Surprising sizzle!

I just play-tested my HT30 trumpet, which we have put up for bid on Ebay. I've played this horn several times before and this was a simple video we recorded for our facebook page. THIS HORN HAS SURPRISING SIZZLE! Now, the sizzle is no surprise to me as I designed it to be a focused, screaming lead horn to make the Calicchio 1S/2 and Schilke S42 feel like toys. But I have always wondered how it came to be that so many misinformed trumpet players assume an efficient horn with mass cannot be bright, focused and perfect for lead. I have heard hundreds of times statements similar to, "I could never play one of your horns since I mainly do lead work" or "those heavy horns are too dark for my taste". Well, this is simply bad information. The weight of a trumpet really has almost nothing to do with the vibrancy of the tone, its suitability for lead work, nor does it affect much of the upper partials in the overtone series with the exception of amplitude. I have been building great lead horns as long as I've been build any horns. And the HT30 is an exceptional lead horn that I would choose over anything built in a factory.

I also recorded a short video on Acclimation Exercises and my personal Embouchure Exercises. I have recorded similar clips before as I teach these in my lessons and offer this service with every consultation. But this time, I played them on the latest Gravity trumpet. All I can say is, "I want one!". The Gravity is so incredibly efficient that it takes me a few minutes to adjust. I have to literally think about putting half as much effort into playing or I am over-blowing (and hurting everybody's ears). And in these videos, I was playing very soft, yet the recording is really loud. I'll hit on embouchure exercises again and again, especially if you ask for more information as these are a key to playing efficiently.

So what else is on my mind today? One of the comments on my first blog caught my attention...from AEG:

"Please excuse/ignore question if inappropriate. Am working on libretto, "Einstein's Wives", and generally intrigued by question of relationships between highly creative people (the Curies, Marilyn and Miller, O'Keefe and Stieglitz, etc). Any thoughts on this?"

I have to say this has been a difficult area in my life and I'm not sure I know how to consistently give what is often required for a healthy relationship. I deserve some credit for trying as those close to me know that I probably want a family more than anything in this world, but time and time again, it doesn't work out. I can't really compare myself to Einstein, which was the basis for the poster's question. But, as was common for AE, I disappear from the world working on a project or several projects for weeks or months at a time. I give my all in a relationship, then I go back to my work remaining completely focused, then back to the relationship and it is back and forth like this until my girlfriend loses her mind and leaves me. Wow, that brutally honest and unexpected, but what can I say? That's how it happens. Sometimes I blame myself entirely. I know I'm intense and this can create the illusion that I'll be maintaining this intensity on a daily basis, but at this point I am careful to explain this will not be the case. Regardless, your question is less likely aimed at my lack of success with relationships over time and more an observation of my personal traits. From my perspective, I give the same effort, energy and love in my relationships as I do in my work. Life is about living in the moment, making things happen, creating exceptionally memorable experiences even while making a homemade pizza or a trumpet with 4 bells. It's all the same to me and I love it.

I hear that my VMC stopped running, time to go setup another project...

Jason