1/5
OIRAM light
Plus qu’une marque, “OIRAM” est un concept d’attitude-minimaliste qui fait écho aux célèbres “Less is More” (Moins, c’est plus) et “Gott steckt im Detail” (Dieu est dans les détails) de Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Mario Garzaniti crée des formes stylistiquement neutres, bien que chargées d’un imaginaire émotionnel et symbolique, grâce à un design épuré qui met en scène la spécificité des matériaux et l’intégrité structurelle.
- Perce ML: 11,7 mm (0.461″)
- Pavillon forgé à la main d’une seule pièce
- Pavillon en laiton
- Diametre: 122 mm (4.807″)
Le design de la trompette OIRAM light se veut épuré et ergonomique. La stabilité structurelle de l’instrument est assurée d’une part par deux entretoises longitudinales qui solidarisent le pavillon et la branche d’embouchure au bloc-pistons, et d’autre part par deux vis d’arrêt qui stabilisent la première et la troisième coulisse.
Cet élégant dispositif structurel favorise la visibilité de la trajectoire du mouvement de l’air. Le design épuré de la branche d’embouchure simplifie la forme de l’instrument et renforce la perception de la continuité depuis l’embouchure jusqu’au pavillon. La conception du bloc-pistons rappelle celle du bugle OIRAM.
Les éléments techniques et mécaniques qui ne sont pas en contact direct avec l’air en mouvement sont en maillechort, tandis que les éléments qui canalisent l’air sont en laiton.
La trompette OIRAM light est disponible en trois variantes de pavillons différents (OIRAM light I, II et III).
Eric Vloeimans talks about his new OIRAM light trumpet:
One evening, I played with the famous reed quintet Calefax in a church in Limburg, not far from Margraten where the Van Laar company is located.
Just for the record: It is absolutely necessary that a good musician blends in well and practically disappears within the collective sound of the ensemble. However, if one has a melody to play, or an improvisation, then things are a bit different and one must rise distinctively above the other musicians.
I have to tell you that Hub developed the V-Flow with me in mind and that I have been completely satisfied with it for many years now. In whatever combination, this instrument did exactly what I wanted, and it is really special that the V-Flow trumpet is so wonderfully expressive when I play in the mid-low register. But apparently this could be bettered. WOW!!!
One year later I received a telephone call from Van Laar. Something new had been built and I should come by. Without further ado, as is his manner, Hub laid a trumpet with the name OIRAM light in my hands. OIRAM light??? Well, I must admit that it was really much lighter, and normally trumpets with the word “light” in their name sound lighter and thinner too. Actually that was something I really didn’t care for. But that was merely my initial impression….
Fine, I took the OIRAM light from Hub, and I must say it is really much lighter than my V-Flow. I began to play and with the very first notes my wife almost fell off her seat in astonishment. There was an enormous difference between the V-Flow and the OIRAM light, and the difference was in favour of the OIRAM light. My wife was not the only person who noticed the difference. Anyone with professional, or even non-professional, ears experiences this.
Strangely enough, this phenomenon is based on something that is ‘no longer there’. It is as though certain elements of sound, those which are not necessary, have been eradicated on the OIRAM light. I can’t really describe it any differently, but the essence, the soul of the sound, remains and contributes to a ‘lightness of playing’. Thanks to this lightness I feel much freer, my virtuosity increases, and I can express myself much more creatively.
Compared with the V-Flow, the OIRAM light obtains more sound while expending less energy. And what a fantastic sound it is!!!
No matter whether you are playing pianissimo or forte, this sound is reflected in all the dynamics. But what is most special is that even when you play extremely softly, the full resonance is preserved.
Views differ about the sort of resistance a trumpet should have. I know trumpet players who prefer to ‘blow against a wall’, as it were. Personally, I prefer it if my trumpet has less resistance and lets me blow through it more easily. This is certainly the case with the OIRAM light.
As with all Van Laar trumpets, the valves move very smoothly and if you can’t play with virtuosity, this is certainly not because a problem with the valves. Just one drop of oil each day, and the sounds will flow out like a babbling brook.
The OIRAM light is available in two finishes: brushed, raw brass and gold-plated. For me, pink and gold are the most beautiful colours, and that the OIRAM light is not available in pink … :). By the way, I had my mouthpiece gold-plated immediately, and it looks really cool!
There are a couple of nice touches: The ring on the third slide and the pinky ring on the lead pipe are a little thinner than on the V-Flow, and the slide stop screws for the first and third slide are made with a vertical downwardly directed rod.
As is usual, the waterkey is fitted with a cork, but has an elongated lever rearwards.
It is a slender and elegant trumpet, which sounds as good as it looks and is a bull’s eye as far as I am concerned.
The OIRAM light is an all-round instrument, whether you play classic, jazz, pop and big band or world music. This trumpet has got it all!
My grateful thanks go to Hub, Heidrun and the whole team. The Van Laar company has outdone itself once again, and with the OIRAM light you have created a truly fantastic instrument. Like myself, many other musicians and listeners will be filled with joy on playing or hearing this trumpet.
Eric Vloeimans
