mrmusicnotes

Hi everyone,For the past 3 years I been playing mostly (95%) on a bach 1 1/2c megatone,switching to a 10 1/2c for help on hard pieces.Now,for the past month I have been working mostly on pretty advanced works out of Sigmund Herring characteristics etudes,schlossbergs,and Arbans( Fantaisie and variations).including carnival of venice.Now for the past month I been playing almost all 10 1/2c and have really moved my playing up a notch,something that would never been acomplished on the 1 1/2c.I am not a pro player,but I definately don"t want to go back to my old range and endurance so the 1 1/2c is out.What I was thinking was to go with a deeper cup and slightly larger rim since I am having no problem bottoming out and swelling on the 10 1/2c.It just to bright to use for everything. What do you think of say a bach 10b?,it has a slightly larger rim and a much deeper cup.Any other suggestion will be taken very seriously.Thanks for your help

rowuk

WHOAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Slow down a bit!

You essentially have the 2 extremes of mouthpiece size and claim the difference is range and endurance. Without hearing and seeing you play, it is hard to know exactly what the deal is, but I'll bet it has NOTHING to do with the size of your mouthpiece. The factors that you mention are usually SYMPTOMS of something much more basic - a weak foundation - your breathing not being together. Basically, if your breath support is adequate, what changes the most with mouthpieces is your tone color. Range and endurance does not change appreciably - at least not on the repertory that you mentioned.

If your breathing is not together, the smaller mouthpiece can compensate by lowering the requirements.

This was just to put the differences into perspective.

A deeper cup does offer a darker sound. Without ever having seen and heard you play, I don't know if a 10B is the answer. The deeper cup will also require more breath support. There is a philosophy among some fine players that one should always use the smallest mouthpiece that you can get away with. I think that concept only works with professional players. Amateurs benefit greatly from a "slightly" larger mouthpiece. There is simply more flexibility when the practice time is erratic.

It would interest me to hear what your experience with a 7C would be. That is a bit bigger, has a much more substantial tone, but not the requirements of a 1 1/2C. In any case, additional breathing exercizes will help most!

__________________
Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

MJ

I'd loose the mega tone if I were you.

__________________

mrmusicnotes

Rowuk,While I am not a pro, I have been playing everyday for the past 10 years.My range while not great is E above high C on my 1 1/2c mega.Its not so much that my range has gone up at all,it"s just that everything else is so much easier, double and tripple toungue,sluring and especially endurance.Nothing really suffered in the change to the 10 1/2c except of course the tone quality.What I am looking for is a size that I could go back and fourth with to chane the tonal qualties.I feel that this size diameter(or there about) could be what fits me best.I have been trying the bigger is better aproach for the past 3 years and feel I am stuck in limbo.MJ ,you always make me laugh with your one liners.I think we should call you the Hennie Youngman of trumpetmaster,take my wife PLEASEThanks again Rowuk