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That was actually called a "trombone with 7 bells" built by Adolphe Sax, its inventor.

and no, you can NOT play chords on it!
But no awkward fingering, just one valve at a time ! (If you press more than one only the shortest one is working )

UncleBeer wrote: ↑Thu Mar 30, 2023 8:47 pm That was actually called a "trombone with 7 bells" built by Adolphe Sax, its inventor.

yep...It sure looks French.

Snake Charmer wrote: ↑Thu Mar 30, 2023 10:27 pm and no, you can NOT play chords on it!
But no awkward fingering, just one valve at a time ! (If you press more than one only the shortest one is working )

What if you half valve it?

Interesting thought! I would love to try, but I don't think the museum would let me
The sound would be compromised, even with the Sax hybrid valves (which are in fact modified berlin valves!) working great half-valved (at least on my cavalry trombone)

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peterbas wrote: ↑Fri Mar 31, 2023 2:35 pm

bloke wrote: ↑Thu Mar 30, 2023 10:56 pm

UncleBeer wrote: ↑Thu Mar 30, 2023 8:47 pm That was actually called a "trombone with 7 bells" built by Adolphe Sax, its inventor.

yep...It sure looks French.

But Sax was a Belgian.

for roughly a third of his life, but - if you're going to nitpick - the part of Belgium that he was born in was - at that time - part of Holland, yes?

Whenever I've bought junk Mahillon instruments from Belgians - to repair other ones, I've had to communicate with them in French.

I'm thinking that he sold his company (in Paris) to Henri Selmer...so are Selmer saxophones the only "real" saxophones...or no?

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Between Sax and Selmer ownership the business was run by Millereaux

Hmmm. I don't think I have ever seen a bass shawm before. Thanks.

How do you play the sharp or flat note?

CCC

It works like a kind of digital trombone slide. No valve=1st position, 1st valve 1/2 step down, 2nd valve whole step down etc.. For sharp or flat you just take the next valve higher or lower.
The system is more intuitive to play (like the trombone slide) for having no valve combinations, but with the effort of six valves for the the range of a standard trombone or three-valved horn. Sax offered this system also with a single bell, which proved to be more useable in daily live.

iiipopes wrote: ↑Sat Apr 01, 2023 7:20 am Hmmm. I don't think I have ever seen a bass shawm before. Thanks.

They are still being made: https://shop.voigt-brass.de/SCHALMEIEN/INSTRUMENTE/3/

I missed where the shawm came in. The one in the middle is, I believe, a bass.


Shawms of various sorts are still in use today in parts of the world, but I think no more basses.

donn wrote: ↑Tue Apr 04, 2023 2:03 pm Shawms of various sorts are still in use today in parts of the world, but I think no more basses.

If you absolutely must have one, it looks like Guntram Wolf will make one for you. He does have a 12-14 month waiting list, though.

https://www.dulcians.org/gw_workshop.htm

Check out the eighth photo down.

Guntram Wolf
Im Ziegelwinkel 13
D-96317 Kronach
Germany