Hello Bob. At first: A professional player should not use an instrument which has "bad notes", as you say. The chipped notes are produced by several causes. One is setting the slides at the wrong position voluntarily or by routine or by error or accident. Error & accident are the most possible causes. How often is the third slide pushed in too far by accident, special if the slides are greased very well. So the third slide might cause the g# on the top to flip, as you attack it right but the note is too sharp & you try to correct it spontaneously, - so the accident happen. Error - well by missing necessary care. Voluntarily - some players (self established semi-pros included) have set all slides full in & lip all down or up. No wonder about the catastrophes.
Second cause for the chipped notes: Wrong fingering. Most of us, we use a double & have a multitude of fingerings for many notes. If there are delicate entrances, why not using the alternative fingerings so to ride on the most secure harmonic ? I for myself do not use them as I do not need them. And we have learned the advantages of both sides of the horn. But many stay stubbornly on the one or (rarely) on the other side & chip notes. Third: good makers produce good instruments. If there are defects, they origine from errors which can be eliminated, but not under permanent price pressure. Good quality asks for the right price. Fourth: clonking valve linkage, well, is a minor mechanical defect, which can be eliminated easily by a good technician as you, off course. Fifth: the wrong combination of horn & mouthpiece contributes the same amount to bad horns as opinionated players do. Sixth: there are different measures regarding amateurs, but should not be. Honesty is required here. Seventh: Cryogenics or other methodes are not suited to improve a junk horn. Eigth: Cryogenics might have an effect or not, but it surely has a psychological effect on the player. And, as some people believe it, give them this service. ============================================================ ================================================ -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Robert Osmun Sent: Tuesday, October 24, 2006 3:44 PM To: 'The Horn List' Subject: RE: [Hornlist] Re: cryogenics Hi Hans, I agree with you 100%. It's the player who makes the sound, hits the notes, plays in tune, and, most important, plays with intelligence, subtlety, beauty, and taste. However, given the above, every player ought to try to play on the best (most suitable, most reliable, most able to realize the player's intentions) instrument he can obtain. And, that instrument needs to be in the best condition possible. How many performances have you heard that have been marred by clacking valves or chipped notes caused by a performer trying to attack a note that is far out of tune on his instrument? Correcting these deficiencies in no way relieves the player from responsibility for his performance. Cryogenic treatment is one more technique used to improve instruments. We have done this process to several hundred instruments over the years and have had during that time one customer who thought nothing had been done and one who thought it made his horn worse. A pretty good track record, I think. If the difference it makes is subtle, well, this is a business of subtlety. As for the reports of physicists (who also tell us that the material of which a horn is made has no influence on the sound), and Selmer's test to see if high school players and amateurs could tell the difference, I have to give equal weight to the many world-class players who have found a positive improvement. I find that most of the critiques of cryogenic processing come from people with no experience with it. Regards, Bob Osmun www.osmun.com -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of hans Sent: Tuesday, October 24, 2006 9:58 AM To: 'The Horn List' Subject: RE: [Hornlist] Re: cryogenics If all the playing depends on the improvement of the instrument, you should inspect the horns used by the Vienna Phil horn players & wonder how they get their beautiful sound & playing ?????? If you inspect their horns, you would not expect this result. No cryogenics, no ultrasonic experiments, some petroleum as lubrificant mixed with eau de Cologne (4711) to compensate the odour, not much cleaning, etc.etc. - I repeat, it is the player who makes the music !!!! ============================================================ ================================================== -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Simon Varnam Sent: Tuesday, October 24, 2006 2:31 PM To: horn@music.memphis.edu Subject: [Hornlist] Re: cryogenics I read the article at the link given before. I wonder if the improvement he speaks of is caused not by the freezing but by the ultrasonic cleaning that he gives the instruments beforehand. Simon _______________________________________________ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/hans%40pizka. de _______________________________________________ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/rosmun%40osmu n.com _______________________________________________ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/hans%40pizka. de _______________________________________________ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
