"never had a single lesson" LOL! Actually, I had a couple lessons. Instructor: "You have the worst tone I have ever heard. I don't know how you do it."
@@yanwo2359 I want to start playing the trumpet. I'm terrified something like that will happen when I start going a music school, especially since I'm 23 and I'll be surrounded by 8yo kids who play a hundred times better than I ever will.
@@comandosespeciales Worst case scenario you have bad tone quality and can't keep time. The age doesn't matter, the time since you learnt the instrument does, and most likely an adult will be better at it than a kid was. Go for it.
The biggest takeaway is the remarkable similarity between a 200 dollar, and a 20,000 dollar instrument. With a good mouthpiece, the best value is the middle range trumpet. As a drummer I’ve seen similar results between an 800 dollar kit and a 5000 dollar kit. The most economical option being a cheaper kit with an upgraded snare. It was difficult to tell the difference between the two.
Right on. I have found this same thing with most all instruments. One of my best violinists came to school with a new violin...a Cecilio 500 or something. I'm not, generally, a fan of the Cecilio but this instrument was around $300, had a nice case, Dominant strings, 2 decent bows, and other neat stuff. She LOVED it. Go figure.
exactly and i learned from my lesson teacher easy back in highschool when i learned about monette trumpets and basically you won't get hired with a monette in any gig that has more than 1tpt playing because monettes don't sound good with other trumpets, they're a solo instrument.
@@fanlbc I hadn't thought about it, but that's true. If a horn sounds noticably "better" that means it sounds noticably *different* and that won't blend well with the other horns.
Key takeaway: budget for a Monette mouthpiece and buy whatever horn you can afford with what you have left. I can hear the difference in horns, but a much bigger difference in mouthpieces.
That is exactly what I thought. Each horn has its own sound, but the real difference in quality was in the mouthpiece. Maybe more so in the least expensive horn.
My thoughts exactly! I am fortunate in having a couple of Monette mouthpieces (including an awesome deep "Flugel cup" trumpet mouthpiece) for a standard horn which I use on my Benge pocket trumpet and I also own a Monette Prana 3 trumpet with a standard B2S3 mouthpiece and a matching "flugel cup". By far the best horn I have ever played, particularly for small group jazz. I definitely recommend that anyone currently playing a standard horn saves hard and buys a monette mouthpiece - it will transform your sound!
One of the biggest things I notice is the clanking of the valves. I super sensitive to it. The cheap one sounded like a clanking nightmare to me and the Monette wasn't noticeable to me. The cheap one also sounded like the thin metal it was made of. But... I agree, it is amazing how the mouthpiece makes most of the difference.
I agree with you. I think the mouthpiece makes a subtle difference but his attention to detail, overall skill and talent makes all three trumpets sound amazing.
Respectfully I'm starting to disagree. I don't think they all sound similar because he's just so good (though he is very good). I think they all sound kinda the same because they all sound kinda the same. Yes, the expensive ones are obviously much higher quality and you can tell. No, I don't think anything close to that amount of money is worth it for how little it impacts the sound.
I played trumpet all through highschool and in the first year of my music degree. I want to get back into it and am wondering if you have any suggestions for a long term sort of couch to 5km approach. 5 min ...3x a day for a week etc.
@@bilbobaggins4403 I'm not Charlie, but maybe I can offer some tips on how you could get back into it. Ideally, I would recommend giving yourself at least 30 minutes of time, split into 3x10 minute sessions, rather than 5. This will give you at least a little bit of time to warm up the instrument before putting it back down again. I'd be re-opening the Arbans (numbers 12-17 are good), working on the first few pages, just to start to get things moving again, work a little just on the mouthpiece as well with a mirror so you can be sure your embouchure is holding up okay. I wouldn't be to concerned with over-doing it, considering you have played before, muscle memory will kick in. If 30 minutes or 10 minutes at a time seems too short and your lips feel like they are holding up, don't shy away from making those sessions a little longer or doing more of them throughout the day. If you can get ahold of it, Buzzing Basics is a great resource to start the day with.
Remember that a mouthpiece is the "interface" that interacts with the player most directly. Changing it will make the biggest difference not only in sound but also in ease of playing, stamina, and instrument control and intonation.
It’s interesting how much better every horn sounds with a Monette mouthpiece. For my ear I prefer the Bach with the Monette mouthpiece. There is a really nice core to the sound, but it’s not too dark and still sounds like a trumpet. But really, you sound great on every horn. Thanks for the video!
May be the Monette mouthpiece is the mouthpiece Charlie uses daily? You get the sound that you want, that you like and hear in your head. This mouthpiece is the one on which Charlie is at his best? The question also could be: do I feel the difference? The Monette may make things easier for Charlie? And indeed, to my taste, I prefer the sound of the Bach in combination with the Monette mouthpiece.
@@wim0001tube I was thinking that too. His "daily driver" mouthpiece is bound to feel most familiar. It doesn't take much of a difference for one mouthpiece to feel just right and another just OK. Nonetheless, across all the horns he sounds terrific, which shows it's often the player and less so the horn that makes the difference.
John Elliott - you wrote exactly what I was thinking. I wonder if Charlie can weigh in on his comfort level on, what I also assume is, his daily mpc, vs the others. Does the right mpc really affect the overarching characteristics of a horn that much? (And, if so, why haven’t I driven up to Oregon before now?!?). Or is it more of his comfort on that mpc that just totally allows him to bring out the best qualities of the horn?
Wow... I didn't realize there would be such a drastic difference in mouthpieces. Comparing the 37 with the Chinese model, the monette improved both dramatically over the Bach and the No name. Tells me that if you have a student struggling with time quality and stability, try a mouthpiece fitting before they give up & decide to quit or change instruments! Fantastic teaching video!
Totally agree. It's a demonstration. Anything he says is going to skew your true perception of it. I actually would've preferred he not talk about the Rajna and mention that it's his main axe, because that too will skew the perception. The sound needs to speak for itself to get the most accurate take on it.
I know from nothing about trumpets so for me it was just the sound, nothing at all technical. The Rajna to my ears had a tone that stood out with every number: smoky, dark, a bit far away, I thought it was gorgeous. The Bach really did nothing for me, a bit too bright and forward, made me think of trumpets in marching bands. The cheapo for me was the little engine that could. When he played it with the Monet mouthpiece it had a character I liked and felt, like a pretty back-up singer.
I would have also liked a slight summary of perceived effort. I, too, can make a very cheap trumpet sound very good, but if my effort load is double, my stamina and everything won't hold up. Never having had the luxury to play anything beyond a Bach Strad myself, it would be interesting to hear the performers experience.
I do appreciate that he doesn't pass judgement, I do wonder how another trumpet player would sound on the Monette, after all, that is his horn-custom made. He sounds awesome on it, would another accomplished player see such a marked improvement or would they need to get their own Monette custom made for them?
Friend of mine out of the blue calls me says hey "I need to bless you". Brother shows up with a brand new trumpet, I was blown away! I'm on day 2 as of 24 Dec 2022. Looking forward to learning with you. Great stuff I've seen from you thus far! I'm super excited!
It is obvious that you love that Monette mouthpiece. The darker sound of your horn and the valve precision is impressive. My choice is the brighter sound of the Bach 37, pick your mouthpiece. Thank you for giving the beginner the chance to hear what their horn is capable of producing. I think John Haynie would approve of your effort.
Following your recommendation, I went on a search and found an Olds Ambassador manufactured in their LA factory. It's a beautiful horn in the original case and purchased it including shipping from Cleveland, OH to Portland, OR for $125.00. The lacquer was not consistent, so I stripped it and is now incredible in RAW brass. Thanks for the tip!!!
If you still have some money to spare, try looking for an Olds Special, the next level up from the Ambassador. While classed as an intermediate horn in the Olds line-up, it was very popular with professionals back in the 50s and 60s. I have one and it is glorious!
I literally did the exact same thing to a ‘70s vintage Olds Ambassador horn, I found at a flea market. Absolutely love the sound I get with the Trent Austin mouthpiece, I have.
We have a million dollar trumpeter sounding bad-ass on all of those horns... yes, the Monette is the king of the hill but Charlie sings them all to perfection.
Thank you for posting. My old 71 year old ears definitely could hear the added mellowness of the Monette Prana used on each horn. I did like the sound of the Monette trumpet overall for every case. The Bach was definitely brighter and the bargain horn had some noticeable intonation issues. Thank you again.
as a sax/clarinet player, I can honestly say that I hear a HUGE difference with the mouthpiece... that made a HUMONGOUS sound change and the ability to hit all the notes even a little better on the cheaper horn. I'm kinda shocked
The Monette mouthpiece might cost more than the beginner horn, but it really improves the sound of both the Bach and the JB. For people who aren't needing $20K+ horns, they'd get a big bang from the superior mouthpiece. Excellent demonstration.
Fascinating. The Monette mouthpiece really made the less expensive horns sound better. Your demonstration confirms that the horn limits the sound but doesn't limit the musician. And here I was hoping a new horn would help me play better.
3:56, glad he dinged his (former) friend’s 2000$ horn instead of his own monette! 😳. Great job! The monette is of course the best, but also the monette mouthpiece makes a huge difference to each horn! Great playing too. Thanks
yes. the sound difference while playing is a 10% difference but when listening to the changes made both the bach and baptiste sound quite a bit different in some of the examples, surprisingly.
A $20K horn is of course wonderful but I was most impressed by the Monette mouthpiece on the Bach and Baptist horns... really gave them a noticeable dense and “phatter” sound to my ears anyway.
First off. Your an amazing trumpet player and sounded equally so on each trumpet. Second. I'm not a trumpet player. I play sax. So take my opinion and preferences with a grain of salt. Surprisingly, I seemed to like the cheap trumpet the best. But only with the Monette mouthpiece. Seemed clean, articulate, warm and had character. The Bach was too bright for me. I know it's the bench mark of trumpets. Just my preference. The Rajna seemed too wide and textured. Plus, I wish I didn't know it was $20k. Made me like it less. But that being said. I'd hire you on any of them.
IMHO a Bach has a kind of unusual harmonic peak that makes it stand out among other trumpets (Yamaha) and in the orchestra. But there is today a tendency to play on dark rotary trumpets for classics and for a brighter sound, you could use a C-trumpet too. I was never a fan of Bach because exactly because of that almost piercing sound any intonation problem is so obvious.
