1919 Conn valve alto trombone! скачать в хорошем качестве

1919 Conn valve alto trombone!

I'm very fortunate to know someone who owns a valve alto trombone and was willing to lend it to me. Valve tenor trombones are uncommon and increasingly out of use, but valve alto trombones are in another league of rarity. Very few were designed, and this is only the second example I've ever heard of. This particular instrument was made by Conn in 1919. Conn was an ambitious company that pushed design boundaries to get an edge on competition, especially in the late 19th and early 20th centuries - check out a catalog of their various cornet redesigns for some examples. I was told that this instrument was developed for the US Navy, which makes sense - marching bands need compact instruments for their formations, and slide trombones take up too much space. This hybrid instrument manages a trombone shape and sound without a slide, and the valves make it easier for someone else in the band to fill in as its player. One source said Conn made two versions for high or low range playing, but I don't know if that's true and don't know which version this would be. The sound and playing is exactly what I wanted: a trombone sound capable of soft and edgy loud, but with piston valves. For an older hybrid instrument, the intonation and resistance is surprisingly good. My main issue is ergonomics. There isn't an obvious way to support the instrument with the left hand, and I end up having to awkwardly grip the valve block at an angle. The spacing of the bell tubing from the main body is a bit too close; I would have preferred a little more horizontal space to comfortably position my head to reach the mouthpiece. I've been curious about the existence of these instruments for some time, and it was a real thrill to get to play one. It's a beautiful specimin, not just in full working order but also engraved in 1919 class - and it came with its original case! I'll need to find one of my own someday; let me know if you are willing to sell one to me.