Manny Laureano

Spirit,

Yes, that's been my experience. It doesn't cure every ill but yes, there are improvements in sound clarity, response, and intonation. The weight of the mouthpiece should correspond to the relative weight and use of the instrument. the folks at the shop, after asking you a few questions about what you play and how you play it, would be of more help in that regard than I.

ML

JackD

For some reason my high register was really working for me today, I was practising that Mahler 7 excerpt with the D (Bb pitch), and scales going up to Eb. It was working well, so I thought I'd try for the E - and AGAIN, all I got was air, despite the Eb being nice and resonant. Damn that note!

R.A.S.

As Manny said, he usually tries not to say too much about Monettes.

I, however, just own some of their mouthpieces, so I can say whatever I want!

Call their shop in Portland (get the # off the David G. Monette website), and let them guide you to the right size.
(My guess would be somewhere in the B2 to B4 range.)
They are all wonderful mouthpieces, with well-centered tone, great intonation, and easy response.

They work best in Monette trumpets, but all of us can benefit from these mouthpieces in our horns made by other manufacturers.

dcstep

I don't understand this aversion. I test played a Blessing the other day and the E is indeed very flat when played open with no adjustment, SO why not try it 1-2? The horn will center and resonate more freely. He may need a touch of 1st slide kick to bring it down, in fact, but that's a small price to pay if it helps him stablize the note.

Each horn is different, so I think it's wrong to assume one set of answers for every problem. In this case, since the surrounding notes on either side are not problematic, I don't think it's a mpc issue.

Dave

__________________
Schilke '60 B1
Selmer Paris -- '57 #20 K-Modified/
'03 Concept TT w/ GR66.8B2.8
'94 Lawler TL cornet w/ Sparx 2B
Conn Vintage One flugel - GR66FD
www.pitpops.com www.ucm-inc.com
Rocky Mountain Trumpet Fest

Manny Laureano

Dave,

In this case I have to respectfully disagree with the notion of accepting false fingerings as one of those facts of life that you just go to when you don't get the desired result intonationwise. The sound is almost always a different timbre from the rest of the notes and the feel is also different. At least, that's been my experience. I think the search for a mouthpiece that cuts the number of false fingerings to their absolute minimum is a worthy one.

Also, the mouthpiece properly constructed absolutely will change the characteristics of any number of notes on a given horn. Again, I'll admit to that being my experience. I have seen and heard it in a number of circumstances.

ML

dcstep

Well, Manny, you may be right, BUT my suggestion is free. I said, "why not try 1-2 fingering?" In my experience, there may or may not be issues with timbre. Try the free solution then move to alternatives if that doesn't work.

Best regards,

Dave

__________________
Schilke '60 B1
Selmer Paris -- '57 #20 K-Modified/
'03 Concept TT w/ GR66.8B2.8
'94 Lawler TL cornet w/ Sparx 2B
Conn Vintage One flugel - GR66FD
www.pitpops.com www.ucm-inc.com
Rocky Mountain Trumpet Fest

dbacon

"The sound is almost always a different timbre from the rest of the notes and the feel is also different."


This is the central issue, not if it's free or not.

The sound and feel are very different, response, projection. You change a number of things when you use alternate fingerings in this type of situation.

__________________
Dave Bacon

dcstep

Dave, sometimes you blow my mind.

All I'm saying is try alternative fingerings. You won't know if the timbre is different unless you try, so how can you condemn alternative fingerings before you try? We're talking about the E over high C, which can be played with almost any fingering. I say, try some alternatives and decide for yourself which sounds the best, before you run out and buy a Monette mpc.

BTW, the inquisitor is playing a Blessing. A Monette mpc is going to increase his total investment by 33% over the market value of his horn. I actually think that the Blessing Artist series are good values, particularly when purchased used. Perhaps there's a reason the original poster is playing a Blessing rather than a Monette, or even a Schilke or a MV Bach. Maybe it's what his budget allowed or maybe he's playing it because Red Rodney played one and he likes it's characteristics, except for that pesky E.

BTW, on some horns where the timbre of the top-space E is closer to the F right next to it when played 1-2. It depends to a large degree on the tuning compromises built into the horn. Yes, sometimes changing mpcs can mitigage the issues, but there are horns that sound more balanced when the top-space E is played 1-2.

Dave

__________________
Schilke '60 B1
Selmer Paris -- '57 #20 K-Modified/
'03 Concept TT w/ GR66.8B2.8
'94 Lawler TL cornet w/ Sparx 2B
Conn Vintage One flugel - GR66FD
www.pitpops.com www.ucm-inc.com
Rocky Mountain Trumpet Fest

dbacon

[quote="dcstep


Dave, sometimes you blow my mind.


Dave[/quote]

Thanks Dave!

__________________
Dave Bacon

R.A.S.

In case you've never played on a Monette mouthpiece, they make the characteristic lipping up that is needed on the fourth space E and Eb easier to do. They let you lip up on these notes (on any horn) without as much negative change in the tone quality as with other mouthpieces. It may be the mass, it may be the big throat - who cares! Any Monette mouthpiece makes it easier for you to play in-tune on any instrument.

Is $195 an investment? Well, I've paid $135 for a Callet Peter Masseurs. I've paid plenty for Warburton (2MD, 2MC, 2M, 2SV) and Curry (3BC, 3ZM, 3Z) and Reeves (43C, 43M, 43S, 43ES) sets where you needed to buy 3 mouthpieces to have a well-rounded set.

Sometimes a fine mouthpiece is worth almost what you have in a horn, especially if you got a great deal on your horns.
Enough!