It's amazing how the Monette mouthpiece greatly improves the sound of trumpets. It feels like a higher level instrument when you attach the mouthpiece.
I figure there's also something to be said about that he probably uses that Monette all the time and is more familiar on it. Of course I wouldn't be surprised if the no-name mouthpiece was on the shallower side of cup depth compared to the Monette
I agree and was surprised by the difference in the mouthpieces. The $20k trumpet had much mellower tone especially in lower register closer to flugelhorn. I actually still have my Bach Stradivarius from when I saved up and bought it high school some 43 years ago. I really did not play much after college years until my sister asked me to teach my niece. Playing her cheap one I notice more in the mechanics like the valves than the sound.
Like any great player you are accurate on each combo. But this was a really great demo in differences a mouthpiece can make. The Monnett mpc sounded better in every aspect.
I played on Bach for many years. Had the pleasure of having one of my Bachs custom redone by Dave Monette while in college. My trumpet instructor was a friend of Dave. I now play on Yamaha Xeno (not enough these days 😐). I also have many mouthpieces (as so many trumpet players do I would say). My lead and Jazz work I have used Bob Reeves for years. Just listening to all these musical clips was so cool 😎... So many memories. I taught music for 30 years and played... My dad also a trumpet player (83 years of age today and former music teacher also) started me at the age of 3...I am back in the family carpet cleaning industry, teaching and helping create chemistry and tools for that feild... But... I just need to get back on the horn more! Even my wife says I need to get back to my roots! Thank again for this. Subscribing and looking forward to seeing you more 😊
I love my Prana mouthpieces! Had the pleasure of visiting David down in Portland and played on one of those Rajna trumpets, they are INCREDIBLE! It's amazing how that screwed mouthpiece design really creates one solid unit to play on.
Monette all the way! Even the monette mouthpiece made a world of difference, but in the end it all comes down to the skill of the person playing the horn! This guy could make a hose sound like a million bucks!
It would seem that as with other types of horns (saxes, clarinets), you get more out of a good mouthpiece than a generic one. The intonation on cheap horns is also a common problem. Very informative and enjoyable video. Thanks!
Really great demonstration!! - I'm very impressed by the difference the mouthpiece makes, even over the bach mouthpiece. Thanks! (awesome playing by the way)
Thank you for this comparison! I have many thoughts swirling in my head, but my biggest takeaway was the difference the mouthpiece made on the Jean-Baptiste. Props to all the custom mouthpiece makers out there making us brass players work less hard!
Very good video, thanks for sharing. For me , it's a proof that a trumpet player always produces "his" typical sound on whatever trumpet he plays on. The mouthpiece influences 75% of the tone and sound and the trumpet finishes it. So a mouthpiece has a bigger impact on the sound than the trumpet itself. That is, with the same type of trumpet. It would be interesting to compare a Bach 180-25G L with a 1 E mouthpiece to Schilke B1 with a 14a4 mouthpiece, if you see what I mean. The jazzy setup compared to classical setup and compared to more commercial combinations.
My trombone is a lot of fun. It's a 3B, but I'm currently using a modified 605 bell on it. Combined with a Conn 3 mouthpiece, the tone is so nice. So $3500 horn, modified bell from an ~800 horn, and a mouthpiece that I have no clue where it came from. Edit: oh man, I just tried a Bach 7 in my horn and the tone is so clean and light. I like it.
I agree, too. Too bad the intonation can't keep up, even with the improvement the Monette mouthpiece makes. No mention was made about ease of playing, but that wasn't part of the comparison; I wish it had been. I was surprised how tinny the Bach sounded, especially with the Bach mouthpiece, and how flat it sounded in the upper register with the Bach mouthpiece as well.
I also agree. I was surprised the difference the Monette made. I thought it would make a slight difference you would have to listen carefully to pick up. But it was quite noticeable across all three trumpets. That said, the player made everything sound good.
Thanks Charlie for the info. Love your videos since the beginning of 'trumpet tricks.' I have a 1956 Olds Ambassador that I purchased for $100 in 1992 and still playing it today. Stay safe.
I am so glad you showed the difference a mouth piece can make. It really speaks to figuring out the best size and dimensions to use where the sound is created. Excellent video.
I’ve played a lot of horns at a lot of different price points, and my favorite (and my daily player) is still the Yamaha Xeno 8335 RGS. But I am a Commercial/Lead jazz player in addition to orchestral work, so the versatility is extremely nice.
I got to see winton perform in Cambridge when I was about 7 and have played trumpet since, my dad lets me play on his back 37 and I use a 2 1/2 c Bach mouthpiece. I have a good teacher and that makes the world of difference. I sometimes go back to my Yamaha student trumpet and play with my 11 Yamaha mouthpiece and notice how my tone has improved since working hard on my sound
Great playing! I’ve been lucky enough to have excellent Bach horns that I inherited from my teacher and I find there’s a huge difference (which you’ve demonstrated nicely) between customised instruments and stock standards. When I was trying to play professionally when I was younger I fooled around with mouthpieces a lot, because as you showed a poorly-fitted mouthpiece can really take the nuances of an otherwise great instrument away. The Charlier etude made me nostalgic!
I really enjoyed the video. I appreciate the fact that the musical selections reflected a broad range of styles. You made all of the trumpets sound great, as I expected. I found that the Monet mouthpiece made the biggest difference on the Jean Baptiste. Also, thanks for using multiple mics and not adding compression or other color; the sound was incredibly clear. It would have been interesting to change the order up a bit, for example by playing the JP trumpet with the Monet mouthpiece first immediately following the Bach or Monet. Regardless, a fantastic and eye opening video. Keep them coming!
I played Trumpet thru college and was Allstate band. I used a Bach trumpet bought in 1968 for $500. You are such an excellent player you make all these instruments sound beautifully. But that $20, 000 horn is far and away the best sound. It is so rich in the lower register overtones and never splits a tone. An audio spectrum analyzer would show this conclusively ( I'm an Engineer). Wonderful demo!
If you were given three print outs one from each instrument. I'd bet that you could not identify the instruments from the charts. Any variation such as changes in volume, vibrato moving the bell with respect to the microphone will swamp any differences in the charts.
Btw, 1960's bachs are some of the best models that were made. You got an outstanding horn. My professor recently found me a bach from the mid 60's, such an amazing horn
I play a Bach 37 which is around 50 years old! Love it! But, the $20,000 horn really does sound much better! The consistency and clarity of sound is amazing! You are an excellent player, by the way!
I got my Bach Stradivarius, ML bore, 37 bell, in 1973, brand new, straight from the factory. I had an aunt was a teacher / professional oboe player who was up in the Elkhart, Indiana area and she got some kind of a teacher's discount. My grandparents bought it for me after my music director indicated to them that I was a serious student, talented and truly needed a trumpet. I was a freshman in high school at the time and had been playing in band since the 6th grade with my mother's old Holton Collegiate Cornet which had been sitting in a storage room for a long time when I came across it just rummaging around. ;-) When I found it, I ran into the family room with it to my PawPaw and said, "Hey look, DOC SEVERINSON!" I was 9 years old at the time. I lived with my grandparents and my mom was there about every other weekend. When she came home, I bugged her until she taught me a Bb concert scale, how to buzz my lips and a few little things. After that, I taught myself how to play, bugging my grandparents often I am sure. I learned to play by ear a couple of years before I started playing in 6th grade and learned to read music. ;-) I never bought another trumpet. I played that Bach for over 3 decades professionally - I was a part-time musician - never tried to make a real living at it, but did 6 to 10 gigs a month for many years. The ol' Bach has been dropped (not me, an idiot friend), the bell is dented, the silver is worn off where my hands meet the horn, etc. Still plays and sounds wonderful. Pretty amazing. So, this year my trumpet will celebrate its 50th birthday. ;-)
A little side note here: yes every trumpet sounded better with the monette mpc but what most people who buy a monette mouthpiece dont realize there’s a break in time so you get used to the mouthpiece and its constant pitch center it’s better explained in monettes website, i personally did get a monette mouthpiece and was baffled by how much i had to adjust the center pitch so that a note can be in tune on a regular mouthpiece, after a month of having the monette mouthpiece I can without a doubt say that it is an absolutely great mouthpiece
You have to get used to every new mp you buy. The more different it is from what your used to the more of an acclimation time frame their is. For some people it is even greater. When you get a new leadpipe, bell, trumpet it is more of the same you have to get used to it. Playing a small room like your bathroom or a small guest bedroom and playing softly is a great way to acclimate with out forcing things or feeling rushed.
I’m surprised the Raja wasn’t my favorite for any of them. For most it was the Bach/Monette, and for a couple it was the Baptiste/Monette. The Raja is a close second on a few, like Jesu, but the Bach/Monette has kind of a dark edge which I like. Nice playing.
So, I'm not a trumpet player, having never more than dabbled on one, but having played a little baritone horn in middle and high school, as well as a little guitar and bass guitar today, and having parents just across town, a mother who plays flute, and has a small business with it in her retirement, and a dad who plays guitar a lot better than I do - having spent my now 40yrs living in that world, I can hear a difference between these horns for sure, and of course, my hierarchy of preference does follow the price. BUT, and I find this to be a pretty consistent rule across the board for all instruments is that unless you have just a painfully attuned ear, and/or a highly specialized need case, there is a profound "diminishing returns" vector in price to performance. Like, a $200 guitar is one tenth the price of a $2000 guitar, but gets you maybe 60-75% of the way to what you get out of that $2000 guitar. 75% of the guitar for 10% of the price. Hard to argue. Moreover, in my time with guitars, I've observed the high end staying pretty consistent in terms of quality, while increasing in terms of price, while the really cheap instruments have drastically improved in quality while not really increasing in price. Long gone are the days where you laugh at a $200 guitar because it's $200. In fact, I may dare to even say that it's in the price/performance proposition of the "super cheapies" that today's greatest "wow factor" may be found! My impression of these trumpets is very much in keeping with all the above: the $200 trumpet is 1/100th the price of the $20,000 trumpet, but leagues better than 1/100th the quality, at least to my only very superficially trained ears while listening to a TH-cam video on a Pixel 4XL with wired Pixel Buds. Perhaps the difference would be greater in person. But as it stands, I can only hear so much difference (all of which is "warmth level related") between them in isolation, and may not be able to appreciate any difference at all in an ensemble dynamic. Or if anything, I might even prefer the cheaper ones in the ensemble as their greater shrillness may read as greater crispness and may stand out better. Of course, in my experience, the quality difference is much more greatly appreciated when I'm the player than when I'm the listener. So, for your audience? Maybe it doesn't matter so much. But if this how you make your living, and you have the means, whether it benefits the listener much or little...or any...if it benefits you a lot, then hey, right? The price range of my guitars and bases (assuming new and adjusted for inflation) range from over $2000 for a 1999 MIJ Yamaha TRB-II Fretless bass, to $140 last year for one of those cheapy Firefly semi-hollow-body ES335 clone guitars you find on Amazon...and it's GREAT! So, speaking just for myself, I think I'd be perfectly happy with the $200 trumpet. :-) Great video! :-) Cheers!
