Having watched many Doc Severinsen performances through the years and on RU-vid, my opinion is he's the GOAT trumpetist. Not to mention performing for years at elite level on the Tonight Show with the NBC Orchestra.
Choice of {3 vs. 1-2}, less things to go wrong. (On some trumpets, depending on who and equipment, I can tell the difference, lots do not utilize the third valve slide with the valve for intonation). (But on) Trombone we only have 4th position, no choice! Tone color on Trombone also a choice ("D" second space in first or 4th). Euphonium has so many different fingerings for intonation, your advice is always great for all brass musicians!
I've been tinkering with more-dense 4th valve combos on the 5th-7th partials. For example, Basically sounds like a large bore french horn-- more held back and admittedly, struggling with tuning XD Some of them help correct tendency or chord tuning, and others are altogether unusable.
I find that this is particularly important when in the compensating range. 1-2-4 is very different from 3-4. I have also found that 1-3 can be preferable to 4th due to not using the second set of ports on the valves, but it's use is of course limited to contexts where the intonation error can be managed, either by lip or by slide pulling.
For me, playing an Adams E2 or even a Sterling Virtuoso, I use 3rd valve to play concert G (4th space in bass clef) or A (second space in treble clef). Both of those horns reveals an extremely sharp note using 1-2 versus 3rd valve. But I have learned to deal with that as I find the inherent qualities of the Adams E2 exceptional for me. Thanks, Dave, for your continued teachings.
I played that in high school, but Rafael Mendez's version imitating a recording, just for fun with no accompaniment. It was more fun playing it on a baritone which was my instrument in the band.
This is one of the most beautiful horns I've ever seen. Very rarely do we see low brass instruments get the same "hair and nails" we see with the high end trumpets.
This might take a minute, but bear with me… My oldest brother Chip played trumpet and he was pretty good. My dad grew up with Al Hirt and he was really good. And I got to see Louis Armstrong play when I was a kid back in the late 60s. And Doc… well Doc was really good too! What amazed me about those three that separated themselves from someone like my brother was just how unbelievably loud they could blow with such quality! I mean it’s pristine! And the fact that Doc is going to be 97 is just a wonder! Thanks for posting and bringing back all of those memories for me.
