VGR or no VGR, that is the question

We make and sell a lot of VGR Kits to clients around the world.
And those clients come to appreciate all that the VGR can offer in terms of added efficiency, adjustable flexibility, slotting, air flow, impedance, resonance, and so on. And then there's everyone else. Sorry to put so many of you into one category, but this is the reality. 99% of all trumpet players have never experienced the benefits of a Venturi Gap Receiver (the VGR system) and therefore, have no idea what they are missing.

So, what are you missing?
Well, to get straight to the point, EVERYTHING! You are working hard in the practice room learning to find the distance between wide intervals. You are struggling to lock in specific notes above the staff. You are using your air stream inefficiently. You are playing different genres on the same instrument, meaning you are compensating and compromising your performance in most areas. How do I know? Because I have worked with thousands upon thousands of professional trumpet players on these very challenges. And the VGR was designed to make all of these performance challenges easier.

Do you know who should be using the VGR more than any other type of trumpet player?
Classical musicians. Orchestral musicians are the specific players who stand to gain the most from adjusting the venturi, impedance, flexibility, slotting, and resonance because they are required to perform in the most demanding situations where the trumpet is both exposed and must blend with a wide variety of other instruments. Learning how to use the VGR inserts to fit the needs of each piece of music gives the Classical trumpet player a huge advantage. Adjusting the VGR between pieces of music, or even movements, is simple, easy, and requires around 10 seconds.

Who else can benefit from the VGR?
You know I'm going to say everyone, again. Any trumpet player tackling demanding music is going to see benefits. Imagine you're playing in a Tower of Power type cover band and you're playing challenging horn lines above the staff every night. Have you ever considered why those horn lines feel easier on one trumpet over another brand or model? The answer is that your favorite trumpet for this type of playing has the best (of your current options) setup in terms of venturi, impedance change (gap), and air flow for this type of playing. Does that same instrument lend itself well to playing Mahler in an orchestra or cornet solos? Probably not. But why not?

Free VGR training, tips, and advice...
Those of you reading this thinking, "I'm not missing anything" are the players who are being held back by your equipment. One trip to Denver could take your playing to the next level. Thousands of players know exactly what I'm describing, so why don't you give yourself a day or two to find out for yourself? We offer free VGR clinics every month and we can work with your schedule to give you hands-on training and experience almost every week day.

I have yet to meet someone who could play better without the VGR system, yet we get requests regularly for trumpets that have a solid receiver design. While we rarely build trumpets without these benefits, we often receive pre-owned Harrelson trumpets built before it was invented. These are high efficiency instruments that play very well, but usually require some adjusting to the venturi and gap settings with shims to be on par with newer models. Here are a few examples we have available today.

Harrelson Inventory

See how the Venturi Gap Receiver works...
You have questions and we have answers. Follow this link to watch videos demonstrating the VGR installation on almost any trumpet, in-depth case studies, and general use.

Our next free clinic and training session on the VGR system will be hosted at Harrelson Trumpets in Denver, Colorado on October 9th and again on November 13th. Click here for more information.