I love the rich fat sound you get on your Monette rig. Of course, your Monette mouthpiece is perfect for you, or you would be using something else. After the Monette, nothing else came close, although your skill did a lot to make the other trumpets sound good. The biggest "gap" in quality, to my ear, was between the Monette and the Bach. I was surprised that when you played, the Bach, it did not create a wider gap above the Jean Baptiste. I know a cheap trumpet usually has pitch problems, but I think good players like you correct a lot of that with the lip. This was wonderful. I subscribed.
I actually preferred the Baptiste to the Bach in this video! For the student who doesn't have a lot of money to spend, it's good for them to know that a student horn can indeed be perfectly adequate and spending more money than they probably have likely isn't worthwhile at their level.
Having worked in a repair shop, I just want to say that though the sound preferences make these interesting choices, where people end up hurting is in repair and maintenance on that $200 horn-- many techs won't touch them and if they do they can be a nightmare, so if it gets banged up or needs a valve job you're basically out a horn. :/ So interesting to hear the differences between these horns, and beautiful job on the comparison! The Monette mouthpiece is the star here, it really makes a difference! Particularly on the Halsey Stevens I really liked the sound you get on the Bach/Monette combo throughout the range, especially on the low notes! Didn't expect that to win over the Rajna for that, but the Rajna is just so beautiful on the Coltrane and wins hands down. (I mayyyyyyy have rewound the video to listen to that version a few times just for enjoyment.)
I think the idea of a $200 to $300 trumpet is that it is 1/10 the price of a Bach Stradivarius. I understand that the repair bill is much the same if no parts are needed since labor can quickly exceed the price of the trumpet. I think the "warranty" is why so many parents over pay and rent or rent to own a cheap trumpet to avoid repair costs. Only a fool would buy a kid in 5th grade a Bach Stradivarius. A $400 or $500 Huxon Gakki would make a lot of sense if they are not willing to roll the dice of chance for a gently used American made student instrument from the 1950's-1970's off ebay.
The Monette trumpet sounds the best, followed by the Bach, then the Jean-Baptiste; but interestingly, the Monette mouthpiece corrects some flaws in the intonation of the Bach and JB respectively. However, the rich harmonics of the Monette mouthpiece seem to overload the lesser instruments, so that while the tone improves greatly, some pitches and intervals sound like there is a change in timbre. In some passages, the Jean-Baptiste sounds like a medieval precursor of the trumpet (as reconstructed in modern times). Ironically, the Bach actually sounds better to me on the JB Arban piece; although in general its pitch curve sounds flatter in some registers than what my ear expects. That being said, I don't whether to trust my ear, since I have played piano, violin and trumpet, all of which have slightly different intonation schema. BTW: Fantastic playing!
The Monette trumpet really comes into its own in Jazz and as a solo instrument - the sound is richer and darker in my opinion. I have always liked the sound of the Strad. I played on a VB 3CW for a long time, now I play on a Monette mouthpiece. Even though it is roughly the same size as the Bach, there is a world of difference in the way that it plays. Now if I can only afford to get my hands on a Strad 37...
What you cannot hear, is how the Bach can PROJECT and DRIVE SOUND without distorting... such as in an orchestral setting. The Baptiste is more "cutting" and brash sounding. Monette IS the jazz horn.
Overall agree with you, but to me the Bach sound spreads much wider out of the bell which for orchestral work is great. I played a 37 and 72 for many years and loved the 37. The 72 was great when I was younger, but in combination with the XL bore became more horn than I had strength for. Lol
Brother, I just discovered you and became an instant fan! I've been playing professionally for 35 years and have never really been a "trumpet geek" or a equipment guy but I do know what a good horn feels like. I could hear a distinct difference in all the horns when you switched to the Monet mouthpiece. You made even that pos Jean Baptist sound good! But I could tell you were labored trying to make it slot and play as in tune as possible. The Monet horn with the Monet mouthpiece obviously sounded best as it should have but how much of that was because it was your actual set up. Maybe a little, because you sounded amazing on all 3 horns. I never liked Bachs because I was a lead player in my early career and Bach strads always felt stuffy in the upper register. They were never really designed for that anyway. I currently play a copper Colicchio which I love! It's a studio model so I can use it for many different bags. Anyway, thanks for putting out these vids and I just wanted to say I really enjoyed your Covid multi track vid of summertime. I look forward to hearing more from you and stealing some of your shit 🤣 All the best brother!
What surprised me the most was that his Jean-Baptiste valves never stuck. Every student Jean-Baptiste I have ever tried had very bad valves. The change in sound quality is so gradual until he returned back to the 20k trumpet and then it was like wow. Something else that doesn't translate to the mic is the feel of the horn. Id love to try a Monette trumpet to feel the difference
What a trip.... I went to a Jazz club this last weekend and saw some incredible Jazz music in Portland. I ended up going home wanting to learn to play the trumpet because of the incredible trumpet player. After looking for a first trumpet I saw the wide variance in prices for trumpets so I wanted to hear the difference in the varying prices. This is the video I came across... You would not believe the look on my face when I realized the video I picked happened to be the trumpet player that got me started on the journey! Thanks for the inspiration my man, and great show last weekend at The 1905!
Lonnie's Lament on the Rajna with Monette mp seemed to sound most soulful and deeply felt by Charlie. I think 8t was not only beautiful but probably the best segment. Throughout all the excerpts the thing that most stands out is Charlie's superb mastery of trumpet and his sound. A truly great trumpet artist!
My takeaway is that the mouthpeice seems to make the biggest difference in the tone and centering of each horn. The Bach has the classic commercial sound but the Monette MPC significantly mellows it out, The Monette horn has the least difference between MPC choice, but is the clear winner in overall tone and sweetness. Cool comparison, thanks!
Still my favorite trumpeter. Charlie on his Monette sounds like liquid gold poured down from the gates of Heaven. Charlie, you are a national treasure. Thank you for showing us what is possible with the right chops, the right technique, and the right equipment. Glorious. What more can I say?
Interesting comparison. I enjoyed it, I have a half dozen mouthpieces, but only one trumpet that I have played for 5 decades! I got my Bach Stradivarius, ML bore, 37 bell, in 1973, brand new, straight from the factory. I had an aunt that was a teacher / professional oboe player who was up in the Elkhart, Indiana area and she got some kind of a teacher's discount. My grandparents bought it for me after my music director indicated to them that I was a serious student, talented and truly needed a trumpet. I was a freshman in high school at the time and had been playing in band since the 6th grade with my mother's old Holton Collegiate Cornet which had been sitting in a storage room for a long time when I came across it just rummaging around. ;-) When I found it, I ran into the family room with it to my PawPaw and said, "Hey look, DOC SEVERINSON!" I was 9 years old at the time. I lived with my grandparents and my mom was there about every other weekend. When she came home, I bugged her until she taught me a Bb concert scale, how to buzz my lips and a few little things. After that, I taught myself how to play, bugging my grandparents often I am sure. I learned to play by ear a couple of years before I started playing in 6th grade and learned to read music. ;-) I never bought another trumpet. I played that Bach for over 3 decades professionally - I was a part-time musician - never tried to make a real living at it, but did 6 to 10 gigs a month for many years. The ol' Bach has been dropped (not me, an idiot friend), the bell is dented, the silver is worn off where my hands meet the horn, etc. Still plays and sounds wonderful. Pretty amazing. So, this year my trumpet will celebrate its 50th birthday. ;-)
Great video, and very revealing. I've had a Monette mouthpiece, for 20 years. I don't play trumpet, anymore, but my son just finished up junior high, and he used the mouthpiece with his student model trumpet. Loves it! I'm currently looking at used Bach Strad 37's, on reverb. My buddy had one, in high school, and the quality always blew me away.
Also, I wanted to ask.... your title says "can you hear the difference". Honestly, they all sound great, while in your control. What I would ask is... are you having to try harder, with the cheaper models?
Man that mouthpiece made more of a difference than I thought! As for the different horns I think they've all got their place, the custom built has got a real smooth attack to each note that serves classical solo work very well but theres nothing that can substitute the tinny buzz that jazz loves ever so much from those cheaper horns. Biggest difference is the player as always! Practice can make even the worst horn sing! Great video, loved every bit of it, makes me wish there were these kinds of videos for the rest of the brass family.
From a young age 9 I started with a Yamaha student trumpet. In 2005, I had an Amati trumpet. I have experience playing symphony, Jazz, Ska, Marching band up into college. I played other brass as well but I haven´t played for many years now. I miss it! I am going to get back into to the trumpet and learn the acoustic guitar. My first impressions of this video: Charlie is a pro, so a pro can make even playing from a beverage straw sound good! Having said that, @Charlie this is still a helpful video. Thank you! I hear differences between the different trumpets. I noticed a huge sound improvement when Charlie played with the Monette mouthpiece on all the trumpets. My favorite sound is the Bach. For getting back into playing, I am probably going to start with 300 euro budget with a mouthpiece that fits my style well and go from there. Any of you have recommendations for the 300-400 euro price point (silver plated is preferable)? What is the best way to "demo" different mouth pieces before buying? Does somebody have experience with these brands and models? Thomann TR 200 S Bb-Trumpet Amati Kraslice ATR 201 Recommendations for 2023 - 2024?
