New to doubling on Baritone

[Grumpikins]

Went to my first rehearsal as a baritone ish player tonight..... missed the last 2 rehearsals because we've had a lot going on the last 3 weeks, two surgeries (different family members) and a cold virus going through everybody in the house... while I did go over the tunes and work on sections that looked troublesome a little bit when I wasn't snotting and coughing all over. It definitely was not enough. But, I wasn't completely awful. What I found most challenging is that I'm filling a different voice in the group listening to and countering my home base. It's strange. There are 3 weeks and 2 rehearsals before our concert.... there are a few spots I'm just not going to play, I cant hit much above Eb over the staff. So I'll be hammering a handful of sections and that will be it. It was also really challenging to manage the intonation of this horn as this is my first go with it in an ensamble and my chops being tuba oriented.

All that being said, I had fun. It is really challenging and I'm glad to be doing it.

[gocsick]

there are a few spots I'm just not going to play, I cant hit much above Eb over the staff. So I'll be hammering a handful of sections and that will be it.

All that being said, I had fun. It is really challenging and I'm glad to be doing it.

For the low brass choir I play euphonium in, the arranger keeps 2nd euph to G. First parts reliably go up to C or sometimes D. I play second.

I found two excerpts really helpful for working on range. First was the baritone solo from Brisk Young Sailor which has a lip slur up to the Eb. Then when I was really comfortable with that I pulled out the March from Holst's 2nd Suite which has the euphonium solo that goes up to the G. I remember playing solo Euph on the Holst 30 years ago in high school and those Gs seemed so easy during practice but were terrifying during the concert!

The G seemed to be a transition note. Once I was able to reliably hit that G getting up to the Bb was a piece of cake. For the longest time my F was strong but that G was a bear.

I agree it is a ton of fun, keep at it!

[Grumpikins]

I have now spent more money on mouthpieces than I did on this baritone. But, I found one that really works well. Thank you to Martin man for the two very nice pieces. The king m21 is a hit. My son also picked it out of the group as the best combo. Now I'm enjoying this so much, im thinking I would like to get my hands on a flugabone. I think they're pretty cool. I'm not a fan of playing trombone. It's just not my bag, baby. I had one for a long time and sold it cheap to a local school for thier beginner band kids. The flugabone seems like a better fit for me. A tromboneish sound in a more compact package. Not a marching euph, too bulky. I think. Anyways. I'm just rambling now, sorry.

[gocsick]

I keep looking for a flugabone. I want one .... but not $500+ want one.. and that seems to be the going rate.

[jtm]

... What I found most challenging is that I'm filling a different voice in the group listening to and countering my home base. It's strange. ...

I'm playing trombone this cycle, and I love getting to play inside the chords rather than (almost) always under them. It's fresh and fun. And that's just a bonus, since the trombone parts on the John Williams charts just generally more fun than the tuba parts.

[Mary Ann]

So your baritone takes a trombone shank? I missed something somewhere -- American (British?) baritone as opposed to euph? My friend who is morphing to euph from trumpet has range problems and right now is on a 12C but even that is giving him trouble up above the staff, but he's a "smile and press" player from way back and unable to change.

I'm glad you're having fun -- sounds like my latter days on strings, when I found that the viola part in string quartets, which I did a LOT of, was the most fun because I got to be in the middle and listen to what was going on around me without being stuck on the solo part. You can sort of relax when you're in the middle.

[Grumpikins]

I keep looking for a flugabone. I want one .... but not $500+ want one.. and that seems to be the going rate.

Totally agree. That's just too much. Maybe $200, tops. Or a junk one a shop wont try to fix. I'll give it a go. I dont need great and shiny, just working.

[Grumpikins]

So your baritone takes a trombone shank? I missed something somewhere -- American (British?) baritone as opposed to euph? My friend who is morphing to euph from trumpet has range problems and right now is on a 12C but even that is giving him trouble up above the staff, but he's a "smile and press" player from way back and unable to change.

Yup. It's a small shank, small bore horn. I'll measure the bore next week.

[Grumpikins]

This is the baritone I'm playing. For referemce.

viewtopic.php?p=90442#p90442

[Grumpikins]

S/n 196659. Looks like 1957. Based on the lists I could find that have been described as dubious at best.

[MikeS]

This is the baritone I'm playing. For referemce.

viewtopic.php?p=90442#p90442

Having peeked at the photo, Olds Ambassador baritones had .560” bores and 11.25” bells. They fit into the “American baritone” class of instruments. They have, like you mentioned, tenor trombone sized mouthpiece receivers. The very first brass instrument I played was an Ambassador baritone. I recall using a Bach 11 mouthpiece with it, but I was in fifth or sixth grade then. It should work a treat for concert band use.