| For me, I have never really gained any range with a mouthpiece, although the mouthpiece certainly has an effect on the sound and ease of my upper register.
From my observations over the years, there have been a few distinctive philosophies regarding mouthpiece selection:
1.) Play on the biggest mouthpiece you can control because although it might hinder your upper register, it will give you a better sound.
2.) Play on the smallest mouthpiece you can get a decent sound with because it will make your upper register easier
3.) Play one middle of the road mouthpiece for everything - you may take a hit on range, but your sound will still be good, and you might take a hit on sound, but your range will still be easier.
4.) Switch accordingly depending on current needs of the situation i.e. lead playing use a shallow piece, legit playing, use something bigger.
I currently subscribe to #4 more than the others, however, in your situation, since you are still in the process of developing your chops, this is not something I recommend.
The 3C is not a radical change from the 7C and for many, it winds up being the middle of the road mouthpiece they use for everything. Do you like it? Is it comfortable? Has it hindered any aspect of your playing other than range? If you continue to use it, your range will come around, but unless there is something wrong with the way you sound on the 7C, maybe you should stick with what you know. Either way, neither one of those mouthpieces are particularly large or small so whatever one you choose, if you stick with it, you will probably be back to "normal" in a week or so.
By the way, you are smart not to get too caught up in equipment at this stage of the game. Most "problems" at your stage are, in my opinion, better handled in the practice room rather than handled with an equipment change. In my experience, equipment changes usually produce a one or two day "honeymoon" phase, follow closely by a 3-4 week acclimation phase where nothing seems to work quite right.
__________________ Patrick Gleason
email me at: trickg1@hotmail.com
"What we do in life echoes in eternity"
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