Nice, thanks for the comparison! I'm probably biased but I must say I liked Bach+MonetteMPC best for classical, and I'm not just being cheap xD Btw, good point about getting some second hand oldies from Ebay instead of cheapo bad new trumpets. You can get really nice stuff with a lot of charm, and avoid some metal waste in the process :thumbs-up:
I admit my favorite was the Bach 37 and Monette MPC combo. The Bach had a lovely bright tone that seemed a bit tempered and warmer with the Monette. You also showed how a great musician can make anything sound beautiful. Thanks for making this!
Monette MPC is the real MVP of this vid. Makes them all sound great. As far as the horns... I wouldn't say the Monette is $18k better than the Bach IMHO.
As with almost anyone I've ever heard playing a Monette, there's a sort of subtone "halo" around the sound. In a small jazz group setting, I adore it. In virtually all other contexts, it just doesn't sound pure enough to my ear. I'll echo what many others have said here; mouthpiece over horn. The Bach seems to have the most versatile sound of the 3, and I agree that the Monette mouthpiece sounds the best of the bunch. I've learned over the years that every horn has some kind of flaw, and it really just boils down to the kind of player you are, and where your own weaknesses are. If you are weak in the same area as the horn, you probably won't like that horn. It's no surprise that there are so many great players playing such a wide variety of horns! Charlie, great video, brother. Really informative and interesting. Well shot and well played!
Beautifully made and played. LIke we say in the shooting disciplines, "It's the Indian, not the arrow." Your excellent playing is perfect for this comparison. To me, the 20K Rajna was clearly the mellowest of the three, while the other two were very similar in tones. Don't know if it was your familiarity with the Rajna because it's your horn, but the attack seemed more precise and on center with it. Love your videos and your music, Charlie. Can't get enough!
Man, the monette mpc on the Bach is a really great color that I found unexpected. So from a scotch perspective: The Monette isn’t quite as heavy as a Laprhroaig, maybe a nice Ardberg or Lagavullin, full. Rich. Dark. Slightly peaty. The Bach is like a good highlands, proper, lively, but not audacious. Balvenie Or Macallan. Put the monette on it and you get maybe a bit less fruity, more nutty, slightly Smokey like a Glenfiddich 18. The Jean Baptiste...that just kinda burns, like it was filtered through a sock.
There ARE a few things that I like about the $200 trumpet! it is bright and aside from the intonation issues it could be a lot worse! I started out on an Olds Cornet in 1962 and graduated to a King Tempo and then to a Bach Strad. 37. I love the sound of the Monet with its bigger bell. Are their plastic trumpets any good, at all? I played for 40 yars until a bout with West Nile Virus also gave me Bell's Palsy in my face! Now, I sound like a beginner, again! Where I used to be able to pop a Super C without warming up, I can barely get to a G above the staff! I love the Bach and the Monet and for a beginner the $200 trumpet is an OK buy but, as you said, there are MANY more that would be vastly superior to it on EBay and other places, and in the same price range!! Thanks for the comparrison! It was a stretch to afford the Bach when I got it and now, being on Social Security, the Monet would be totally out of the question! Besides, I can't play worth a darn anymore, anyway!
The Batista and Bach both had an elevated Valve sound as in a clicking. Your high dollar horn had no valve clicking. All sounded great. The lower the value the airier the pitch. Correct me if I am wrong please.
Hello Charlie! Nice job you've done in the video. Never got to test them myself. You sound beautifully on all trumpets. Greetings from, São Paulo, Brazil!
Whoah, I've never seen a monette trumpet. They look super cool and sound amazing too. The monette mouthpiece is the best value change IMO. It turns the cheapest trumpet into something very professional sounding, though the mouthpiece probably costs as much as the trumpet in that case. The Bach trumpet with the monette mouthpiece sounds very similar to the cheapest one with the monette mouthpiece in my opinion, though the Bach mouthpiece on the Bach trumpet has a very distinct sound.
dang ... that Monette mouthpiece really seemed to help ALL the horns as far as my ears go !!! it rounds all of the edges into pads of golden butter made from fountains of fudge pudding :-) im actually super impressed by this test and that never happens .. thank you for taking the time to do such a methodical thing! you are a fantastic trumpet player! i hope to hear you in KC sometime soon!
My opinion: Monette horn + Monette mouth piece the best, hands down. Bach horn + Monette MP the next best, excellent too if you want a brighter sound. It seems the mouthpiece play a very important part. Even JB horn sounds much more better with a Monette MP. JB horn with nameless MP is totally rubbish.
Goes to show that this kind of talent behind the instrument can make all of the above very usable in the right context especially with regards from an audience perspective. And wow, and what a difference the mouthpiece made. Stunning. Someone did a test like this comparing half a dozen Telecasters (cheap to custom shop to vintage). The sound was so similar it more boils down to feel and playability than final sound in the mix. That Raj is INSPIRING to hold and play I'll recon.
Charlie, awe-inspiring as always. I’m a woodwind guy that’s learning French horn and trumpet. I’m about 50 hours of practice in, and your embouchure videos have helped a great deal. I’m playing on an Olds Ambassador [cornet?] SN 761428 that I picked up for $80 in a pawn shop with a case and a Bach 7C. I’ve developed the range from the low F# to a high C, and can squeak higher. Working on connecting things together and playing phrases rather than just notes right now. That air support thing. Would love to do a short online lesson sometime. Cheers!
I am 75 years old and have been playing a trumpet (and bugle in the drum & bugle corps activity) for 65 of those years. I own several horns, but none terribly expensive; I think my custom Kanstul silver plated trumpet was the priciest and play the most (I use a less expensive one for playing TAPS with the local veterans Honor Guard - occasionally, I play my 3 valve "G" Bugle by Kanstul for what seems to me to be a richer tone) . . . for drum corps, I liked the brighter sound; but, for other purposed I like the mellower tones . . . I currently use a Parduba-Double Cup (6) . . . . . Thanks for this post . . . At my age, I still may get back to experimenting!
"Fat, dark sound". It seems to me that over the decades they have made trumpets to sound more like cornets, and cornets to sound more like trumpets, so today there's not much difference in sound between a trumpet and a cornet.
I have a 1971 Yamaha-made Conn 19A Director cornet that many would say sounds halfway between a cornet and a trumpet. There was quite a trend in the 1970s toward blurring the lines in tone between the two; I suspect it was all part of an effort to get band instruments into the hands of small students, which I think was mostly a good thing. For what it's worth, I love my YamaConn a lot more than my Strad 37.
SCJ Drill Designs They’re exceptional. If you play without tension the Prana version is the way to go. If that’s not the case their standard is a huge upgrade too.
The Monette is clarified butter; the most beautiful trumpet sound of the trio. Then the Bach 37 w/ Monette mpc, and last, the Jean Baptiste sounded surprisingly well with the Monette mpc. As you can tell, I prefer a darker trumpet sound. Beautiful playing overall, by the way.
It sounds like the Monette mouthpiece really smooths the Bach. Just initial impressions, and I'm a trombone player not a trumpet player, so I'm not really that well versed on other aspects of these models. I do concern myself with "bang for the buck". The Monette sounds just great, but I'm just not the kind who would put that much into a horn, even one that great. Maybe if I worked in a major orchestra. And you sound great. I'm sure I'd be super happy to have you in any group I found myself in. Nice vibrato. Good approach.
Interesting, but can you make them all sound like 20 dollar trumpets like I can?
"never had a single lesson" LOL! Actually, I had a couple lessons. Instructor: "You have the worst tone I have ever heard. I don't know how you do it."
@@yanwo2359 I want to start playing the trumpet. I'm terrified something like that will happen when I start going a music school, especially since I'm 23 and I'll be surrounded by 8yo kids who play a hundred times better than I ever will.
I found some similarities in bodybuilding and playing the trumpet: both require extreme amounts of energy, discipline, dedication, therefore, love!
@@comandosespeciales Worst case scenario you have bad tone quality and can't keep time. The age doesn't matter, the time since you learnt the instrument does, and most likely an adult will be better at it than a kid was. Go for it.
@@calebhouston5799 I will, let's see what happens. I used to read music, I remember that a bit. Thanks for the encouragement.
The biggest takeaway is the remarkable similarity between a 200 dollar, and a 20,000 dollar instrument.
With a good mouthpiece, the best value is the middle range trumpet.
As a drummer I’ve seen similar results between an 800 dollar kit and a 5000 dollar kit. The most economical option being a cheaper kit with an upgraded snare. It was difficult to tell the difference between the two.
Plus decent heads and know how to tune them.
Right on. I have found this same thing with most all instruments. One of my best violinists came to school with a new violin...a Cecilio 500 or something. I'm not, generally, a fan of the Cecilio but this instrument was around $300, had a nice case, Dominant strings, 2 decent bows, and other neat stuff. She LOVED it. Go figure.
exactly and i learned from my lesson teacher easy back in highschool when i learned about monette trumpets and basically you won't get hired with a monette in any gig that has more than 1tpt playing because monettes don't sound good with other trumpets, they're a solo instrument.
@@fanlbc I hadn't thought about it, but that's true. If a horn sounds noticably "better" that means it sounds noticably *different* and that won't blend well with the other horns.
THATS WHAT IM SAYING TY
Key takeaway: budget for a Monette mouthpiece and buy whatever horn you can afford with what you have left. I can hear the difference in horns, but a much bigger difference in mouthpieces.
That is exactly what I thought. Each horn has its own sound, but the real difference in quality was in the mouthpiece. Maybe more so in the least expensive horn.
Agreed!
I heartily agree Eric.
My thoughts exactly! I am fortunate in having a couple of Monette mouthpieces (including an awesome deep "Flugel cup" trumpet mouthpiece) for a standard horn which I use on my Benge pocket trumpet and I also own a Monette Prana 3 trumpet with a standard B2S3 mouthpiece and a matching "flugel cup". By far the best horn I have ever played, particularly for small group jazz. I definitely recommend that anyone currently playing a standard horn saves hard and buys a monette mouthpiece - it will transform your sound!
One of the biggest things I notice is the clanking of the valves. I super sensitive to it. The cheap one sounded like a clanking nightmare to me and the Monette wasn't noticeable to me. The cheap one also sounded like the thin metal it was made of. But... I agree, it is amazing how the mouthpiece makes most of the difference.
