would it tell you about a flare that rung and rung versus one that seemed dead when you whacked it? You don't whack a horn to get the sound out. You vibrate the air column. If a bell just kept ringing and ringing, would that not actually interfere with attacks, or with notes speaking, when playing runs? And if not, why not? I'm sure that a certain amount of "ringing" is probably good for a bell flare to have, but isn't possible to have too much of a good thing? I still haven't puzzled this out, and I sure would appreciate some enlightenment. No one I've talked with about this can give me a satisfactory explanation, and I'd love to have one. -- *Regards, Dave Weiner Brass Arts Unlimited* _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/treicher%40cooley.com This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message. If you are the intended recipient, please be advised that the content of this message is subject to access, review and disclosure by the sender's Email System Administrator. IRS Circular 230 disclosure: To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the IRS, we inform you that any U.S. federal tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachment) is not intended or written by us to be used, and cannot be used, (i) by any taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) for promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein. _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
