crowmadic

In the past 4 months I've gone from a 17C to a 7 to a 3C. I'm trying to make the 3C work because I find that some of the players I admire are using a 3C. I've seen Bobby Shew change mouthpieces when he performs, but I know he uses a Kelly 3C. Anyway, I'm having a difficult time hitting anything above G3 without using more lip pressure than I'd like to. Can anyone help through this painful experience...........OUCH!

Solar Bell

Why would you change your mouthpiece just because a player you admire plays that one?

Find the mouthpiece that works for you.

-cw-

__________________
Chuck Willard
The Willard of Oz

"Don't be afraid to see what you see."
Ronald Reagan

Manny Laureano

17C?

How did you wind up on a mouthpiece like that? That's really, really small. Are your lips very thin? If they're so thin that the 17C felt good, I can't imagine that a 3C would feel good to you. It would be too big.

ML

Castle Bravo

Wow.

I played on a mouthpiece similar to a 10.5D for years, and it was awesome - but I had played on bigger mouthpieces in the past and knew that I didn't have the flexibility that I once had.
Soooo, I tried a jump to the 3c. I failed. It hurt - a lot. I wound up on a mouthpiece bigger that what I was using (Kanstul modified B6), but it was no 3c.

Bobby Shew's advice is to play on the smallest mouthpiece that still allows a big rich sound and enables you to do everything you want to do. Read that last sentence again and pay special emphasis to the part that says "....still allows a big rich sound and enables you to do everything you want to do."

The answer may be bigger - or smaller than you think.

__________________
Gary Wilder

Solar Bell

Read what Jens says in the latest ITG Journal...

All the "bigger" guys will be surprised!

Page 33 & 34.

His last word on the subject was...

"My personal theory is that you should play the most compact equipment possible to obtain the maximal result" Jens Lindemann

Sounds a lot like Shew, eh?

-cw-

__________________
Chuck Willard
The Willard of Oz

"Don't be afraid to see what you see."
Ronald Reagan

Alex Yates

Try going back to the 7C. It is ok to try and sound like the players you admire, but I am sure you realize that a 3C feels different to every player. Honestly, pick what works for you. What does "work for you" mean? A mouth piece that allows the process of making music easier on the instrument while allowing you to sound like you. If the 3C is making you work too hard, put this train in reverse and go back to the 7C. Maybe even try a 5C or a 10 1/2C. You never know.

I have been playing a 1C configuration, or very close to that, for twenty years. RECENTLY I played a friend's 3C just to see what it felt like. I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't feel much smaller than what I am using. At this point in my life, a 3C could be in my future before too long, but not yet. So you see, it doesn't hurt to experiment, but if you are having problems like this, the 3C doesn't sound like it is agreeing with you.

TrentAustin

I play on the smallest piece I can get away with :) Right now a Warburton 4M or my TA custom (which is like a Bach 3D).

-T

__________________
Trent Austin
lurking around. If you want to chat PM me.
http://www.trentaustin.com
http://www.onlinejazzimprovisation.com

crowmadic

Dear TM friends,
I know my Thread sounded like I was using that 3C to sound like the guys I mentioned, but that's not totally true because Bobby Shew doesn't sound like Chris Botti, and Chris Botti doesn't sound like Arturo Sandoval. Beside they are not my "ultimate jazz herosl." Mine are the "Kings" that most of us admire. I used them because I recently found out that they use 3C, actually Chris Botti uses a 1926 Bach 3 according to whoever answers his emails. I tried the 3C because I like a dark sound (if that's the word) and thought the deeper 3C would provide that. It has given me that, and I'm enjoying it in some ways, but Alex may be right when she says, "If the 3C is making you work too hard make that train go in reverse...". My lips are not thin, and they're not fat, I'd call them just right Little Red Riding Hood. I did well with the 17C because the "Cushion Rim" felt good. I'm just crazy for that fat dark mellow sound, and keep looking for ways to get it without playing my Flugelhorn. Some day I'll find the horn/mouthpiece combination and be crazy no more. Thanks to all. As usual your comments are filled with education in cut-time............tom

djm6701

A couple of other thoughts - the cup volume of the 3C is SMALLER than a 7C (Bach's numbering system isn't entirely sequential). It's a bigger diameter and a shallower cup, so overall most people get a brighter sound on the 3C. The other thing is that if the 7C was working for you, the 3C has a dramatically different rim, and that may be where things are going wrong for you. I'm a big believer in how the shape of the rim fits your face impacts on your ability to play well on a particular mouthpiece.

__________________
Dave M.
Richmond Hill (Toronto), Ontario, CANADA

Kanstul WB1600
1952 L.A. Olds Recording, 1975 L.A. Benge 3x, Yamaha 631 Flugel, Olds Flugel

GR 65.6 Mouthpieces

Manny Laureano

Just so you know, Tom, the cushion rim option is available for pretty much every mouthpiece Bach makes. You can get a 7EW which gives you a little more room and a shallow cup plus the wider cushion rim. I wouldn't be surprised if you could order a 3CW. That amounts to a 3C with a wider, cushion rim.

By the way... were you thinking Goldilocks?

ML