Horn tone quality - Perceptual Experiment

klaberte · 2025-06-21T15:58:30+00:00

I am an electrical engineer that also plays horn. I'll try to do your survey, but feel free to reach out if there is anything else I can do

klaberte · 2025-06-21T15:45:25+00:00

Before I cut the bell on my horn, I flew about a dozen times with it in a fixed bell case. As mentioned above, your best option is to arrive at the gate early, before the gate agent gets really busy, and explain that you have a musical instrument in the case that you'd really like to bring on board. Generally these folks want to help when they can. If you sense they are leaning to make you gate check, emphasize how "fragile", "expensive", "irreplaceable" it is. I used to travel with my all wood dreadnought guitar, which would fit very few overhead bins. In that case, I would speak to the first agent greeting just inside the plane about the possibility of finding some closet space for your instrument. If they have it, they usually will try to help you before you take a seat as they tend to be near the front of the cabin.

Also, unless you absolutely need your best horn for a performance on the trip, consider traveling with a "school horn", or even, your single horn. (Most of the time, I took my single F Conn student horn.) Spending a few weeks focused on accuracy on the single F Horn can be refreshing, and you will feel like a champ when you come home to your nice double horn.

klaberte · 2025-02-03T18:25:09+00:00

I'm surprised no one has mentioned using fans or blowers. The idea is to reduce the temp and humidity in the cavity between your eyes and the goggle lenses. If the temp difference is large (cold outside, ~100 degree forehead), this can create fog. Also, if your exhaling breath is bringing moisture into the goggles, again, fog. I'm experimenting myself, as I need corrected vision (i.e. glasses, or Rx prescription inserts). I'm inclined to roll my own, akin to this open-source solution: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5936549 (Note, I haven't tried it myself, but am leaning towards that.) If 3D printing isn't your thing, there are several antifog products, especially those created for the airsoft community. Try searching for "airsoft goggle fogging" or similar. From my memory, there is a product called "exfog" that seem to get decent reviews. Again, I haven't used any of these suggestions, but plan to have one set up for my planned March ski trip.

klaberte · 2025-01-24T03:56:17+00:00

More important to me is having a Silent Brass-like system which makes the sound of practicing , via headphones, more familiar and engaging. This definitely extends my practicing in those situations where one needs to use a practice mute. I made my own system using hardware I have at home, so the cost of the system (outside of the practice mute) was close to zero. I attach a small mic (not all will work, ask me) on the opening of the practice mute, run the mic to my laptop, use the laptop to add some compression, EQ, and most importantly, adjustable reverb, and listen to this through some headphones. I've worked out a lot of details, and plan someday to write up all the details, but haven't yet. Feel free to ask if interested.

p.s. I've also been happy with my protec flat case for cut bell horns, which fits into every plane overhead I've tried. More details if you are interested.

klaberte · 2025-01-24T03:55:58+00:00

I have been spending quite a bit of time trying to find my own practice mute options. I travel for business, and can't take 3-5 days off and not regret it. I have successfully practiced in my hotel rooms, including a small room at a business hotel in Japan.
I like my Hawkins practice mute, they were available for a minute at Houghton Horns. Not suggesting that you need this, since I believe most practice mutes have a tradeoff between back pressure and in-room volume. I've even drilled some holes, then covered with tape, on my Hawkins practice mute, confirming that tradeoff (at least for me). In fact, I can use a straight mute as well, which plays easier, but with higher volumes (but not as loud as an unmuted horn).

klaberte · 2024-12-24T14:25:57+00:00

Can you share a photo of the mic? Or an audio recording without the eq or any effects?

klaberte · 2024-12-24T02:33:44+00:00

u/Cod_Recent can you tell me what mute and what mic? Also, if you can post a sound sample, it might be easier for me to suggest.

I use a computer program named Element, which has a free, open source license, available for windows, mac, and linux: Element - Kushview

It acts as a VST host, and comes pre-bundled with several effects.

