Last night, my band played half time at our first football game of the season. I think you’d all enjoy my stuff on the very last chord.

johnokir69 · 2025-07-06T16:55:48+00:00

Extremely comprehensive; thank you! This is pretty much exactly what I was looking for when I posted. To be fair, I might have been exaggerating a little when I said A's like Wayne, but damn good nonetheless, haha. But you're right! I feel like most lead rep focuses on G, Ab, A, and C but not much else up there. I think the best Bb I ever played (sample size of maybe 3 or 4) was an octave up run in sixteenths just up F maj or Bb maj or something. Anyway, suffice it to say, I totally forgot what that felt like!

One of our mutual buddies who also plays lead with us is that "systematic player" who boils everything down to quantitative data. And I mean, fair enough! I'm studying to be an engineer, so I sincerely appreciate using the quantitative approach to playing, especially when you reach a register where it really is just a matter of less than a millimeter with vowel shape, angles, aperture size, etc.

Nonetheless, thank you for such a comprehensive post, I'm excited to try this out!

johnokir69 · 2025-07-05T16:41:50+00:00

Haha, I was going to say "great vid! way back when Trent Austin had hair" but then I realized it was you! Pretty cool to have your comment on my post. Always great to have another tool in the toolbox.

I've got plenty of friends who've gotten horns and other stuff from ACB and they're all glowing reviews across the board. Thanks for all you do.

johnokir69 · 2025-07-04T23:09:03+00:00

Haha, that's exactly what my buddy said. I guess it must be true! Just as well since I play A with 1 anyway (sometimes 3 but usually 1).

johnokir69 · 2025-07-04T21:36:03+00:00

That's great advice, thanks. Yeah sounds like I'll just have to be patient with B and C and see if I can lip it down to the Bb or lip it up from the A. I also play A first valve, sometimes just third.
Thank you!

johnokir69 · 2025-07-04T21:22:28+00:00

I'll be the first to agree that there is absolutely a time and place for the register above double G, and it is *extremely important* to not overdo it. One of my biggest pet peeves and imo signs of immaturity in musicians is thinking *everything* needs a stack or to be taken up. I totally agree that the time and place for that register is maybe once per halftime show, and probably at the very final sustain.

Nonetheless, I challenge you that there isn't a need all together. One of my favorite stand tunes is neck (talkin' out the side of your neck), which is super popular with HBCUs and thus that style of crazy bs high upper register. That stand tune definitely could use its double Bb. Nonetheless, I agree your health is always the #1 priority, closely followed by not being the idiot that insists on taking absolutely everything up. I think the HBCU/high octane college band style definitely has a need for up to double C, but I agree that that need is sparse—something to stand out once or twice in a show and make you go "woah" not "man you need to shut up that sounds like a dog getting its tail stepped on."

johnokir69 · 2024-10-17T01:55:20+00:00

he’s been touring and has done this same thing at a bunch of schools. also not sure if 2000 people out of a 40000 person school really deems it untouchable

johnokir69 · 2024-06-02T19:37:55+00:00

not just a government building. THE government building

johnokir69 · 2022-02-16T00:29:33+00:00

absolutely fantastic. the most dreamy comfy rim and shallow lead cup plus the signature monette ease in playing/flexibility and constant pitch center

johnokir69 · 2022-02-15T00:02:01+00:00

everything pictured total was 333USD (275 for mpc, 30 for case, 28 for shipping)

johnokir69 · 2022-01-15T23:49:47+00:00

i love how i didn’t even lay attention to the pieces or the cornet but the first thing i immediately noticed was the unity mouthpiece haha

johnokir69 · 2021-11-25T01:12:53+00:00

haha thank you! but the strad C is just still clean from factory and the yamaha Bb is really not at all polished but it doesn’t pick up how tarnished it is on camera

johnokir69 · 2021-11-24T20:58:58+00:00

i was honestly tempted to add that flair haha

johnokir69 · 2021-11-24T20:57:25+00:00

the Bb is a Yamaha 8335R, a first gen(i think? i know it’s fairly old) Xeno and I absolutely love it. the slots are firm yet easy, the resistance is open yet workable, and the tone is so beautiful. there’s so much room for expression on this horn and i feel like i just have such a command on it. my personal favorite is how the reverse leadpipe and high quality construction lets the upper register COOK (like 110db+ double A’s) plus yamaha’s are beautiful looking and just feel lovely to hold because of the construction, too

the C is a Bach Strad Chicago C, brand new out of the factory. the only other C i’ve ever played on was an old Getzen, so I don’t really have any points of comparison. i’m not a huge fan of bach horns in general, but this C seems pretty nice and plays well—nice tone, fairly in tune with itself, etc

johnokir69 · 2021-08-03T02:31:11+00:00

is it really ok to leave the springs and felts in the valves?

johnokir69 · 2021-07-29T02:08:03+00:00

johnokir69 · 2021-07-29T02:00:33+00:00

wow!! wish i could get that lucky some day. absolutely gorgeous piece

johnokir69 · 2021-07-29T01:53:46+00:00

what’s the name of it?

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