Mouthpieces...

[Aegis Fang]

Would somebody explain to me the difference between mouthpieces?

 

which ones are better for

-range

-tone quality

-volume

-whatever else they make mouthpieces for

 

what's the difference between the different brands *schilke, bach... etc/ 5c 5b, etc*

 

I've been wondering this for years =p

[trumpetman1288]

Don't necessarily take my word for this, but this is more or less what I have come across through experience...

 

 

Range is usually dictated by two things on a mouthpiece; the rim and the depth of the cup. Shallow cups are usually a little easier to go higher on, and thinner rims usually help as well. That's why when most trumpet players pick up a french horn, screamers are cake.

 

Tone quality is more your embochure and air than it is a mouthpiece. Tone, however, can be affected by the depth of your cup. Deeper cups usually give you a darker sound.

 

Volume also comes with air, but some mouthpieces are designed to make you play louder. Most of those have a larger hole for your air to go through.

 

 

That's about all I have as far as that goes. If anyone can prove otherwise, please tell me, because as I said, all of that info there is just off my personal experience.

 

Oh, and about brands. Bach and Yamaha mouthpieces are usually recommended to most people as beginners and most people will usually stick to them all the way into high school. They are great mouthpieces for teaching people on, and I feel that they are also great mouthpieces in general, but they are kind of flawed in my opinion. To me, I feel as if Bach mouthpieces are cutting into my lips after playing for a while, and I feel as if Yamaha mouthpieces have an rim that is too rounded for my liking. We all have our preferences though. I like the Schilke that I have A LOT. It takes a little more air and it kills your face a little bit faster, but man, it is one COMFORTABLE mouthpiece. Its rim is just the right width and it really is comfortable...doesn't cut into your face, isn't too rounded, just perfect. I play on a Schilke 15, and that particular mouthpiece does give you a darker sound. It's cup is slightly wider and deeper than a Bach 5B. I played a 5B for about three years, and I am going on my 3rd year for a Schilke, and the Schilke in my opinion is better, hands down. But yes..that's about brands. You should go buy a Schilke

[Aegis Fang]

thanks!

 

anyone else?

[whitewing09]

  trumpetman1288 said:

Don't necessarily take my word for this, but this is more or less what I have come across through experience...

 

 

Range is usually dictated by two things on a mouthpiece; the rim and the depth of the cup. Shallow cups are usually a little easier to go higher on, and thinner rims usually help as well. That's why when most trumpet players pick up a french horn, screamers are cake.

 

Tone quality is more your embochure and air than it is a mouthpiece. Tone, however, can be affected by the depth of your cup. Deeper cups usually give you a darker sound.

 

Volume also comes with air, but some mouthpieces are designed to make you play louder. Most of those have a larger hole for your air to go through.

 

 

That's about all I have as far as that goes. If anyone can prove otherwise, please tell me, because as I said, all of that info there is just off my personal experience.

 

Oh, and about brands. Bach and Yamaha mouthpieces are usually recommended to most people as beginners and most people will usually stick to them all the way into high school. They are great mouthpieces for teaching people on, and I feel that they are also great mouthpieces in general, but they are kind of flawed in my opinion. To me, I feel as if Bach mouthpieces are cutting into my lips after playing for a while, and I feel as if Yamaha mouthpieces have an rim that is too rounded for my liking. We all have our preferences though. I like the Schilke that I have A LOT. It takes a little more air and it kills your face a little bit faster, but man, it is one COMFORTABLE mouthpiece. Its rim is just the right width and it really is comfortable...doesn't cut into your face, isn't too rounded, just perfect. I play on a Schilke 15, and that particular mouthpiece does give you a darker sound. It's cup is slightly wider and deeper than a Bach 5B. I played a 5B for about three years, and I am going on my 3rd year for a Schilke, and the Schilke in my opinion is better, hands down. But yes..that's about brands. You should go buy a Schilke

umm you shouldnt really be drilling your trumpet into your lips... lol ya its hard to play the high notes but no need to kill your face.

[trumpetman1288]

Of course not...not killing the face at all...no red ring around the lips, no bloody chops, nadda. I just dislike Bach mouthpieces a lot because they feel very uncomfortable. I don't mean that Schilke 15 will kill you either, I just meant that it takes a little more endurance to get used to it.

[TRtrumpet]

Does anyone know a good size for when a trumpet needs to "cut" through the band? I have a solo on the Star Spangled Banner, and my director said I needed to forget blending and just cut through the band. Any suggestions? My current mouthpiece (Yamaha 14B4) gives me a darker tone, which is the opposite of what I need for this.

[Aegis Fang]

well I can play loud enough to make my eyeballs rattle on my bach 5C =p

[trumpetman1288]

Which SSB arrangement are you playing? We have this arrangement called "the trumpeting arrangement" which has a solo in it as well, but I don't think it is the same arrangement.

 

Just try pushing your air more with your stomach and really open up your throat. If you use your diaphram correctly, you will easily override the rest of the band, which if I am not mistaking, is fairly small. I do the solo for our arrangement...try playing over 250+ people..thankfully it's only low brass and woodwinds, which brings that number to about 100, that play during the solo

[TRtrumpet]

It's an arrangement out director made, Lol. It's a fanfare type solo during the "rockets red glare" part. But yeah, the problem is the rest of the trumpets are playing high at the same time so it's hard to stick out. Thanks, though I'll try that advice.

[Fortisimo]

Well, aside from those techniques already mentioned, use a lead mouthpiece, for example, a Bobby Shew Jazz to give a bright sound to rip right through the band. You'll still have to blow hard and support strongly to get it out right htough, so really I would suggest not buying a new mouthpiece, but just practicing coming thorugh with your own.

 

Personally, I stick with my Bach 1 and a half, but that's just me- of course, I already have an unnaturally bright sound to begin with for some reason.