Robert Rowe

Mr Laureano (is it Manuel or Emmanuel ?) --

Thanks for taking the time to respond to our queries .... We appreciate it v much !

I do not play symphonic or orchestral music; but I do switch back-&-forth on my "C" and "Bb" horns, and, like many other players I have noticed, the "C" horns require a bit of adjusting to after playing the "Bb" horns.

Do you suggest / recommend not using the same mouthpiece when switching ? If so, then why ? (Pls give personal examples).

Regards,
Robert Rowe

Manny Laureano

"I do not play symphonic or orchestral music; but I do switch back-&-forth on my "C" and "Bb" horns, and, like many other players I have noticed, the "C" horns require a bit of adjusting to after playing the "Bb" horns. Do you suggest / recommend not using the same mouthpiece when switching ? If so, then why ? (Pls give personal examples)."

dear Robert,

In general, many C trumpets have different response and intonation characteristics from Bb trumpets. As you have determined, there's a certain amount of this that is part of the mouthpiece choice.

Conventional mouthpieces are made for horns that are a little longer than Bb trumpets are today. Those mouthpieces were made for trumpets that were Bb/A convertible. That's why if you pick up an antique horn that went from Bb to A by moving a switch or a knob, the A side played better in tune.

Playing a C trumpet with a mouthpiece whose length matched that of an A trumpet will cause problems.

Second, most C trumpets are a slightly tighter bore than the large Bb. That makes low notes easier and other notes feel almost rubbery, easy to bend.

Since I don't have a conventional set up, the mouthpiece shanks and the balance that goes with it get smaller and change relative to the size of the horn. When I played conventional equipment, I used the same mouthpiece. So, I had the same problems most other people have with pitch. I learned all the false fingerings and dealt with just like all my other colleagues. and lipped up and down where I had to.

I don't know what to tell you other than you're dealing with the usual problems most people do. You're probably best off keeping the same mouthpiece for both horns so you don't drive yourself nuts.

The only other thing to do would be to invest in a correctly sized Monette Prana mouthpiece for each horn if you're so disposed and don't mind spending the money. Try to find a dealer first if you decide to do that and try them out.

Good luck,

ML (Manuel)