Woody Shaw “There Will Never Be Another You”

TLDR: Skip to the end of the article to find free PDF versions of Woody’s solo in C, Bb, Eb, and bass clef! The YouTube video at the end of the article contains an embedded Bb version of the sheet music. This one time at band camp, an instructor told me that you could gauge […]

Playtest: Bajoc Frankenhorn

For years and years I’ve played a Getzen Eterna 900 tuning bell trumpet made around 1981. It is a rare bird–I’ve only seen two listed publicly since I’ve actively watched trumpet classified ads a few years ago. The TLDR version of this post is I had it restored with some new parts via Bájoc Music, […]

What B Flat Trumpet Should I Buy? Tier 1: $15,000+

It’s been a while since I’ve written about buying new trumpets. As you recall from my scintillating intro article, the new trumpet market is divided into five pricing tiers: Today we’ll be diving into Tier 1, which is the territory of Monette. Note that I won’t be talking about Monette mouthpieces or non-trumpet models in […]

Playtest: Bach 180s37

Behold the mighty Bach 180s37! Or in common parlance, the Bach Strad! What can be written that hasn’t already been said? At least one blog article, apparently. Playtest Videos I decided to play four excerpts: West End Blues cadenza intro by Louis Armstrong, the “amoroso” section of The Southern Cross by Herbert Clarke, Charlier #6 […]

What B Flat Trumpet Should I Buy? Part 4: Small Businesses and Dealers (United States)

There are no shortage of small businesses, chains, and boutique companies out there which can help you find your dream horn. I’ve highlighted only a few here. While many of these do ship internationally, this article is more geared towards the United States. Be sure to do some of your own research with each seller […]

What B Flat Trumpet Should I Buy? Part 1: Pricing Tiers

It’s never been easier to purchase a Bb trumpet. Armed with an internet connection and your credit card, you have access to purchase your new axe from a dizzying array of manufacturers, dealers, and independent sellers. While healthy competition usually benefits the consumer, so many choices can be overwhelming. Even within the same brand, manufacturers […]