This confirms, for me, that the magic is in the master. You make all three horns sound great.
to me he makes all 3 sound same in that case he makes 2 sound great & one overpriced but who am I I dont know sh*t
It might be because of the mouthpiece he uses too
I agree with you. I think the mouthpiece makes a subtle difference but his attention to detail, overall skill and talent makes all three trumpets sound amazing.
The Bach with the stock mouthpiece sounded best to me
Respectfully I'm starting to disagree. I don't think they all sound similar because he's just so good (though he is very good). I think they all sound kinda the same because they all sound kinda the same. Yes, the expensive ones are obviously much higher quality and you can tell. No, I don't think anything close to that amount of money is worth it for how little it impacts the sound.
Sorry folks, title error on the Charlier Etude! Should say Etude No.2 - my bad!
I played trumpet all through highschool and in the first year of my music degree. I want to get back into it and am wondering if you have any suggestions for a long term sort of couch to 5km approach. 5 min ...3x a day for a week etc.
I haven't played seriously for 20 years
All's forgiven.😎🎺
@@bilbobaggins4403 I'm not Charlie, but maybe I can offer some tips on how you could get back into it. Ideally, I would recommend giving yourself at least 30 minutes of time, split into 3x10 minute sessions, rather than 5. This will give you at least a little bit of time to warm up the instrument before putting it back down again. I'd be re-opening the Arbans (numbers 12-17 are good), working on the first few pages, just to start to get things moving again, work a little just on the mouthpiece as well with a mirror so you can be sure your embouchure is holding up okay. I wouldn't be to concerned with over-doing it, considering you have played before, muscle memory will kick in. If 30 minutes or 10 minutes at a time seems too short and your lips feel like they are holding up, don't shy away from making those sessions a little longer or doing more of them throughout the day. If you can get ahold of it, Buzzing Basics is a great resource to start the day with.
How can we buy the download for that great étude Charlie? You are the awesom-est by the way…
Remember that a mouthpiece is the "interface" that interacts with the player most directly. Changing it will make the biggest difference not only in sound but also in ease of playing, stamina, and instrument control and intonation.
Just the feel of the mouthpiece against your mouth makes your lips (and muscles) feel like you can play better (or worse).
Not to mention, I'd imagine that Charlie is most comfortable on whichever mouthpiece he spends the most time with.
It’s interesting how much better every horn sounds with a Monette mouthpiece. For my ear I prefer the Bach with the Monette mouthpiece. There is a really nice core to the sound, but it’s not too dark and still sounds like a trumpet. But really, you sound great on every horn. Thanks for the video!
agree with e thing said here...particularly liked the Strad + Monette MPC on Donna Lee..nice articulation!
May be the Monette mouthpiece is the mouthpiece Charlie uses daily? You get the sound that you want, that you like and hear in your head. This mouthpiece is the one on which Charlie is at his best? The question also could be: do I feel the difference? The Monette may make things easier for Charlie? And indeed, to my taste, I prefer the sound of the Bach in combination with the Monette mouthpiece.
A real good Trumpeter sounds good on every Instrument, even on a gardenhose! My choice would be also the Bach/ Monette combination!
@@wim0001tube I was thinking that too. His "daily driver" mouthpiece is bound to feel most familiar. It doesn't take much of a difference for one mouthpiece to feel just right and another just OK. Nonetheless, across all the horns he sounds terrific, which shows it's often the player and less so the horn that makes the difference.
John Elliott - you wrote exactly what I was thinking. I wonder if Charlie can weigh in on his comfort level on, what I also assume is, his daily mpc, vs the others. Does the right mpc really affect the overarching characteristics of a horn that much? (And, if so, why haven’t I driven up to Oregon before now?!?). Or is it more of his comfort on that mpc that just totally allows him to bring out the best qualities of the horn?
Wow... I didn't realize there would be such a drastic difference in mouthpieces. Comparing the 37 with the Chinese model, the monette improved both dramatically over the Bach and the No name. Tells me that if you have a student struggling with time quality and stability, try a mouthpiece fitting before they give up & decide to quit or change instruments! Fantastic teaching video!
Я сам пройшов через це. Повністю з Вами згоден.
I think one of the best things in this video is that the trumpeter does not pass judgment on trumpets, the sound says it all.
Totally agree. It's a demonstration. Anything he says is going to skew your true perception of it. I actually would've preferred he not talk about the Rajna and mention that it's his main axe, because that too will skew the perception. The sound needs to speak for itself to get the most accurate take on it.
I would have liked a summary and his explanation on how they felt to him while playing (valve mobility, etc)
I know from nothing about trumpets so for me it was just the sound, nothing at all technical. The Rajna to my ears had a tone that stood out with every number: smoky, dark, a bit far away, I thought it was gorgeous. The Bach really did nothing for me, a bit too bright and forward, made me think of trumpets in marching bands. The cheapo for me was the little engine that could. When he played it with the Monet mouthpiece it had a character I liked and felt, like a pretty back-up singer.
I would have also liked a slight summary of perceived effort. I, too, can make a very cheap trumpet sound very good, but if my effort load is double, my stamina and everything won't hold up. Never having had the luxury to play anything beyond a Bach Strad myself, it would be interesting to hear the performers experience.
I do appreciate that he doesn't pass judgement, I do wonder how another trumpet player would sound on the Monette, after all, that is his horn-custom made. He sounds awesome on it, would another accomplished player see such a marked improvement or would they need to get their own Monette custom made for them?
Friend of mine out of the blue calls me says hey "I need to bless you". Brother shows up with a brand new trumpet, I was blown away! I'm on day 2 as of 24 Dec 2022. Looking forward to learning with you. Great stuff I've seen from you thus far! I'm super excited!
Wow
It is obvious that you love that Monette mouthpiece. The darker sound of your horn and the valve precision is impressive. My choice is the brighter sound of the Bach 37, pick your mouthpiece. Thank you for giving the beginner the chance to hear what their horn is capable of producing. I think John Haynie would approve of your effort.
Following your recommendation, I went on a search and found an Olds Ambassador manufactured in their LA factory. It's a beautiful horn in the original case and purchased it including shipping from Cleveland, OH to Portland, OR for $125.00. The lacquer was not consistent, so I stripped it and is now incredible in RAW brass. Thanks for the tip!!!
If you still have some money to spare, try looking for an Olds Special, the next level up from the Ambassador. While classed as an intermediate horn in the Olds line-up, it was very popular with professionals back in the 50s and 60s. I have one and it is glorious!
I literally did the exact same thing to a ‘70s vintage Olds Ambassador horn, I found at a flea market. Absolutely love the sound I get with the Trent Austin mouthpiece, I have.
We have a million dollar trumpeter sounding bad-ass on all of those horns... yes, the Monette is the king of the hill but Charlie sings them all to perfection.
Me at 2:30AM: "Getting tired....Should probably get to bed."
TH-cam: "Trumpet go brrrrrrrrrrrrr."
Bruh this is relatable, it’s 4:38 am and I’m meeting with my academic advisor in a few hours
Thank you for posting. My old 71 year old ears definitely could hear the added mellowness of the Monette Prana used on each horn. I did like the sound of the Monette trumpet overall for every case. The Bach was definitely brighter and the bargain horn had some noticeable intonation issues. Thank you again.
as a sax/clarinet player, I can honestly say that I hear a HUGE difference with the mouthpiece... that made a HUMONGOUS sound change and the ability to hit all the notes even a little better on the cheaper horn. I'm kinda shocked
Mouthpieces really do much of the work for wind instruments 😮💨
@@E-flat yes, absolutely.
Hearing this confirms that I did the right thing investing in a Monette mouthpiece for my Strad 37. Now if I could only play it as well as you do.
I bought my B6S1 from BJ this summer and I love it on my strad37. Had to work a little overtime, but it was well worth it.
I did the same investment. I love my B6L1 and my B6L1
The Monette mouthpiece might cost more than the beginner horn, but it really improves the sound of both the Bach and the JB. For people who aren't needing $20K+ horns, they'd get a big bang from the superior mouthpiece. Excellent demonstration.
Fascinating. The Monette mouthpiece really made the less expensive horns sound better. Your demonstration confirms that the horn limits the sound but doesn't limit the musician. And here I was hoping a new horn would help me play better.
3:56, glad he dinged his (former) friend’s 2000$ horn instead of his own monette! 😳. Great job! The monette is of course the best, but also the monette mouthpiece makes a huge difference to each horn! Great playing too. Thanks
Mouthpieces make a big differencw
Indeed. The same for saxophone mouthpieces... and flute heads....
I would argue that it can make a bigger difference than the horn.
Violin, cello, viola and contrabass bows to. Very important piece of the setup to achieve wanted sound.
Good lord yes
yes. the sound difference while playing is a 10% difference but when listening to the changes made both the bach and baptiste sound quite a bit different in some of the examples, surprisingly.
A $20K horn is of course wonderful but I was most impressed by the Monette mouthpiece on the Bach and Baptist horns... really gave them a noticeable dense and “phatter” sound to my ears anyway.
First off. Your an amazing trumpet player and sounded equally so on each trumpet. Second. I'm not a trumpet player. I play sax. So take my opinion and preferences with a grain of salt. Surprisingly, I seemed to like the cheap trumpet the best. But only with the Monette mouthpiece. Seemed clean, articulate, warm and had character. The Bach was too bright for me. I know it's the bench mark of trumpets. Just my preference. The Rajna seemed too wide and textured. Plus, I wish I didn't know it was $20k. Made me like it less. But that being said. I'd hire you on any of them.
IMHO a Bach has a kind of unusual harmonic peak that makes it stand out among other trumpets (Yamaha) and in the orchestra. But there is today a tendency to play on dark rotary trumpets for classics and for a brighter sound, you could use a C-trumpet too. I was never a fan of Bach because exactly because of that almost piercing sound any intonation problem is so obvious.
It's amazing how the Monette mouthpiece greatly improves the sound of trumpets. It feels like a higher level instrument when you attach the mouthpiece.
I figure there's also something to be said about that he probably uses that Monette all the time and is more familiar on it. Of course I wouldn't be surprised if the no-name mouthpiece was on the shallower side of cup depth compared to the Monette
@@TracksWithDax Mouthpiece bias eh!
Like the famous Jazz cats would say about mouthpieces, 'I play the one that was in the case when I got the horn'.
