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Hornmad

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Horn repair and Mouthpiece
03/12/10 at 21:53:02

HI guys,

How are you? Im fine thank you.

is anyone from England? I'm from Wigan in the north west.

I wonder which best or suitable mouthpiece to my French Horn JM make from China, I know it is awful lol forgive me guys.

Horn repairs which one the best cos I take the valve finger and thumb out because I did very stupid. I shouldnt take it out. So Any idea and if you guys don't mind help, I apperciate it.

Cheerio

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ekdavies

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Evesham, Worcs

Re: Horn repair and Mouthpiece
Reply #1 - 03/13/10 at 07:44:11

There are many good mouthpieces and it really comes down to what suits you. A good teacher may be able to suggest if a different depth cup would help you but ultimately its what you like. http://www.horncups.com has the details on the PHC series which I use.

This website also has some very favourable comments on the latest JP horn from professional players who were very impressed with it.

I understand that http://www.woodheadhornrepair.co.uk/ is one of the best horn repair experts in the UK but he's based in London. I don't know any-one near Wigan but there must be some-one who can competently reassemble valves (assuming that's what you need). The only 'tricks' are to use thin rotor oil; align the rotor and cap based on the nicks (and the mechanism); and not to push valve and cap in too tightly as this may prevent rotation. In a new instrument the valves may seize during storage and shipping but the reseller should sort that out for you.

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Hornmad Rank & File Offline Yes, I'm a brass player Posts: 16	Re: Horn repair and Mouthpiece Reply #2 - 03/13/10 at 21:36:44 Ekdavies, I don't have a teacher in wigan well who know...I only want play for fun on my french horn....So I just want cheap reapir or tuning clean and want new mouthpiece (I have a Vincent Bach 7C and other mouthpiece is unknown. I will show my mouthpiece if you know which make from Cheers, Martyn
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Stewart Lewins Principal Offline Posts: 753 Reading, England Gender:	Re: Horn repair and Mouthpiece Reply #3 - 03/13/10 at 23:04:22 Are you unhappy with the mouthpiece that came with the instrument? If so then that is the only reason to change at this stage.
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ekdavies

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Evesham, Worcs

Re: Horn repair and Mouthpiece
Reply #4 - 03/15/10 at 20:30:55

Probably your best hope of finding a local repair technician is to visit one of the music shops and ask them for suggestions if you haven't already done so. I'm not sure how far away http://www.musicandco.co.uk/repairs.shtml are from you nor have I any experience of the quality of their work or their charges.

I'm assuming that you've already tried other approaches of freeing a valve. My favourite would be to remove the tuning slide and let a few drops of oil fall into the tube (don't run them down the side as this might wash more dirt in). I would then attempt to turn the valve directly with my hand twisting the rotor stop to which the string or mechanism is attached. (Moving the key directly is likely to either break the string or bend the key if the valve is stuck).

This http://www.ehow.com/how_5668336_unfreeze-french-horn-rotary-valve.html gives some reasonable advice if you haven't already seen it. Beware if you use water that is too warm on a laquered brass instrument, the lacquer comes off ...

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Hornmad

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Re: Horn repair and Mouthpiece
Reply #5 - 03/15/10 at 21:33:51

EkDavies,

I got your link and thank for that and I have send to The Music box if he accept or not....so I will wait for their reply back tomorrow or few day....I will let you know if any got up the email or phone.

Thank you for the link again.

other long information and I don't understand clear...Don't worry I pass to expert repair hopefully they will be careful to repair my horn.

Hyde is in Cheshire which is no plm for me and is perfect for me not far from my hometown to Hyde about 1 to 2 hour at the most.

Cheerio

Martyn

ekdavies wrote on 03/15/10 at 20:30:55:

Probably your best hope of finding a local repair technician is to visit one of the music shops and ask them for suggestions if you haven't already done so. I'm not sure how far away http://www.musicandco.co.uk/repairs.shtml are from you nor have I any experience of the quality of their work or their charges.

I'm assuming that you've already tried other approaches of freeing a valve. My favourite would be to remove the tuning slide and let a few drops of oil fall into the tube (don't run them down the side as this might wash more dirt in). I would then attempt to turn the valve directly with my hand twisting the rotor stop to which the string or mechanism is attached. (Moving the key directly is likely to either break the string or bend the key if the valve is stuck).

This http://www.ehow.com/how_5668336_unfreeze-french-horn-rotary-valve.html gives some reasonable advice if you haven't already seen it. Beware if you use water that is too warm on a laquered brass instrument, the lacquer comes off ...

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Hornmad

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Re: Horn repair and Mouthpiece
Reply #6 - 03/23/10 at 21:30:11

I just found the repair in Pendlebury, Manchester called McQueens. they've accept repair my horn and put the thumb and the 3 finger back it on and clean tuning slide cost me £100 to £140. I quite happy but Finger cross.

The McQueens will call my dad or mum to see how it going. Wish me luck.

Cheers, Martyn

ekdavies wrote on 03/15/10 at 20:30:55:

Probably your best hope of finding a local repair technician is to visit one of the music shops and ask them for suggestions if you haven't already done so. I'm not sure how far away http://www.musicandco.co.uk/repairs.shtml are from you nor have I any experience of the quality of their work or their charges.

I'm assuming that you've already tried other approaches of freeing a valve. My favourite would be to remove the tuning slide and let a few drops of oil fall into the tube (don't run them down the side as this might wash more dirt in). I would then attempt to turn the valve directly with my hand twisting the rotor stop to which the string or mechanism is attached. (Moving the key directly is likely to either break the string or bend the key if the valve is stuck).

