Here's a couple of tips from an old school Drum Corps horn player ( I'm talking 1974 -1981) for cleaning your horn (not necessarily when on tour, but great for pre-tour prep): fill a bathtub with hot water (as hot as you can get it, no soap needed) put the horn in the water (remove valves, tuning slides), let the horn sit in the hot water for a least 30 minutes. This will loosen and break up the green crud that can build up in the piping. Take a horn snake (the wire with brush bristles on the ends) and run it through the piping, (you'll see how much more crud may come out on the brush!) run fresh water through the piping to flush out any residue, dry with a soft cloth (preferably micro fiber), and from here, use the opportunity to lubricate your tuning slides, clean your valves (springs too!) check the felt on your valves (replace as necessary, "clicking" valve noises can be very distracting, especially in a Contra, or any large bell horn that can amplify these noises!) check the cork or rubber on your spit valves (spit can be very corrosive over time!), and polish your horn with the horn polish of your choice (or use what JD uses! it's good stuff!) Treat your horn right, and it will treat you right! hope this helps!
just warning for everyone, don't use extremely hot water if your instrument has a brass coating, it will cause the lacquer to peel off it the water is too hot.
Some "How to play" tips would be great. I'm only in high school right now, but I'm looking to join after graduation. So playing tips and such would be great! (Love your videos by the way :D)
Also when bathing your horn DON'T LET IT SOAK WITH DISH SOAP!!! I used to do that with an older dish soap I had but switched to a newer one and it basically melted the silver plating in spots... Also try not to dry your horn with a regular towel and instead use a lint free one. Those help to prevent the micro-scratches that happen over time.
They don't sell it in the states anymore, but Silvo is my favorite polish for horns. One bottle gave me nearly 3 full seasons of the best shine in the hornline!
If you're on luggage crew like me and don't have time to fully polish your horn before a show, you can use a Windex wipe on it. One Windex wipe can generally be used for three or four horns(except contras), so if you don't have your own you can probably find someone who does and just use theirs once they finish.
for the black spots that appear ive been using never dull. when i first got my baritone for the season it was almost completely grey. but a steady routine of scrubbing and polishing it make it look almost brand new.
Here's a quick question: What kind of stuff would be good to use for lacquered brass instruments? I was going to use some Brasso, but the label said not to use it on any lacquered finishes, so I obviously didn't use it. So what can I buy that will be good?
If you have to do a really quick clean we always kept windex wipes in out cases and they clean your hone pretty well and take a little less time for the days they give you 45min for esl and have to polish your horn in that time...
Hi my name is Laken and I was actually wondering is there any sort of transition from matching band to drum chirp like any major changes I would have to make for when I audition next season
This a pretty common question and usually people's answers are similar but once in a while there's an interesting one. What made you want to do drum corps?
Something's to tell your mom to let you march next year ill be 20 so I really want to do it. I want to a blue coats camp this year, well last year but whatever. I keep telling her that you learn things that you will hold and to for the rest of you life. You come out knowing better work ethic and how to push yourself. I really don't know what else to say. I need someone to come to my house and tell her. Lol
Dude! Love your videos; So a question I would wish to ask is if you have heard of the Commandante's own drum and bugle corps. Is it true that they perform their show at DCI world finals? What is your take on them?
My dream is to do corps and I was thinking of doing Genesis starting junior year of high school, but my dad doesn't want me spending summer(s?) touring the nation with 100+ possibly rebellious college kids. Help would be appreciated?
The classical Otaku For contras, most corps are able to provide their own for you to use at auditions (some allow you to bring a concert tuba for an individual music audition). On the off-chance that you are able to bring your own to a camp, it's usually appreciated.
Oh that pain of polishing a contra.. let alone being in rotation of being the one stuck to cleaning contras for the week or day and having to polish 4 at the same time x.x
Actually don't ever sit a contra down on its bell. Way too easy for them to fall over. Generally speaking, you should baby a contra even more than any other horn because they cost so damn much and any repair will be expensive and they are so large that even minor dings show up. Treat it like a big, loud, delicate egg.
+chiwea123 When you check out a horn from a corps at a camp (after you've been contracted), you can take it home for the time before the summer starts to practice. After your season ends, all of the horns are returned to the corps (for most corps, right after finals/semis/prelims).
