...but this horn has haunted my dreams for months, and now (as of August 8, 2000), from half-way around the world, it's all mine. 

As I learn its secrets, and its strength (and its weaknesses), I'll be setting them down here.  Now that I've made it to the platform with the Evangelical Free Church of Fullerton orchestra, those experiences will be found here as well.

This is a very powerful horn.  I'm just bringing it (and myself) into tune, and the rotary valves, which I was happy to note respond more quickly than the old Olds' piston valves, are loosening up.
The brass body is a good weight.  Certainly nothing tinny about this horn.  The valve assembly is very solid, and the minibal linkages are silent and smooth.

I would like to go to a smaller cup mouthpiece.  The supplied mouthpiece, marked "3G," is okay, but I've been using a Bach 15C (tenor shank) to help with the high register (while not affecting the low register in any way), and the horn has a European shank.  I've been considering even going to a Bach 15CW, but will have to see if it comes in the European shank.

The Silent Brass system makes it hard to hear the low tones.  I'll just have to bother people.

The valves have freed up completely.  One water key seems to be enough.  The main tuning slide is hard to move.  Too much play in the tubing, or the surfaces still have to wear down a bit.  I hope it frees up.

The 5th valve tuning slide collects water, which may be why there is only one water key below.  Maybe a small water key would have been called for here.

The main tuning slide is still binding.  This will have to work smoothly in order to tune during performance.  It must be the finish of the slide ends, and the tubing it fits into - all of it nickel-silver.  I'm using a high quality Benge slide grease, but it is red for some reason, and tends to permeate everything.  Water drips off a horn pink.

I'm still very impressed with the sound, and the valve response.  It's my response I'm worried about.  At this point I feel the instrument is very much in tune.  Even alternative fingerings, and standard fingerings seem to be identical sounds.

I've written to Cervený about my tuning slide problem.

I was a bit disappointed, as I had hoped for rousing renditions of STAR WARS, JAWS, and RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (call me "Mr. Cliché").  I think Mr. Williams was presenting his favorites, not the publics, but enough encores brought out "Indiana Jones" and JAWS themes.  The orchestra was excellent, although the bulldozer which decided to make several trips up and down the road (at 10PM) right behind the shell, during lulls between pieces, was a bit distracting.

The orchestra at EV Free was back in force today, after a six week vacation.  Two tubas.  Even the Hammond organ.  I felt like I should have been up there, ready or not.  You can hide behind two tubas <g>

There's a full rehearsal Wednesday.  I'll be there.

I returned the Denis Wick mouthpiece to ABI.   I've been talked out of enlarging the receiver on the horn by their technician.  That won't work.  Something about a "reverse Morse taper." 

Chuck Drinkworth at Whittaker Music said he'd check with Boosey & Hawkes about a Denis Wick SM3 mouthpiece with a European shank.  I loved that mouthpiece.  It felt great, and I seemed to have no trouble going from the top to the bottom of the range. 

And it was gold plated.

The horn carries easily to the back wall.  I'll have to tone it down a bit.  No wonder it points to the side.

Again, thanks to George Seger, president of Amati-Denak USA, for his personal help.

The show was tremendous.

The Cervený performed well.  I find it hard to hear the highs in a large group.  They get lost, not to the audience (or should I say "congregation"?), but to the player.  I guess, considering the situation, I should play on faith.

Two services, the second delayed by a major power outage which caused the tech computers to have to be rebooted.  Without Powerpoint on the screens, all is lost...

Still waiting for that Steven Mead mouthpiece, but the Cervený does well.  I certainly spew a good deal of water.  I'm glad the 5th valve slide captures much of it.

The plans for the new construction in the worship center sound fantastic.  But they need to purchase some Varilites, and put the house lights on a dimmer.  The lighting technician was seen reaching behind his head to turn them off by a simple light switch.  Much too jarring.

No luck with the Steven Mead mouthpiece.  After poor communication with Boosey & Hawkes for a month, they finally told me it couldn't be done.  Hopefully I can find a custom mouthpiece maker to make me a similar mouthpiece.  The Steven Mead SM3 was perfect.

I'm finding some interesting things about this horn.  I can now hit a low Bb (below the staff), but haven't found the B and C in between that and the legitimate low D which should be the low end of the horn's range.  The Bb is in tune, and really sounds like a tuba.  The 5th valve drops the tone one half-step, and is really necessary to play notes below the low F. 

I can see how the nickel-silver rim keeps the note from breaking up.  It holds the sound together.

On October 25 Kevin Tison presented the bass section with a great surprise.  An unnamed member of the orchestra has given two Miraphone model 186-4 tubas to the church.  Harvey and Jim were beyond words.  From fearing they would not have instruments, they have gone to joy at the new horns, which play like a dream.  These are new instruments.  Basically a matched set, they have, like my Cervený, a nickel-silver rim.  This should allow them to really dig in and blow.  Also, having upright bells, they can be set down in limited space, instead of having to be held during prolonged rests and announcements.

On Sunday morning they sounded perfect.  What a great sound.  Now I face the task of matching that sound.

By the way, I tried playing one of the new Miraphones.  I'll stick to my smaller euphonium.

I'm off for a week.  I had a cardiac catheterization on Oct. 30, and have missed Wednesday rehearsal, and will sit out this Sunday, Nov. 5.  Next week it's back to normal.
 

I had to give up on the Denis Wick SM3 mouthpiece I'd bought, at least for now.  I think it's just TOO comfortable.

I tried the Denis Wick SM3 again.  I ended up going back to the Cervený after a few minutes.

Although the rim is a bit smooth, making me work harder on some notes, I'm getting used to it, and it is easier on the chops.