CarolBrass Pocket Trumpet Review

[@ohhiguy]

It is a joy to watch another video by you Jonathan. Great review. I will get back on track with your regular scheduled videos soon. Bless you my friend.

[@JonathanMilam1]

I'll see your blessing and raise you one. :) Always good to hear from you! Take care!! :)

[@kn-qz7by]

Excellent video. The look at the different mutes was an added bonus! Personally I would be interested in obtaining a pocket trumpet with the smallest feasible bell to make it even more compact but this pocket trumpet sounded very nice.

[@kn-qz7by]

Actually Carol Brass also manufactures a well-reviewed Mini Pocket Trumpet and I'm thinking the bell on that is probably smaller than the one on the normal-sized pocket trumpet demonstrated in the video above.

[@JonathanMilam1]

The smaller bel is even easier to carry. My problem is that the smaller bell doesn't take a mute as easily. I traveled with my trustworthy little Carol pocket yet again last week, and roomed next to a guy in my group. "Did you hear me practice last night", I asked the next morning. "No way, I heard NOTHING!!" was his response. With my Wallace Studio mute and my Carol, it's so close to silent... :)

[@kn-qz7by]

@@JonathanMilam1 One issue that the Carol Brass Mini Pocket Trumpet may have for some players is that it might be a bit more unwieldy to hold because it’s so compact and “scrunched-up” to make it as small as possible. However, if there was a good mute which it held securely it would definitely be worth looking at for maximum travel convenience. Of course, the ultimate in travel convenience would be a decent-playing plastic pocket trumpet because it would be so much lighter to carry. I might even get such a plastic pocket trumpet just to noodle around with in the car (only when parked, I hasten to add!)

[@spagorap4045]

Hi there :) First of all, thanks for all your videos, they are really great. I have an Carol Brass CTR-5000L-YLS-Bb-L like you showed in an other video, and i was wonderig if you tryed the wallace mute in it. Does it fit with the larger bell? Thanks

[@JonathanMilam1]

Thanks so much for watching and commenting - very sorry it's taken me so long to respond. Mine had a little rubber washer when I got it. I lost it recently and it still fit my little pocket trumpet, but I don't like the fit. So I got a new, thick bycycle innertube and cut a piece and put it on... Fantastic fit. I'll try to make a KZbin vid of the process; it's a great idea I've read about and it works super well. Thanks, again, for commenting!

[@ChildOfKingJesus57]

You are doing great and play well. But I have a sujestion if you don't mind. I hope you are like me and welcome any tips to further help my sound. You will give a cleaner start to your notes if start the note with a De or da or ke or ka depending on the note or sound you want, unless you want to slur from one note to the other as the music trumpet sheet will suggest. If you get a good trumpet and cornet intruction/ tutor books it will give instruction on how and when to do the sounds at the beginning of the note. And it actually helps the intonation and the hitting of the notes more accurately and clearer from the start. It has helped my playing a lot. Though I am still trying to do the ke ke and ka ka sounds which are very difficult to do..There are also good KZbin instructional videos out there that teach this and give good practice instruction on how to develope it. I hope you don't mind the suggestion. I believe we trumpet players are FOREVER learning and growing to play more beautifully. God bless you and keep playing. You are doing great!!

[@rkharrod2]

The valves seem to need new felt pads (upgrade). Don’t you think?

[@JonathanMilam1]

Hm. I play it about 15-18 days a month and I've never noticed. I CAN say that it's quieter than most Strad valves I've played. :)

[@mikestang679]

Are these pocket or mini trumpets, "stuffy" you had mentioned congestion, are you referring to trying to squeeze a note out, or the configuration?

[@JonathanMilam1]

The Carol models are widely appreciated for playing open; much like a regular trumpet. Several other makers are quite hard to play; poor quality build plus all the additional bends, connections, etc.