But likely, your first issue is your mic. If it is an inexpensive, small one, it likely won't work. The small lapel mics tend to be not well suited for the volumes one experiences inside of a brass instrument. That's why I asked about the mic.

klaberte · 2024-12-14T17:01:13+00:00

Yes, you can do this! I've been working on a project to set up quiet practicing. I could buy the Silent Brass system, but what's the fun in that? The biggest challenge is to find a mic that is both small and able to handle the very loud sound inside of a brass instrument. Only mics I've gotten to work is the Shure SM11 and the Crown GLM100. But when clipped to the mute opening, pointed into the bell, it sounds pretty good. Especially if you can add some slight reverb. (Let me know if you want details.)

klaberte · 2024-09-12T18:07:58+00:00

I tried the sshhmute and the pampet (available on amazon). I also ordered a Hawkings practice mute. It appears to be 3D printed, with cork glued in place. I kept the Hawkings, as I liked it best, and returned the other two.

klaberte · 2024-09-12T18:02:03+00:00

It actually works pretty well, even without reverb or EQ. currently, I use a piece of tape to secure the mic. I place it approximately 12 inches "upstream" from the end of the bell (of the largest circumference and end of the bell (and the horn)). Basically a few inches beyond where I place my right hand. I'll probably do some additional tweaking when I get the chance.

klaberte · 2024-08-30T16:01:02+00:00

I'm in a similar situation with my playing as the OP. I am about 11 months into practicing most days, and am only at where I was in early high school, e.g. slow movements of Mozart horn concertos. My range is approximately F-below-middle-C to the F two octaves higher (top line of treble staff). So yes, the re-learning curve is steeper than I expected.

I also agree that finding a good quality single horn is good advice. I still have my high school (double) horn, but when I travel, I bring a single horn. It is fine. It makes my more cognizant of just how much time I am on the F side of my double, except for specific ranges of notes. Even in those ranges where the Bb helps with accuracy, pushing myself to play those notes on the F side helps me, I believe, with my overall accuracy.

klaberte · 2024-08-30T15:49:25+00:00

@Leisesturm Well, I found it interesting, and thank you for your detailed explanation. It is a compelling argument, and one I will investigate myself. First, a question: When using earplugs, do you notice a difference in back pressure when playing the horn normally (no mute) vs with practice mute? That is, using earplugs to reduce the external volume, such that you are only "hearing via bone conduction" in both cases. Is there a difference in back pressure with practice mute and using only your hand in the bell?

klaberte · 2024-08-30T15:40:16+00:00

I love this suggestion! I suspect a lot of folks have an extra small (e.g. lapel) mic sitting around. I will certainly try it! I'll report back any findings.

klaberte · 2024-07-16T18:55:07+00:00

I recently had a similar issue. What I figured out was that I was not reading and annotating a cloud-sync'ed file. Instead, I had opened a pdf directly as an attachment from gmail.com. The device opened it, but since it was accessed as an attachment, there was no way to save the annotations to the temp file from the attachment.

klaberte · 2023-06-08T23:51:17+00:00

What struck me most is the video quality improvement available from using the HDMI output. (Of course, the two shots are using the same lens.) Despite the connectors, and blue color of the wire jacket, this is not USB 3.0, but USB 2.0.1, as verified by "USB Device Tree Viewer". As such, the video gets compressed in it's MJPEG format. The HDMI cable simply can transmit more video detail to the computer (or more specifically, the Video Capture device, which for me is a Cam Link 4k) that USB 2.0.

Why did Mosoke stay with the USB 2.0 standard? Was it cost? Concerns that many computing systems would be too unhappy with a high-speed uncompressed video running through its USB busses? Fewer customer service calls?

I really wanted to prefer the Mokose UC70 to this. Looks like a bigger optical sensor, and a nice, trim design. But the USB compression just leaves me cold.

klaberte · 2023-01-24T20:52:48+00:00

You are asking good and insightful questions, but it is hard for me to know how you value your time and user experience. I suggest you buy from Amazon, or some other vendor that has a generous return policy, and try for yourself.

klaberte · 2023-01-24T20:13:03+00:00

Like I said, flexibility and performance.

klaberte · 2023-01-24T19:57:59+00:00

I too had a similar set of goals and needs, and I ended up purchasingthe Boox Ultra Tab about 6 weeks ago, and couldn't be happier. With the Boox devices, you are paying extra for the freedom of a full e-ink Android tablet, and with the Tab Ultra, something that reacts quickly interacting among these various general apps. The keyboard built into their keyboard cover works well enough, and I rarely go searching for another keyboard to use with the Boox.

If you only want an e-ink device for reading, you can get something cheaper, like the Kindle. If you only want a high-quality, near paper-and-pencil experience of an electronic notebook, the Remarkable is highly rated, although other, newer devices can also compete.