I could not hear any difference. Honestly, I'll buy the $200 one and run with it.
I could not hear any difference. Honestly, I'll buy the $200 one and run with it.
The effect of the mouthpiece is quite remarkable.
I agree and was surprised by the difference in the mouthpieces. The $20k trumpet had much mellower tone especially in lower register closer to flugelhorn. I actually still have my Bach Stradivarius from when I saved up and bought it high school some 43 years ago. I really did not play much after college years until my sister asked me to teach my niece. Playing her cheap one I notice more in the mechanics like the valves than the sound.
Like any great player you are accurate on each combo. But this was a really great demo in differences a mouthpiece can make. The Monnett mpc sounded better in every aspect.
I played on Bach for many years. Had the pleasure of having one of my Bachs custom redone by Dave Monette while in college. My trumpet instructor was a friend of Dave. I now play on Yamaha Xeno (not enough these days 😐). I also have many mouthpieces (as so many trumpet players do I would say). My lead and Jazz work I have used Bob Reeves for years. Just listening to all these musical clips was so cool 😎... So many memories. I taught music for 30 years and played... My dad also a trumpet player (83 years of age today and former music teacher also) started me at the age of 3...I am back in the family carpet cleaning industry, teaching and helping create chemistry and tools for that feild... But... I just need to get back on the horn more! Even my wife says I need to get back to my roots! Thank again for this. Subscribing and looking forward to seeing you more 😊
The Monette-mouthpiece makes a lot of difference! And the sound gets more equal between the 3 trumpets when that mouthpiece is used. 🤔
I love my Prana mouthpieces! Had the pleasure of visiting David down in Portland and played on one of those Rajna trumpets, they are INCREDIBLE! It's amazing how that screwed mouthpiece design really creates one solid unit to play on.
Monette all the way!
Even the monette mouthpiece made a world of difference, but in the end it all comes down to the skill of the person playing the horn!
This guy could make a hose sound like a million bucks!
Now that’s a video I’d pay to see! 🤣
I misread as "horse," was trying to figure out which end yo'd blow into
It would seem that as with other types of horns (saxes, clarinets), you get more out of a good mouthpiece than a generic one. The intonation on cheap horns is also a common problem. Very informative and enjoyable video. Thanks!
Really great demonstration!! - I'm very impressed by the difference the mouthpiece makes, even over the bach mouthpiece. Thanks! (awesome playing by the way)
So ... this is super interesting! - re the monette mouthpieces. th-cam.com/video/PJFQntizJbE/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for this comparison! I have many thoughts swirling in my head, but my biggest takeaway was the difference the mouthpiece made on the Jean-Baptiste. Props to all the custom mouthpiece makers out there making us brass players work less hard!
Very good video, thanks for sharing. For me , it's a proof that a trumpet player always produces "his" typical sound on whatever trumpet he plays on. The mouthpiece influences 75% of the tone and sound and the trumpet finishes it. So a mouthpiece has a bigger impact on the sound than the trumpet itself. That is, with the same type of trumpet. It would be interesting to compare a Bach 180-25G L with a 1 E mouthpiece to Schilke B1 with a 14a4 mouthpiece, if you see what I mean. The jazzy setup compared to classical setup and compared to more commercial combinations.
Heck, dial it all the way in. Use a 6a4a lmao, they're a ton of fun
My trombone is a lot of fun. It's a 3B, but I'm currently using a modified 605 bell on it. Combined with a Conn 3 mouthpiece, the tone is so nice. So $3500 horn, modified bell from an ~800 horn, and a mouthpiece that I have no clue where it came from. Edit: oh man, I just tried a Bach 7 in my horn and the tone is so clean and light. I like it.
I feel like the cheap one with the monette mpc isn’t too bad actually
Agreed. Its tone is a little more muted than the others, almost like it has trouble projecting, but the Monette helped round off some of the edges.
I agree, too. Too bad the intonation can't keep up, even with the improvement the Monette mouthpiece makes. No mention was made about ease of playing, but that wasn't part of the comparison; I wish it had been. I was surprised how tinny the Bach sounded, especially with the Bach mouthpiece, and how flat it sounded in the upper register with the Bach mouthpiece as well.
Its missing a bit of the "core" of the sound. Very muted lower frequencies. Probably because its the lightes of the horns.
I also agree. I was surprised the difference the Monette made. I thought it would make a slight difference you would have to listen carefully to pick up. But it was quite noticeable across all three trumpets. That said, the player made everything sound good.
Thanks Charlie for the info. Love your videos since the beginning of 'trumpet tricks.' I have a 1956 Olds Ambassador that I purchased for $100 in 1992 and still playing it today. Stay safe.
The Monette mouthpiece is the best on all horns. However, I think the player does the best job, congratulations, you are an excellent trumpeter
I am so glad you showed the difference a mouth piece can make. It really speaks to figuring out the best size and dimensions to use where the sound is created. Excellent video.
I’ve played a lot of horns at a lot of different price points, and my favorite (and my daily player) is still the Yamaha Xeno 8335 RGS. But I am a Commercial/Lead jazz player in addition to orchestral work, so the versatility is extremely nice.
I got to see winton perform in Cambridge when I was about 7 and have played trumpet since, my dad lets me play on his back 37 and I use a 2 1/2 c Bach mouthpiece. I have a good teacher and that makes the world of difference. I sometimes go back to my Yamaha student trumpet and play with my 11 Yamaha mouthpiece and notice how my tone has improved since working hard on my sound
Great playing! I’ve been lucky enough to have excellent Bach horns that I inherited from my teacher and I find there’s a huge difference (which you’ve demonstrated nicely) between customised instruments and stock standards. When I was trying to play professionally when I was younger I fooled around with mouthpieces a lot, because as you showed a poorly-fitted mouthpiece can really take the nuances of an otherwise great instrument away. The Charlier etude made me nostalgic!
I really enjoyed the video. I appreciate the fact that the musical selections reflected a broad range of styles. You made all of the trumpets sound great, as I expected. I found that the Monet mouthpiece made the biggest difference on the Jean Baptiste. Also, thanks for using multiple mics and not adding compression or other color; the sound was incredibly clear. It would have been interesting to change the order up a bit, for example by playing the JP trumpet with the Monet mouthpiece first immediately following the Bach or Monet. Regardless, a fantastic and eye opening video. Keep them coming!
I played Trumpet thru college and was Allstate band. I used a Bach trumpet bought in 1968 for $500. You are such an excellent player you make all these instruments sound beautifully. But that $20, 000 horn is far and away the best sound. It is so rich in the lower register overtones and never splits a tone. An audio spectrum analyzer would show this conclusively ( I'm an Engineer). Wonderful demo!
If you were given three print outs one from each instrument. I'd bet that you could not identify the instruments from the charts. Any variation such as changes in volume, vibrato moving the bell with respect to the microphone will swamp any differences in the charts.
Btw, 1960's bachs are some of the best models that were made. You got an outstanding horn. My professor recently found me a bach from the mid 60's, such an amazing horn
I play a Bach 37 which is around 50 years old! Love it! But, the $20,000 horn really does sound much better! The consistency and clarity of sound is amazing! You are an excellent player, by the way!
I got my Bach Stradivarius, ML bore, 37 bell, in 1973, brand new, straight from the factory. I had an aunt was a teacher / professional oboe player who was up in the Elkhart, Indiana area and she got some kind of a teacher's discount. My grandparents bought it for me after my music director indicated to them that I was a serious student, talented and truly needed a trumpet. I was a freshman in high school at the time and had been playing in band since the 6th grade with my mother's old Holton Collegiate Cornet which had been sitting in a storage room for a long time when I came across it just rummaging around. ;-) When I found it, I ran into the family room with it to my PawPaw and said, "Hey look, DOC SEVERINSON!" I was 9 years old at the time. I lived with my grandparents and my mom was there about every other weekend. When she came home, I bugged her until she taught me a Bb concert scale, how to buzz my lips and a few little things. After that, I taught myself how to play, bugging my grandparents often I am sure. I learned to play by ear a couple of years before I started playing in 6th grade and learned to read music. ;-) I never bought another trumpet. I played that Bach for over 3 decades professionally - I was a part-time musician - never tried to make a real living at it, but did 6 to 10 gigs a month for many years. The ol' Bach has been dropped (not me, an idiot friend), the bell is dented, the silver is worn off where my hands meet the horn, etc. Still plays and sounds wonderful. Pretty amazing. So, this year my trumpet will celebrate its 50th birthday. ;-)
Love the Rajna. Amazing how the Monette mp improves the sound of the other two, which sounds decent with that mp. Nice playing.
A little side note here: yes every trumpet sounded better with the monette mpc but what most people who buy a monette mouthpiece dont realize there’s a break in time so you get used to the mouthpiece and its constant pitch center it’s better explained in monettes website, i personally did get a monette mouthpiece and was baffled by how much i had to adjust the center pitch so that a note can be in tune on a regular mouthpiece, after a month of having the monette mouthpiece I can without a doubt say that it is an absolutely great mouthpiece
You have to get used to every new mp you buy. The more different it is from what your used to the more of an acclimation time frame their is. For some people it is even greater. When you get a new leadpipe, bell, trumpet it is more of the same you have to get used to it. Playing a small room like your bathroom or a small guest bedroom and playing softly is a great way to acclimate with out forcing things or feeling rushed.
I’m surprised the Raja wasn’t my favorite for any of them. For most it was the Bach/Monette, and for a couple it was the Baptiste/Monette. The Raja is a close second on a few, like Jesu, but the Bach/Monette has kind of a dark edge which I like. Nice playing.
So, I'm not a trumpet player, having never more than dabbled on one, but having played a little baritone horn in middle and high school, as well as a little guitar and bass guitar today, and having parents just across town, a mother who plays flute, and has a small business with it in her retirement, and a dad who plays guitar a lot better than I do - having spent my now 40yrs living in that world, I can hear a difference between these horns for sure, and of course, my hierarchy of preference does follow the price.
BUT, and I find this to be a pretty consistent rule across the board for all instruments is that unless you have just a painfully attuned ear, and/or a highly specialized need case, there is a profound "diminishing returns" vector in price to performance. Like, a $200 guitar is one tenth the price of a $2000 guitar, but gets you maybe 60-75% of the way to what you get out of that $2000 guitar. 75% of the guitar for 10% of the price. Hard to argue.