[@chris430811]

Thanks for the demo Jonathan What tracks do you usually jam to? Do you have a preferred source for the tracks? Thanks

[@JonathanMilam1]

Chris, the last few tracks I've bought have come from Amazon.com. I like gospel (kind of a cross between slow jazz and blues) I use to do a some of my reviews with soundtracks, I probably ought to try using them some more. :) Great question! :)

[@chris430811]

Thanks for your response Jonathan. One additional question, on the backup track is that a backup track for instrumental or vocal backup as it sounds pretty nice

[@JonathanMilam1]

Chris; Grea question; I have no idea. :) When I buy a soundtrack, I will usually use it for both; I sing part of the time and play part of the time (when I use one in church). This works well for either, although I've mostly used this one for playing along with.

[@reecethemusician]

Great review

[@JonathanMilam1]

Reece; Thank you. Very kind of you to say so. Thanks for tuning in! :)

[@JC-no2oe]

Hello, sir. I am a student studying trumpet in China. Recently, when I was writing a paper on 《the beautiful snow（Arban）》, I met with a problem. In China, I did not find the literature or audio and video records of the original music, but only found the theme selected from an opera. Here I hope to get your help and know some questions about the theme of the original song. （translated by Google.

[@JonathanMilam1]

Thank you for your comment; I'm glad you have visited my channel. I have little knowledge of Arbans excercises, I'm sorry to say. I did inquire at TrumpetHerald.com and was told this... "I don't know if the reader can use youtube in China, but there's a version on there of it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bYDdXnx_ZZuMrNk Here's another one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGTNn6eces-Xm8U Apparently it's one of the 12 arban's solos. I just looked it up and it's No. 5, "Variations on 'Vois-tu la neige qui brille.'" Just giving him/her the French name may be useful. I do hope the above helps! Continued best wishes! :)

[@giakara]

Sounds nice but still prefer my even smaller Carol mini , in pocket trumpets smaller is better for me. Regards

[@JonathanMilam1]

Hey! Thanks for commenting. I've seen you at TH and enjoyed your comments for a long time. I haven't tried the mini but I really enjoy the 1st and 3rd tuning slides of this Carol horn. The mini...Well, it does look nice and tiny. Maybe a small sock for it's case?? :)

[@giakara]

Yes is very fun horn and in the soft case is like a big wallet xaxaxaxaxa see you at TH.

[@bruin4937]

@@JonathanMilam1 Ha! Yeah, I remembered giakara's name from TH! I got the mini pocket trumpet and it's a blast to play! Jonathan, that's another CarolBrass model you need to pick up and do a play test on! :-)

[@pauldance7387]

I am very surprised at the sound that horn produces minus the mutes... I have 3 mutes I really don’t like any of then, I am interested in Trents wooden units.

[@JonathanMilam1]

Yeah, I'm not really a mute guy but it's fun on occasion and I like to really do everything I can with a horn when I'm doing a review. I just haven't got into the wood mute thing - but keep in touch. When you get one let us know what you think. :)

[@JonathanMilam1]

The one thing about mutes is that they can sooo transform the tone of a horn. I mean they can alter the charachteristics so completely. Dang it all, Paul. Now you've got the wood mute in my mind and I'm having trouble controlling my spending impulse... :)

[@pauldance7387]

Jonathan Milam maybe Trent will let you test drive a few, I believe he demoed several a few months ago they had the most pleasant sound, Trent had his favorite I believe it was walnut. My primary thoughts on mute are I use them at night not to disturbed neighbors, and those kinds of mutes are to reduce sound without sound quality built in....mutes that are designed to add to or alter the wonderful sound of our brass can be beautiful. The wooden mutes Trent demoed were the best mutes I have ever heard, just think about it it is wood vibrations not metal, from mans earliest musical begins it was wood that made sounds, it’s the most natural sounds our brains are wired to hear. Sorry about being a mute tempter I didn’t mean to be that guy 🙃🎺

[@JonathanMilam1]

I'm traveling for the next few days but will definitely check Trent's site out and his wooden mutes when I get home. Well described, Paul. You're right - wood is a natural, very good point.

[@pauldance7387]

Jonathan Milam actually Jonathan I liked the very last mute Trent demoed....that said they all sounded fabulous. Safe travels, God bless.