Dreaming about the perfect travel practice horn

[AtomicClock]

What would be the perfect horn to carry when traveling, just to keep up the chops? Scratch that. Not a real horn, just a hornlike practice device. No need for a full bell flare - doesn't need to be loud or anything. Just enough metal to reach the cork of a practice mute.

I'm imagining something like a pocket trumpet, (4.5 foot Bb), but with a big enough leadpipe to accept a small shank mouthpiece. Maybe increase the bore to .500, and cut the bell off. The loss of the bottom octave would be a bummer, but I'd take that tradeoff. Still better than mouthpiece buzzing, and much smaller than a flugabone.

I wonder if something like that is even possible to build in tune with itself, through the available 1.5 (or so) octaves.

[AtomicClock]

...or maybe one of these mini-serpents (which I don't really understand).

[JohnL]

You might look at a Nuvo jHorn.
https://www.nuvoinstrumental.com/products/jhorn/

We took one on a cruise last year. The receiver is closer to trumpet/mellophone size (I used a custom mouthpiece originally made for an Olds F alto, my wife used a custom 'piece with a French horn cup and rim and a mellophone shank). We used a trumpet practice mute to keep from annoying the neighbors.

Light, cheap, sturdy, and absurdly compact for a 9' horn. The downside? The tone isn't great (not a big deal if you're using a mute anyway) and the intonation is squirrelly.

[harrisonreed]

The best horn to bring on vacation is "no horn". It will be there for you when you get back.

Otherwise an alto would be best. These small practice devices or just playing the mouthpiece, in my opinion, just cause problems to creep up in your playing. It's okay and good for you to take even two weeks off occasionally.

[CalgaryTbone]

I found that my pBone mini (alto) fit in my checked bag. I also brought a small practice mute. When I would have a week's vacation from the orchestra, and had to jump right back into concerts as soon as I was back, the pBone gave me the ability to play some lip slurs, long tones and scales - maybe a few Bordogni's from memory. I would feel pretty much in shape when I returned to work.

Jim Scott

[Jimkinkella]

Ralph Sauer's Forced Air Resistance Tube
AKA F.A.R.T.

[Doug Elliott]

I once took an alto in my checked bag on a trip to Europe.
I never played it.

[robcat2075]

What would be the perfect horn to carry when traveling, just to keep up the chops? Scratch that. Not a real horn, just a hornlike practice device. No need for a full bell flare - doesn't need to be loud or anything. Just enough metal to reach the cork of a practice mute.

Hornlike?

I would think a length of rubber tubing with a mouthpiece on one end and a modest bell (3D printed... foldable cardboard...?) of some sort on the other end could be fashioned that would give a trombone-like response and partials. Enough to practice tonguing, lips slurs and long tones.

Beyond that, I recall previous discussion here about some way to make a tenor trombone compact enough to play while inside a car.

My suggestion was to make a trombone with just a four-position slide. Add back the subtracted tubing elsewhere on the horn. Outfit it with a screwbell and that contraption could fit in a fairly small case.

Four positions would be enough for most daily maintenance.

Jazz players never go past fourth anyway.

[MTbassbone]

The best horn to bring on vacation is "no horn". It will be there for you when you get back.

It's okay and good for you to take even two weeks off occasionally.

This. Too much is made of this issue. A break now and then is good.

[Finetales]

A plastic cornet or a cheap pocket trumpet. If it must have a slide, pBone Mini.

Personally, I usually just take a mouthpiece, or nothing at all.

[elmsandr]

When I get a screw bell on this, it will fit in a 24” briefcase.

But really, I meant more for pits than travel.

B65582A3-AB17-487E-91DA-59A2D5382127.jpeg

Eb-Bb-G

Cheers,
Andy

[hyperbolica]

I use a Flugabone. It fits in a suitcase with clothes, and it's kind of a campfire instrument. Works with a practice mute.

[jacobgarchik]

was kind of curious about getting a king trombonium, leaving the bell behind, and putting it in a suitcase...regular valve trombone bore but suitcase shaped, and not ergonomically front heavy like a flugabone.
Last summer I just brought a trumpet along for 2 weeks. That was fine.

[MStarke]

I have brought my bass trumpet on a few vacations (with a practice mute of course). Same mouthpiece as my smallbore, fun instrument to play, usually small enough. I don't have to practice on vacation, but I often WANT to. Plus when having a somewhat challenging gig shortly after vacation, it just feels much better if I have maintained chops a bit.