Moreover, in my time with guitars, I've observed the high end staying pretty consistent in terms of quality, while increasing in terms of price, while the really cheap instruments have drastically improved in quality while not really increasing in price. Long gone are the days where you laugh at a $200 guitar because it's $200. In fact, I may dare to even say that it's in the price/performance proposition of the "super cheapies" that today's greatest "wow factor" may be found!
My impression of these trumpets is very much in keeping with all the above: the $200 trumpet is 1/100th the price of the $20,000 trumpet, but leagues better than 1/100th the quality, at least to my only very superficially trained ears while listening to a TH-cam video on a Pixel 4XL with wired Pixel Buds. Perhaps the difference would be greater in person. But as it stands, I can only hear so much difference (all of which is "warmth level related") between them in isolation, and may not be able to appreciate any difference at all in an ensemble dynamic. Or if anything, I might even prefer the cheaper ones in the ensemble as their greater shrillness may read as greater crispness and may stand out better.
Of course, in my experience, the quality difference is much more greatly appreciated when I'm the player than when I'm the listener. So, for your audience? Maybe it doesn't matter so much. But if this how you make your living, and you have the means, whether it benefits the listener much or little...or any...if it benefits you a lot, then hey, right? The price range of my guitars and bases (assuming new and adjusted for inflation) range from over $2000 for a 1999 MIJ Yamaha TRB-II Fretless bass, to $140 last year for one of those cheapy Firefly semi-hollow-body ES335 clone guitars you find on Amazon...and it's GREAT! So, speaking just for myself, I think I'd be perfectly happy with the $200 trumpet. :-)
Great video! :-)
Cheers!
I actually really liked the cheap one for jazz. My first love is the Bach 37 though.
I love the rich fat sound you get on your Monette rig. Of course, your Monette mouthpiece is perfect for you, or you would be using something else. After the Monette, nothing else came close, although your skill did a lot to make the other trumpets sound good. The biggest "gap" in quality, to my ear, was between the Monette and the Bach. I was surprised that when you played, the Bach, it did not create a wider gap above the Jean Baptiste. I know a cheap trumpet usually has pitch problems, but I think good players like you correct a lot of that with the lip. This was wonderful. I subscribed.
I actually preferred the Baptiste to the Bach in this video! For the student who doesn't have a lot of money to spend, it's good for them to know that a student horn can indeed be perfectly adequate and spending more money than they probably have likely isn't worthwhile at their level.
Having worked in a repair shop, I just want to say that though the sound preferences make these interesting choices, where people end up hurting is in repair and maintenance on that $200 horn-- many techs won't touch them and if they do they can be a nightmare, so if it gets banged up or needs a valve job you're basically out a horn. :/
So interesting to hear the differences between these horns, and beautiful job on the comparison! The Monette mouthpiece is the star here, it really makes a difference! Particularly on the Halsey Stevens I really liked the sound you get on the Bach/Monette combo throughout the range, especially on the low notes! Didn't expect that to win over the Rajna for that, but the Rajna is just so beautiful on the Coltrane and wins hands down. (I mayyyyyyy have rewound the video to listen to that version a few times just for enjoyment.)
I think the idea of a $200 to $300 trumpet is that it is 1/10 the price of a Bach Stradivarius. I understand that the repair bill is much the same if no parts are needed since labor can quickly exceed the price of the trumpet. I think the "warranty" is why so many parents over pay and rent or rent to own a cheap trumpet to avoid repair costs. Only a fool would buy a kid in 5th grade a Bach Stradivarius. A $400 or $500 Huxon Gakki would make a lot of sense if they are not willing to roll the dice of chance for a gently used American made student instrument from the 1950's-1970's off ebay.
What an amazing difference the Monette mouthpiece gives to each of the trumpets! Thank you for this much informative video!
The Monette trumpet sounds the best, followed by the Bach, then the Jean-Baptiste; but interestingly, the Monette mouthpiece corrects some flaws in the intonation of the Bach and JB respectively. However, the rich harmonics of the Monette mouthpiece seem to overload the lesser instruments, so that while the tone improves greatly, some pitches and intervals sound like there is a change in timbre. In some passages, the Jean-Baptiste sounds like a medieval precursor of the trumpet (as reconstructed in modern times). Ironically, the Bach actually sounds better to me on the JB Arban piece; although in general its pitch curve sounds flatter in some registers than what my ear expects. That being said, I don't whether to trust my ear, since I have played piano, violin and trumpet, all of which have slightly different intonation schema. BTW: Fantastic playing!
The Monette trumpet really comes into its own in Jazz and as a solo instrument - the sound is richer and darker in my opinion. I have always liked the sound of the Strad. I played on a VB 3CW for a long time, now I play on a Monette mouthpiece. Even though it is roughly the same size as the Bach, there is a world of difference in the way that it plays. Now if I can only afford to get my hands on a Strad 37...
What you cannot hear, is how the Bach can PROJECT and DRIVE SOUND without distorting... such as in an orchestral setting.
The Baptiste is more "cutting" and brash sounding.
Monette IS the jazz horn.
Overall agree with you, but to me the Bach sound spreads much wider out of the bell which for orchestral work is great. I played a 37 and 72 for many years and loved the 37. The 72 was great when I was younger, but in combination with the XL bore became more horn than I had strength for. Lol
@@ralphdavis8927 I still practice daily... 1 hr... on my Bach 37... '65 vintage. Love it. Again, can drive LOTS of sound without distortion.
Brother, I just discovered you and became an instant fan!
I've been playing professionally for 35 years and have never really been a "trumpet geek" or a equipment guy but I do know what a good horn feels like. I could hear a distinct difference in all the horns when you switched to the Monet mouthpiece. You made even that pos Jean Baptist sound good! But I could tell you were labored trying to make it slot and play as in tune as possible. The Monet horn with the Monet mouthpiece obviously sounded best as it should have but how much of that was because it was your actual set up. Maybe a little, because you sounded amazing on all 3 horns. I never liked Bachs because I was a lead player in my early career and Bach strads always felt stuffy in the upper register. They were never really designed for that anyway. I currently play a copper Colicchio which I love! It's a studio model so I can use it for many different bags.
Anyway, thanks for putting out these vids and I just wanted to say I really enjoyed your Covid multi track vid of summertime.
I look forward to hearing more from you and stealing some of your shit 🤣
All the best brother!
Jean baptiste: it cuts, then it pearls at the end
Bach: it pearls then it cuts at the end
Monette: it pearls then pearls again.
Nice comparison.
What surprised me the most was that his Jean-Baptiste valves never stuck. Every student Jean-Baptiste I have ever tried had very bad valves. The change in sound quality is so gradual until he returned back to the 20k trumpet and then it was like wow. Something else that doesn't translate to the mic is the feel of the horn. Id love to try a Monette trumpet to feel the difference
Sooo, put a monette mouthpiece on any garden hose and make it sound darker, smoother, sweeter
Lol
What a trip.... I went to a Jazz club this last weekend and saw some incredible Jazz music in Portland.
I ended up going home wanting to learn to play the trumpet because of the incredible trumpet player.
After looking for a first trumpet I saw the wide variance in prices for trumpets so I wanted to hear the difference in the varying prices.
This is the video I came across...
You would not believe the look on my face when I realized the video I picked happened to be the trumpet player that got me started on the journey!
Thanks for the inspiration my man, and great show last weekend at The 1905!
Fantástico! Muito obrigado. Do som depende: 95% musicista 5% equipamento.
Lonnie's Lament on the Rajna with Monette mp seemed to sound most soulful and deeply felt by Charlie. I think 8t was not only beautiful but probably the best segment. Throughout all the excerpts the thing that most stands out is Charlie's superb mastery of trumpet and his sound. A truly great trumpet artist!
If any one sees this...
Have a nice day/night
subscribed!
My takeaway is that the mouthpeice seems to make the biggest difference in the tone and centering of each horn. The Bach has the classic commercial sound but the Monette MPC significantly mellows it out, The Monette horn has the least difference between MPC choice, but is the clear winner in overall tone and sweetness. Cool comparison, thanks!
who knew there was such a difference in trumpets and even mouthpieces. I am a guitar player and this was an eye opener.
Still my favorite trumpeter. Charlie on his Monette sounds like liquid gold poured down from the gates of Heaven. Charlie, you are a national treasure. Thank you for showing us what is possible with the right chops, the right technique, and the right equipment. Glorious. What more can I say?
Interesting comparison. I enjoyed it, I have a half dozen mouthpieces, but only one trumpet that I have played for 5 decades! I got my Bach Stradivarius, ML bore, 37 bell, in 1973, brand new, straight from the factory. I had an aunt that was a teacher / professional oboe player who was up in the Elkhart, Indiana area and she got some kind of a teacher's discount. My grandparents bought it for me after my music director indicated to them that I was a serious student, talented and truly needed a trumpet. I was a freshman in high school at the time and had been playing in band since the 6th grade with my mother's old Holton Collegiate Cornet which had been sitting in a storage room for a long time when I came across it just rummaging around. ;-) When I found it, I ran into the family room with it to my PawPaw and said, "Hey look, DOC SEVERINSON!" I was 9 years old at the time. I lived with my grandparents and my mom was there about every other weekend. When she came home, I bugged her until she taught me a Bb concert scale, how to buzz my lips and a few little things. After that, I taught myself how to play, bugging my grandparents often I am sure. I learned to play by ear a couple of years before I started playing in 6th grade and learned to read music. ;-) I never bought another trumpet. I played that Bach for over 3 decades professionally - I was a part-time musician - never tried to make a real living at it, but did 6 to 10 gigs a month for many years. The ol' Bach has been dropped (not me, an idiot friend), the bell is dented, the silver is worn off where my hands meet the horn, etc. Still plays and sounds wonderful. Pretty amazing. So, this year my trumpet will celebrate its 50th birthday. ;-)
congrats on the 50 years with your TRUE soulmate 🎉❤
Great video, and very revealing. I've had a Monette mouthpiece, for 20 years. I don't play trumpet, anymore, but my son just finished up junior high, and he used the mouthpiece with his student model trumpet. Loves it! I'm currently looking at used Bach Strad 37's, on reverb. My buddy had one, in high school, and the quality always blew me away.
