Posted by Ken H on April 28, 2002 at 18:21:30:
In Reply to: Holton 6/4 in my living room..what to do posted by Tony E on April 27, 2002 at 23:32:04:
I had thought of coming in on your earlier post. IF the Holton really "feels" like the extension of yourself musically which you are aiming for buy it and use it. Jake used the York and at times the Holton copy for quintet work, often with the adjustable cup Schilke and not many people who heard him "live" would have complained about the sound or balance. While I was studying with him I was using a King 6/4BBb (4RV Monster) in the Chicago Brass Quintet (as well as dixie work and everything else). I generally used a Helleberg, or if I really wanted to brighten the sound a custom Schilke which Ren Sr. made for me which was actually intended as a match for the Alex F (the one in Song & Wind after it had been converted to 7 Valve). Over the years the King got used for ALL kinds of work.
As for the tuning issues - you might be amazed to find that the tuner might tell you all kinds of things which, if you let them influence you, will send you right up the wall thinking the horn has intonation problems. Play in anything from duets to full orchestras and use your ears and have the pitch concepts coming from that "tape recorder in the brain" and you will find you can play a lot of things in tune which the machine will tell you can not be done. Use your brain to establish the input to the horn and if it is a good megaphone it will respond and amplify what you are thinking.
On the issue of using tuners to decide if a given horn has good intonation, consider this question......... To what tonic is its tempered scale constructed? There are a lot of different keys to play in!
If you love it, buy it if you can afford it. Play it everywhere you can and the horn will "adapt to you" if it is THE RIGHT ONE. OR........ you'll not stay in love with it.