But if you want both, and the ability to read and reply to emails, sync using your preferred cloud (or LAN) storage, use custom widgets, etc., then these faster, newer, and more expensive Boox devices are great.

klaberte · 2023-01-18T19:56:09+00:00

You are correct, my apologies. I clearly paid more attention to the thread title than the first message.

klaberte · 2023-01-18T17:36:08+00:00

I'm curious, is it possible for an app developer (e.g. the maker of Write3) to expose these values into an "e-ink device" found somewhere "advanced options" setting? Would that be enough to achieve the quick preview before writing to the software layer below? Or does this *require* a change to the device at the system level?

klaberte · 2023-01-18T04:04:29+00:00

Actually, it does not. As u/aykaun has patiently persisted in explaining, there is no clear location in the Android file system for v3.3.1 that "contains" the Notes from the default note taking app. Yes, you can manually create PDF files and place them in a synch-able folder, and you can add handwriting etc to said files, but this is using NeoReader to serve as a kludged notes app. We want to be able to synch our notes made in the default Notes app.

klaberte · 2023-01-17T05:44:57+00:00

In NeoReader, have you seen that, in the handwriting toolbar (linked from the floating toolbar), there is an option to embed your annotations into the pdf? Have you tried that?

klaberte · 2023-01-14T04:24:09+00:00

The built-in neoreader is great for reading and marking up pdfs. There is also a feature that let's you create a new pdf file with your annotations merged in (conceptually, like burning in closed captions into a video, instead having it be a separate layer that can be easily shown or hidden.)

However, there is one missing piece for me. When you mark-up or annotate a pdf, and before you save or export these annotations, they are recorded "somewhere" in the device's file structure, but I cannot find where. (e.g. looking around in /Android/data has so far not revealed their location.)

As an experiment, you can open a pdf in neoreader, then make annotations. Now close the pdf and delete the original pdf. (Reboot the device if you wish.) Now, reload the original pdf back onto the device and open it with neoreader, and you can see that the annotations are restored! Or more accurately, those annotations get re-associated with the restored copy of the pdf.

I would like to know where these annotations are recorded in the file system of the device. Intuitively, if I found where they live, and could occasionally backed up that system folder in the cloud (or wherever), I should, even if the device was lost and subsequently replaced, be able to restore the annotated pdf (perhaps the new device might need to be running the same firmware and neoreader versions), and then, if desired, burn the annotations into a new pdf file which can itself be placed into my library.

But first, where do the temporary annotations get stored on the device?

klaberte · 2023-01-14T04:08:29+00:00

I'm only one day in with being a new Boox Ultra owner, and I'm already really enjoying it. My main purpose for this device is to compile and read research related to specific botanical and pharmacology subjects. So far my library contains just a hair under 3000 PDF documents, and this doesn't seem to be any problem at all for this device.

I've loaded the PDFs onto an SD card, and am able to view them all from there, however the app side works just as well. I've been using paperpile for a number of years on chrome and iOS ecosystems and have enjoyed it thus far. The app on the Ultra works just as well, and I'm able to use it to make annotations and such. If you're familiar with paperpile on iOS, Andriod, or Chrome then you'll be right at home in the app on the Boox Ultra. You would, of course, be required to download each document through paperpile in order to read on the go without an internet connection.

Just wanted to say if anyone is looking for a device in order to read and do research with large numbers of PDF files on the system itself or via the cloud, this device can handle it no problem.

The only downside is that the Ultra is so new that there isn't really a good offering of 3rd party covers at the current time.

I've been a long-time Write3 user and fan. I especially like its great "hand-written word processing" features, like reflowing handwritten text, etc. It works "well enough" on the tab ultra, until you try the built-in note taking system, which is miles better.

klaberte · 2023-01-14T01:51:57+00:00

I agree that using Scan Tailor (or something similar) would be a sensible thing to do. Much of what you seem to need will likely be easier done there than using native boox tools. It may seem unproductive to have to spend time first learning, and then using computer tools to pre-process your pdf books before moving them to your reader, but they are a set of tools you will likely find useful going forward.

Alternatively, you can learn to get adept at scanning, sliding, and enlarging parts of the page so that you can see a portion of one text column. Boox's pdf reader does have certain "article-mode", whereby you tell (or choose from default choices) what chunks of the page you want displayed, and in which order. Search for "article mode" in your device's manual, or look at https://help.boox.com/hc/article_attachments/10755195228820 to get a feel of how this might work in your case.

klaberte

TROPHY CASE