Also, I wanted to ask.... your title says "can you hear the difference". Honestly, they all sound great, while in your control. What I would ask is... are you having to try harder, with the cheaper models?
What a difference the Monette mouthpiece makes on the intonation and sound quality of the Bach and JB.
Beautiful playing Charlie! You can make any horn sound great. I did hear the difference between the beginner trumpet and the others, big difference.
Man that mouthpiece made more of a difference than I thought! As for the different horns I think they've all got their place, the custom built has got a real smooth attack to each note that serves classical solo work very well but theres nothing that can substitute the tinny buzz that jazz loves ever so much from those cheaper horns.
Biggest difference is the player as always! Practice can make even the worst horn sing!
Great video, loved every bit of it, makes me wish there were these kinds of videos for the rest of the brass family.
From a young age 9 I started with a Yamaha student trumpet. In 2005, I had an Amati trumpet. I have experience playing symphony, Jazz, Ska, Marching band up into college. I played other brass as well but I haven´t played for many years now. I miss it! I am going to get back into to the trumpet and learn the acoustic guitar.
My first impressions of this video: Charlie is a pro, so a pro can make even playing from a beverage straw sound good! Having said that, @Charlie this is still a helpful video. Thank you! I hear differences between the different trumpets. I noticed a huge sound improvement when Charlie played with the Monette mouthpiece on all the trumpets. My favorite sound is the Bach. For getting back into playing, I am probably going to start with 300 euro budget with a mouthpiece that fits my style well and go from there.
Any of you have recommendations for the 300-400 euro price point (silver plated is preferable)?
What is the best way to "demo" different mouth pieces before buying?
Does somebody have experience with these brands and models?
Thomann TR 200 S Bb-Trumpet
Amati Kraslice ATR 201
Recommendations for 2023 - 2024?
Nice, thanks for the comparison!
I'm probably biased but I must say I liked Bach+MonetteMPC best for classical, and I'm not just being cheap xD
Btw, good point about getting some second hand oldies from Ebay instead of cheapo bad new trumpets. You can get really nice stuff with a lot of charm, and avoid some metal waste in the process :thumbs-up:
I admit my favorite was the Bach 37 and Monette MPC combo. The Bach had a lovely bright tone that seemed a bit tempered and warmer with the Monette. You also showed how a great musician can make anything sound beautiful. Thanks for making this!
Monette MPC is the real MVP of this vid. Makes them all sound great. As far as the horns... I wouldn't say the Monette is $18k better than the Bach IMHO.
As with almost anyone I've ever heard playing a Monette, there's a sort of subtone "halo" around the sound. In a small jazz group setting, I adore it. In virtually all other contexts, it just doesn't sound pure enough to my ear. I'll echo what many others have said here; mouthpiece over horn. The Bach seems to have the most versatile sound of the 3, and I agree that the Monette mouthpiece sounds the best of the bunch. I've learned over the years that every horn has some kind of flaw, and it really just boils down to the kind of player you are, and where your own weaknesses are. If you are weak in the same area as the horn, you probably won't like that horn. It's no surprise that there are so many great players playing such a wide variety of horns! Charlie, great video, brother. Really informative and interesting. Well shot and well played!
I feel like the difference in sound between the three horns would be a lot more obvious in a bigger room with the mics further away.
Beautifully made and played. LIke we say in the shooting disciplines, "It's the Indian, not the arrow." Your excellent playing is perfect for this comparison. To me, the 20K Rajna was clearly the mellowest of the three, while the other two were very similar in tones. Don't know if it was your familiarity with the Rajna because it's your horn, but the attack seemed more precise and on center with it. Love your videos and your music, Charlie. Can't get enough!
Man, the monette mpc on the Bach is a really great color that I found unexpected. So from a scotch perspective: The Monette isn’t quite as heavy as a Laprhroaig, maybe a nice Ardberg or Lagavullin, full. Rich. Dark. Slightly peaty. The Bach is like a good highlands, proper, lively, but not audacious. Balvenie Or Macallan. Put the monette on it and you get maybe a bit less fruity, more nutty, slightly Smokey like a Glenfiddich 18. The Jean Baptiste...that just kinda burns, like it was filtered through a sock.
Laugh out loud
There ARE a few things that I like about the $200 trumpet! it is bright and aside from the intonation issues it could be a lot worse! I started out on an Olds Cornet in 1962 and graduated to a King Tempo and then to a Bach Strad. 37.
I love the sound of the Monet with its bigger bell. Are their plastic trumpets any good, at all?
I played for 40 yars until a bout with West Nile Virus also gave me Bell's Palsy in my face! Now, I sound like a beginner, again! Where I used to be able to pop a Super C without warming up, I can barely get to a G above the staff!
I love the Bach and the Monet and for a beginner the $200 trumpet is an OK buy but, as you said, there are MANY more that would be vastly superior to it on EBay and other places, and in the same price range!!
Thanks for the comparrison! It was a stretch to afford the Bach when I got it and now, being on Social Security, the Monet would be totally out of the question! Besides, I can't play worth a darn anymore, anyway!
if i was playing a big band i would like the cheap horn. that sucker can cut !
of course they might kick me out due to intonation........
LOL
Yeah... I love my strad + monette + heavy caps but it does struggle to cut through a big band!
😂👌
The Batista and Bach both had an elevated Valve sound as in a clicking. Your high dollar horn had no valve clicking. All sounded great. The lower the value the airier the pitch. Correct me if I am wrong please.
You sound amazing Mr.porter
Hello Charlie! Nice job you've done in the video. Never got to test them myself. You sound beautifully on all trumpets. Greetings from, São Paulo, Brazil!
Whoah, I've never seen a monette trumpet. They look super cool and sound amazing too. The monette mouthpiece is the best value change IMO. It turns the cheapest trumpet into something very professional sounding, though the mouthpiece probably costs as much as the trumpet in that case. The Bach trumpet with the monette mouthpiece sounds very similar to the cheapest one with the monette mouthpiece in my opinion, though the Bach mouthpiece on the Bach trumpet has a very distinct sound.
dang ... that Monette mouthpiece really seemed to help ALL the horns as far as my ears go !!! it rounds all of the edges into pads of golden butter made from fountains of fudge pudding :-) im actually super impressed by this test and that never happens .. thank you for taking the time to do such a methodical thing! you are a fantastic trumpet player! i hope to hear you in KC sometime soon!
My opinion: Monette horn + Monette mouth piece the best, hands down. Bach horn + Monette MP the next best, excellent too if you want a brighter sound. It seems the mouthpiece play a very important part. Even JB horn sounds much more better with a Monette MP. JB horn with nameless MP is totally rubbish.
Goes to show that this kind of talent behind the instrument can make all of the above very usable in the right context especially with regards from an audience perspective. And wow, and what a difference the mouthpiece made. Stunning. Someone did a test like this comparing half a dozen Telecasters (cheap to custom shop to vintage). The sound was so similar it more boils down to feel and playability than final sound in the mix. That Raj is INSPIRING to hold and play I'll recon.
Charlie, awe-inspiring as always. I’m a woodwind guy that’s learning French horn and trumpet. I’m about 50 hours of practice in, and your embouchure videos have helped a great deal. I’m playing on an Olds Ambassador [cornet?] SN 761428 that I picked up for $80 in a pawn shop with a case and a Bach 7C.
I’ve developed the range from the low F# to a high C, and can squeak higher. Working on connecting things together and playing phrases rather than just notes right now. That air support thing. Would love to do a short online lesson sometime. Cheers!
I am 75 years old and have been playing a trumpet (and bugle in the drum & bugle corps activity) for 65 of those years. I own several horns, but none terribly expensive; I think my custom Kanstul silver plated trumpet was the priciest and play the most (I use a less expensive one for playing TAPS with the local veterans Honor Guard - occasionally, I play my 3 valve "G" Bugle by Kanstul for what seems to me to be a richer tone) . . . for drum corps, I liked the brighter sound; but, for other purposed I like the mellower tones . . . I currently use a Parduba-Double Cup (6) . . . . . Thanks for this post . . . At my age, I still may get back to experimenting!
"Fat, dark sound". It seems to me that over the decades they have made trumpets to sound more like cornets, and cornets to sound more like trumpets, so today there's not much difference in sound between a trumpet and a cornet.
I have a 1971 Yamaha-made Conn 19A Director cornet that many would say sounds halfway between a cornet and a trumpet. There was quite a trend in the 1970s toward blurring the lines in tone between the two; I suspect it was all part of an effort to get band instruments into the hands of small students, which I think was mostly a good thing. For what it's worth, I love my YamaConn a lot more than my Strad 37.
Great that I found you on the tube. Cool comparison
You're making me consider getting Monette mouthpiece after post-Covid wages kick in again. Intonation difference just on the scales alone was jarring.
SCJ Drill Designs They’re exceptional. If you play without tension the Prana version is the way to go. If that’s not the case their standard is a huge upgrade too.
Don't know if it's true, but I heard Monette has their mouthpieces on sale at the end of each year.
@@tjnaples the more relaxed I've become, the more I've realized I have to muscle notes in tune up high, or else they're flatter than pancakes.
SCJ Drill Designs One of the many reasons Dave makes mouthpieces and trumpets, so you don’t have to put up with bullshit like that.
Man, just do it...
Its a game changer!
Amazing. I can still pick out the Strad 37 without looking after all these years. I've not played mine with much frequency since 1999.
The monette mouthpiece really steps up the quality of the tone 👍🏾
The Monette is clarified butter; the most beautiful trumpet sound of the trio.
Then the Bach 37 w/ Monette mpc, and last, the Jean Baptiste sounded surprisingly well with the Monette mpc.
As you can tell, I prefer a darker trumpet sound. Beautiful playing overall, by the way.
It sounds like the Monette mouthpiece really smooths the Bach. Just initial impressions, and I'm a trombone player not a trumpet player, so I'm not really that well versed on other aspects of these models. I do concern myself with "bang for the buck". The Monette sounds just great, but I'm just not the kind who would put that much into a horn, even one that great. Maybe if I worked in a major orchestra.
And you sound great. I'm sure I'd be super happy to have you in any group I found myself in. Nice vibrato. Good approach.
The mouthpiece also makes a world of a difference. I have to get me one after this sound test. Love it! Thanks for posting!