+Lillian Bleano I marched alto sax for 3 years and for the ultimate goal of marching drum corps one day, I decided to march baritone my senior year. If you work hard at it, it can take you a little less than a year to learn it. I chose baritone because the bigger mouthpiece is easier for noobs like me to learn on. You probably should not try mellophone for your first brass instrument. just sayin.
after you use polish, a mixture of windex and vinegar does wonders, just spray it on and wipe it off. also just consistently rub your horn with a towel and elbow grease helps.
isn't it a good idea to clean the inside of your horn on occasion too? you know, like give it a bath and scrape the green crap out. ( I'm in a regular high school marching not DCI )
seeing videos like this makes me mad that I use a school horn where the last dipshit put it down on the bell to crease it, didn't use gloves and never polished it.
Here's a couple of tips from an old school Drum Corps horn player ( I'm talking 1974 -1981) for cleaning your horn (not necessarily when on tour, but great for pre-tour prep): fill a bathtub with hot water (as hot as you can get it, no soap needed) put the horn in the water (remove valves, tuning slides), let the horn sit in the hot water for a least 30 minutes. This will loosen and break up the green crud that can build up in the piping. Take a horn snake (the wire with brush bristles on the ends) and run it through the piping, (you'll see how much more crud may come out on the brush!) run fresh water through the piping to flush out any residue, dry with a soft cloth (preferably micro fiber), and from here, use the opportunity to lubricate your tuning slides, clean your valves (springs too!) check the felt on your valves (replace as necessary, "clicking" valve noises can be very distracting, especially in a Contra, or any large bell horn that can amplify these noises!) check the cork or rubber on your spit valves (spit can be very corrosive over time!), and polish your horn with the horn polish of your choice (or use what JD uses! it's good stuff!) Treat your horn right, and it will treat you right! hope this helps!
just warning for everyone, don't use extremely hot water if your instrument has a brass coating, it will cause the lacquer to peel off it the water is too hot.
oncemoreuntothebreach what's a brass coating
this is what I do with my *french* horn
people think I'm crazy but it works wonders
@@Greenday4-121 the shine of a brass instrument called lacquer, some people prefer instruments that dont have the shiny lacquer
I'm in guard, but I still watched this because I like to see your face.
That's the shiniest horn I've ever seen! I don't think I could get my mello like that.
clean horn, clean show. a truer statement couldn't have been said. good luck with soa this summer in the drum line.
Some "How to play" tips would be great. I'm only in high school right now, but I'm looking to join after graduation. So playing tips and such would be great! (Love your videos by the way :D)
came for the info.
stayed for the face ;) lol
Also when bathing your horn DON'T LET IT SOAK WITH DISH SOAP!!! I used to do that with an older dish soap I had but switched to a newer one and it basically melted the silver plating in spots... Also try not to dry your horn with a regular towel and instead use a lint free one. Those help to prevent the micro-scratches that happen over time.
They don't sell it in the states anymore, but Silvo is my favorite polish for horns. One bottle gave me nearly 3 full seasons of the best shine in the hornline!
If you're on luggage crew like me and don't have time to fully polish your horn before a show, you can use a Windex wipe on it. One Windex wipe can generally be used for three or four horns(except contras), so if you don't have your own you can probably find someone who does and just use theirs once they finish.
yeah i just like seeing your face.
I used that and Windex for my Contra.....The struggle! lol!
+Femi Daniel wow
for the black spots that appear ive been using never dull. when i first got my baritone for the season it was almost completely grey. but a steady routine of scrubbing and polishing it make it look almost brand new.
I use the exact same polish on my sousaphone in high school band! it works great
How difficult would it be to march drum corps and do high school band at the same time? Also, what would you recommend out of mello and cymbals?
Here's a quick question:
What kind of stuff would be good to use for lacquered brass instruments? I was going to use some Brasso, but the label said not to use it on any lacquered finishes, so I obviously didn't use it. So what can I buy that will be good?
If you have to do a really quick clean we always kept windex wipes in out cases and they clean your hone pretty well and take a little less time for the days they give you 45min for esl and have to polish your horn in that time...
Hi my name is Laken and I was actually wondering is there any sort of transition from matching band to drum chirp like any major changes I would have to make for when I audition next season
To keep from getting a mellos main tuning slide tarnished you can put a baby sock on it to keep the sweat off it.
I really wanna march Indoor Percussion, but I'm a brass player and don't know how. How exactly can I learn cymbals for it? Or what did you do?
This a pretty common question and usually people's answers are similar but once in a while there's an interesting one. What made you want to do drum corps?
What product would you use for gold instruments?
What was your high school marching band like? Were you a big band? Did you go to BOA events?
