trptguru

So...after all the comments on what horn people use for Messiah, it reminded me that I am in need of a good picc mouthpiece. I play on a Parke 630-285-24 Merkelo for Bb and C, but for picc I have been using a Parke 630-240-26 Bergeron, but it doesn't work. The whole shallower thing has never seemed to work to help me play higher. Any suggestions?

JustinSmith

I play a Bach 7E with a 117 backbore on just about everything I play on piccolo trumpet.



In college I played a Stork 3P, which seemed to work fine. it was a lot bigger than the 7E. A friend of mine sold his Selmer piccolo for a Kanstul at the time, which uses a cornet mouthpiece. He asked me to try it. I have a Yamaha Custom YTR-9820C, which takes a trumpet mouthpiece. We both agreed that that was right sound. I never really noticed the change in the sign. I loved it, and he just gave it to me. I been playing that set-up for about 10 years now.

If I am playing a second part, still on piccolo trumpet, I sometimes would use a 7C as well.

Lawler Bb

I'm using a stock 1970s Bach 7C on my Benge piccolo. Works pretty well for me. I've never been successful using a 7E style mouthpiece. I need more chop room. Another one you may try is the Laskey PIC model. It's modeled after the Bach 7E, but there is more depth.

RG111

I second the Laskey Picc mouthpiece. I never could get the 7e to work, and the Stork 3p was a bit too big.

Roy

wiseone2

I vacillate between the Laskey 80* and the Laskey Piccolo mouthpiece. The 80* is now labeled 80S. I like the 80S for the Messiah.
Wilmer

Vulgano Brother

I use a Curry Z cup with a short shank and a Monstersleeve. It has sparkle without being too tinny sounding.

cornetguy

I use a Laskey 75P. Downsizing the rim never worked for me. I you get a Laskey you will have to get a cornet to trumpet adapter if you have a picc that takes a trumpet mouthpiece, as he only makes them with a cornet shank.

rowuk

A shallower mouthpiece does not help you play higher! A shallower mouthpiece makes your sound brighter. There are many mouthpieces that are shallower with a corresponding throat and backbore, that supposedly were specifically designed with the piccolo trumpet in mind, most have never worked for me!

My first suggestion is to put your standard mouthpiece in the picc and play. What happens? Intonation OK ? High register up to your normal highest note OK? Sound compact with core? Once you have taken notes, then you can make a plan of action.

There are various schools of thought, one is maintain the same rim size regardless, the other is use smaller mouthpieces for smaller horns. I prefer the second as I use my picc mostly in chamber settings and a symphonic approach didn't give me the results that I desired.

So, if you on the standard mouthpiece played flat in the upper register, a smaller cup volume with a tighter backbore and throat will provide relief. The smaller cup volume can be achieved with the standard rim with a shallower cup (brightens the sound) or a smaller diameter mouthpiece with moderate depth (a more "rounded" sound).

When I was playing standard mouthpieces, I used a Bach 1 1/2C for my big horns and a normal 10 1/2C for the picc. Intonation was good, sound very centered and although it was not possible to balance a wind band with that mouthpiece on my Selmer picc, I was able to play as softly as the oboe and had a lot of "color" available that was not possible with a bigger mouthpiece.

In past years, the primary search was for a mouthpiece that let us play the picc in tune. Many players are still searching because they have not taken notes and attempted to solve the problem logically. Check this web site out for an in depth description of how mouthpieces work:

Welcome at the pages of the IWK (Institute of Musical Acoustics)
click on research, then mouthpiece forms. Here is an excellent description of how to tune the mouthpiece system for optimal intonation.

Finally, if you want to play higher, no mouthpiece or horn can solve that. Playing higher is a function of embouchure development and mature breathing practice. Any high notes that you get on one horn will be available for all of the rest! Granted, optimised hardware will be less in the way, but that helps endurance, not range. I can only recommend working on body use, breathing, long tones and lip slurs (even on the picc.!) to extend range. Keep the pressure off of the top lip and try to stay as relaxed as possible.

cornetguy

Well Said Robin

oldenick

I use a Bach 7eW and find it very comfortable.