This http://www.ehow.com/how_5668336_unfreeze-french-horn-rotary-valve.html gives some reasonable advice if you haven't already seen it. Beware if you use water that is too warm on a laquered brass instrument, the lacquer comes off ...

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Hornmad Rank & File Offline Yes, I'm a brass player Posts: 16	Re: Horn repair and Mouthpiece Reply #7 - 04/12/10 at 14:09:36 I just got recieve my horn last Saturday from Pendlebury Manchester. Cost £141. I quite happy with that. Now I spoilt emborchure of clef is Bass not Treble so Does book have a Bass clef Here my video clips of me play http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ds_rvLFr_gM (bass clef) and let me know thank you Cheerio, Martyn
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Roger_C

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Re: Horn repair and Mouthpiece
Reply #8 - 04/12/10 at 15:30:05

Hi Martyn,

I'm not sure I fully understood your questions, but I have had a look at your video clip. It seems to me that you're improvising rather than playing a notated piece, so which clef you're using doesn't come into the question. Certainly the first few (very low) notes you play would need to be notated in the bass clef, but then you play very high later on.

Tell me, do you know which notes you're playing or are you simply fingering and seeing what comes out? All horn players would start reading treble clef transposed horn music for quite a while (perhaps years) before venturing into bass clef territory.

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Hornmad

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Re: Horn repair and Mouthpiece
Reply #9 - 04/12/10 at 17:37:41

I mean, Roger,

is transpose for clef that I play on the video clips So I can't play treble clef which is not working on my horn so I want to know if video clip that show I play is Bass clef not treble clef so I can't make it on treble clef....So How i can change into treble clef or start again. So I'm sorry that you didn't understand what my question is. I can't explain in good qauestion....that's because I'm use BSL language not full english way....Hope you understand what I mean about bass clef and treble.....oh Which note did I played on bass clef?

Cheerio,

Martyn

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trumpetnick

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Re: Horn repair and Mouthpiece
Reply #10 - 04/12/10 at 17:58:16

Martyn,

Based on your video and your posts, I would conclude that you haven't got a clue on what you're doing or speaking. No offence intended.

Different clefs are used to avoid the use of too many ledger lines when notating notes that are not in the common register for every respective voice/instrument. Over the years, some clefs were put away or less often used to facilitate the learning process of beginners and amateur musicians (like treble clef for trombones). Every note can be notated in any clef, but too many ledger lines would make reading them rather difficult and unpractical. There is a register associated with every clef, but this is more of a guideline than a law or dogma. There is no such thing as note x=treble clef, not y=bass clef.

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Bb Bach/Spada 72, leadpipe 2L
C Bach/Spada 256, leadpipe 2LQ
Custom Breslmair Mouthpiece
1956 Olds Ambassador Cornet

If you don't know where you are going, you 'll end up someplace

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Hornmad

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Re: Horn repair and Mouthpiece
Reply #11 - 04/12/10 at 19:26:08

Trumpetnick,

None taken, Well I understand that but How I can learn on Treble clef not bass clef but I think it too late because When I got valve and thumbs off the horn I could play on Bass clef for long time.....So That why I couldn't do that on treble clef......I don't know why I do that on treble clef on my horn.

If I spoilt on my bass clef could or have to playin' on Bass clef on my double horn.

But I can't speak pronounciation well or understanding the language.....so cos I'm disabled(deaf) with Hearing aid machine.

Thank for understanding my explaination.

Regards,

Martyn

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trumpetnick

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Re: Horn repair and Mouthpiece
Reply #12 - 04/12/10 at 19:49:35

Martyn,

All people with disabilities have my admiration for the effort to learn a music instrument despite the obstacles. My own advice would be to get first your playing well together (deep relaxed breathing, centered sound and precise articulations) by reading whatever clef you feel comfortable with. Lessons with a private teacher would be almost a must at this point.

When you got that more or less (as it is a lifetime task, depending on the level you are after) comes a point where you will have to learn about clefs transposition etc. But I don't think that this should be a primary concern for you at the moment.

I hope that this time I made my point clearer.

I guess that for the moment you spent more time playing in the low register (is this what you mean by saying "play on bass clef?) but soon or later you will have to learn to play in the middle and high register (a thing that most horn players are terrified by Cheesy

).

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Bb Bach/Spada 72, leadpipe 2L
C Bach/Spada 256, leadpipe 2LQ
Custom Breslmair Mouthpiece
1956 Olds Ambassador Cornet

If you don't know where you are going, you 'll end up someplace

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Roger_C

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Re: Horn repair and Mouthpiece
Reply #13 - 04/13/10 at 00:45:26

Hi again Martyn,

sorry to have left this thread dangling, I had to go away suddenly to conduct a rehearsal because the regular conductor couldn't make it. Can I try to say what I think Nick is saying but in different words:

I think you are confused between playing in different registers (high and low) on the instrument on the one hand and how music is written on the other. (Then again, maybe you understand that but your vocabulary is muddled?)

Generally the music for any one instrument is notated in a single clef - for example flute, trumpet and clarinet use treble clef exclusively - but sometimes when an instrument has a wide range it is easier to use a different clef for the extended range. The best example here is piano which usually uses treble clef for the higher notes played by the right hand and bass clef for the lower left hand part. The clef is part of the notation, you look at it, you can't hear a clef!

If you're not reading from music notation, as I think you video clip shows, then there is no clef to see. Whether you read music or play by ear, I agree that you should start by playing mainly in the middle register and developing your tone before you extend into extreme high or low ranges.

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