Something's to tell your mom to let you march next year ill be 20 so I really want to do it. I want to a blue coats camp this year, well last year but whatever. I keep telling her that you learn things that you will hold and to for the rest of you life. You come out knowing better work ethic and how to push yourself. I really don't know what else to say. I need someone to come to my house and tell her. Lol
Do you prefer marching cymbals over mello, vice versa, or both and why?
How much do u practice your horn. What do u enjoy more, WGI season or DCI season
Did you play French horn before learning Mellophone?(Mellophone=Marching french horn)
He actually played sax
oreos4all He played alto sax and Bass Clarinet
LowReedExpert1 yeah i went ahead and found that out on his draw my life video. Thanks still! :D
LowReedExpert1 tenor sax*
What do you like to do in your spare time when on tour?
Are you required to take a horn polisher with you on tour?
Are you going to BOA this year? Can you also try to make FMBC (Florida Marching Band Championships) in November?
Dude! Love your videos;
So a question I would wish to ask is if you have heard of the Commandante's own drum and bugle corps. Is it true that they perform their show at DCI world finals? What is your take on them?
My dream is to do corps and I was thinking of doing Genesis starting junior year of high school, but my dad doesn't want me spending summer(s?) touring the nation with 100+ possibly rebellious college kids. Help would be appreciated?
If you play contraBass Tuba "Contra marching tuba", do you have to bring your own horn to audition camp?
The classical Otaku For contras, most corps are able to provide their own for you to use at auditions (some allow you to bring a concert tuba for an individual music audition). On the off-chance that you are able to bring your own to a camp, it's usually appreciated.
He uses the same polish as i do in HS Marching Band
If you were going to chemically clean your horn what would you use
What are you looking forward to most this summer? And what are you going to do involving music once you age out? :)
Can silver polish work
What is your favorite drum corps show? (besides the ones you marched in spirit :p)
IDK why but the outside of my bell (marching bari) gets really shinny but the inside never looms special
where did you get the polishing cloth???
sorry, where can I get one like that. I cant seem to find one that's not treated, or its not an ugly color.
Oh that pain of polishing a contra.. let alone being in rotation of being the one stuck to cleaning contras for the week or day and having to polish 4 at the same time x.x
So let's say I didn't have access to a silver polishing cloth. What would be an alternative to that?
Brenton Smith any microfiber cloth
thank you. I did get a polishing cloth, though, along with other stuffs.
What type of cloth should we use? So we don't use a cloth that could scratch the silver finish
Microfiber or something like that.
Actually don't ever sit a contra down on its bell. Way too easy for them to fall over. Generally speaking, you should baby a contra even more than any other horn because they cost so damn much and any repair will be expensive and they are so large that even minor dings show up. Treat it like a big, loud, delicate egg.
Loud Planet Live no you always set contra's on there bell. That's why corps have the cover on the bells during reversals.
I wish I could be in drum corps, I came for the face
Do you get to keep the horn?
+chiwea123 When you check out a horn from a corps at a camp (after you've been contracted), you can take it home for the time before the summer starts to practice. After your season ends, all of the horns are returned to the corps (for most corps, right after finals/semis/prelims).
What is your most embarrassing moment from your dci experience?
TIPS FOR LEARNING A BRASS INSTRUMENT IN HOPES TO GET INTO A CORPS!?!?
***** Dude thanks for that I play tenor sax and was womdering how I was going to learn a brass instrument... Thanks a lot!
+Lillian Bleano I marched alto sax for 3 years and for the ultimate goal of marching drum corps one day, I decided to march baritone my senior year. If you work hard at it, it can take you a little less than a year to learn it. I chose baritone because the bigger mouthpiece is easier for noobs like me to learn on. You probably should not try mellophone for your first brass instrument. just sayin.
after you use polish, a mixture of windex and vinegar does wonders, just spray it on and wipe it off. also just consistently rub your horn with a towel and elbow grease helps.
Never use brasso..one of our Baritone players used brasso and scratched the mess out of the silver.
I don't know how to respond to this. I thought this would be like the rifle video, but it wasn't. I don't know what to do.
Polish eat then shower👌🏻👌🏻
Keep track of your springs after you take your valves out. They are easy to lose!!
isn't it a good idea to clean the inside of your horn on occasion too? you know, like give it a bath and scrape the green crap out. ( I'm in a regular high school marching not DCI )
Beautifuuul horn :D
seeing videos like this makes me mad that I use a school horn where the last dipshit put it down on the bell to crease it, didn't use gloves and never polished it.
I mean,
You dont have a bad face