Posted by Tony E on August 18, 2003 at 12:27:02:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: A dearth of HB's for sale posted by Explanation on August 18, 2003 at 08:41:25:
I don't know HB models very well, but I'm a bit confused by that last post...
how is an HB-21 a "bigger HB"? Isn't it essentially the same 4/4 size as the HB-2P, or the rotary 4/4 HB that say, Gene Pokorny used on TUBA TRACKS? Have you ever heard a 4/4 HB-2P or 4/4 rotary HB that didn't stand out or sound unmusical in a quintet or solo situation?
Speaking of Pokorny, he was the featured soloist at last year's NW Big Brass Bash. He performed the evening concert on a 4/4 piston HB (don't recall if it was 21 or 2P, but I believe it was a 21). I understand he uses that instrument quite frequently.
I've never owned a HB and probably never will. Here in Seattle, Dan Oberloh plays his HB-2P for BBB (inlcuding featured solos) and in a brass quintet that's been together for 15+ years, and it sounds great every time I hear it. Carla Rutschman (tuba prof) play a 4/4 rotary HB in the Washingon Brass (a pro quintet) and "stand out" or "unmusical" aren't words that come to mind.
You know, in the audio business, any test of audio equipment needs to be double blind to be considered valid. Biases DO effect our perception of what we are hearing. It just seems odd you've never heard a HB21 that works in a quintet or solo setting...and I'm assuming you've heard quite a few since you're inferring a general problem with the horn in these settings.
Who knows...maybe you wouldn't like any of the performances that I've heard and liked. Or maybe the HB 21 has a much bigger sound than the 2P or the rotary 4/4? Perhaps you can clarify.
Tony E