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Hub van Laar Oiram flugelhorn & trumpet
Having played on my new Oiram trumpet for two weeks now, I have a better picture of this special model. Actually, the trumpet exceeds my expectations. It is always hard to tell whether a trumpet will react the way you expect it to in daily practice, or not. In a test room, like at the workshop of Hub van Laar during my earlier visits, or in your practice room at home, you can never get a complete impression. It is impossible to test how an instrument keeps up in a section or in a band or orchestra. The only way to test things like blending with other trumpets in the section and feedback is in actual practice. Can you hear yourself playing in a loud tutti, can the trumpet shine over the orchestra when you are playing lead or is it maybe too dominant. That would make the rest of the band feel uncomfortable, so the band will play louder, and louder, which makes you have to play louder and louder, etc.
The first job I did on the Oiram, was recording thirteen demo tracks for a new play-along CD for De Haske Publications (for my new play-along "Section 3"). Everything went smooth and it was a good way to get used to the feel and the sound of the Oiram in a short time. Because I usually play on a standard weight B4, I had to get used to the extra weight of 200 grams. This extra weight makes the tones "slot" better; the core of the tone becomes clearer. This effect is a similar to a dartboard with a strong magnet attached behind the bull's eye: it will be a lot easier to hit! Extra weight generally makes a trumpet play less free and flexible than a standard weight trumpet. However, because the Oiram has no support in the tuning slide and a much larger bell, it still gives you the feeling that you can blow freely. The walls of the tubing are not extra thick: like the bell, they have standard dimensions. It is merely the design (new bell, special valve housing, heavy receiver, the extra 200 grams, etc.) that makes the Oiram feel very different from my B4. I also tried it with a tuning slide with support, but this gave too much resistance and made me lose the free blowing feeling: the trumpet started to counteract. Without the heavy caps under the valves, the Oiram does not really play well: it loses its balance and makes me feel disorientated. The heavy caps give it more body and provide the balance.
Because of the extra weight, high overtones are not so present in the sound. The Oiram has a somewhat darker sound and not so much "bite": no need to try for a compact sound with lots of "sizzle", that is not what this instrument was built for and therefore not what I expected. I hoped for a big, fat sound and that is exactly what the Oiram gives you! Furthermore, due to the large bell it gives lots of feedback. You can always hear yourself when playing in a section, even in fortissimo tuttis in the high register. My colleagues took turns in playing the Oiram to give me a better idea of the sound in the section. They have played other models that feel completely different for years and had to get used to the Oiram of course. Nevertheless, they too were amazed at the fat sound and the feedback. The sound spreads widely and forward, it is perfectly capable of filling a concert hall. I could always hear the Oiram clearly, but it did not drown me when I played lead on my B4 and one of my colleagues played the Oiram.
In all, the Oiram exceeds my expectations. It blends unexpectedly well and you can always hear yourself playing. Most heavy trumpets miss this quality: they have much sound in front of the bell and sound best at a distance of ten metres. That is no use to the trumpet player himself: he needs sufficient feedback without drowning out the orchestra. Personally, I am no fan of these heavy trumpets. Neither is Hub, so he designed an all-round trumpet (suited for all types light music). The Oiram is a trumpet, suited for playing in a section and certainly for playing solo. For lead and for light classical repertoire I will stay with my B4. For these styles, I prefer a compact sound with much treble and because it is lighter, the B4 responds faster. I am accustomed to these characteristics, so I always try to find them in my sound. The Oiram however, is an all-round trumpet, even more so than one should think at first sight. You expect it to be suited for jazz solos only, but in daily practice: it can do a lot more! In all: my new purchase is a beautiful acquisition for my collection.
my raw brass Hub van Laar Oiram trumpet
more info : www.vanlaar-trumpets.com
Oiram raw brass (brushed)
4 Oiram flugelhorns, raw brass, yellow gold, red gold and palladium (all brushed)
Oiram trumpet palladium (brushed)
Copyright ©, 2007 Erik G. Veldkamp, All Rights Reserved | |||
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trompet, yamaha, bladmuziek, sheet music, bach, mozart, flugelhorn, monette, hub van laar, schilke, lawller, adams, thein, trompete, trompette, trumpet, trompet, roland, korg, de haske, playalong, play-along, erik veldkamp, beethoven, stravinsky, brassimport | ||
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Erik Veldkamp.com
