trumpettrax

When should someone start to be concerned with this "stuff". I'm sure you have to attain a certain proficiency level first right?

trumpettrax

I guess if I want a reply I should post the whole question huh?

Anyway, my question was when should someone start being concerned with the mouthpiece? I'm talking about rim, cup, throat and backbore. I'm assuming that you should have to reach a certain proficiencly level before you might be concerned with making changes huh?

Thanks,

camelbrass

Until you need to specialise in terms of mouthpieces don't. Find a mid-range sized mouthpiece that's comfortable and allows you to articulate cleanly at different dynamics in the middle registers then practice like hell. Equipment changes should be made to emphasise strengths..no equipment change will cure defficiencies.

There are great players who've been playing for 30 years who just put the mouthpiece in the narrow end and blow. They're the guys to emulate.


Regards,


Trevor

wilcox96

Okay...I'll bite.

How long you've been playing is not as important as how well you are playing ...good foundation....and definately beginning to challenge yourself or "are" being challenged by the material you're asked to play. That said, you may "never" need to experiment. That part is up to you. Mpcs can only make what you do more efficient (which can lead to more range in either direction)...help change the color of your sound... that type of thing. Quality time spent on the horn takes care of the rest. (along with good teaching).

Depending on where you are in your playing.... if you want to experiment.. do so. If there's a sound you're after...try different things. Go to a music store and play around.


Or not.. if you are happy!

Tootsall

I was waiting for some of the more knowledgeable folk to comment on this; since they seem to be holding back, I'll timidly step up.

As an "old beginner" myself, I'll suggest that the first "clue" should be if you have an instructor and he/she suggests that you are having some playing issues that could possibly be due to a mis-match between your mouthpiece and your instrument! If you do NOT have an instructor than you need to consider if you are practicing right and are still not progressing the way you think you should be (lack of range, endurance, intonation, etc) and whether or not it might be possible that the mouthpiece is the problem. This is pretty risky though...determining what an "appropriate" development rate might be.

Personally I developed without an instructor (except for a short, 4 month period). I had a chance to try some different mouthpieces "for cheap" and found different things with each of them. It was when I was considering buying a Schilke (a more "open" horn) and had a very "trained ear" listening to me to compare the sounds from the different models that I found how certain intonation characteristics could be "solved" by working by working with mouthpiece design parameters (through a Warburton dealer's kit). Once I had settled on a particular cup depth/diameter/throat size/backbore I pretty much "locked in" on it and haven't really changed since (I've gone to a different brand but with certain elements being essentially the same as those that we settled on three years back).

The problem is that it is very difficult to be objective about your own sound, ease of playing, etc. and I'd sure recommend getting a "trained ear" to listen to you and evaluate what is happening with what you are playing on before embarking on the "safari".

dcstep

A serious comeback player will not need to worry about these things until 2 or more years into the process, if ever. Start with something in the 3C to 7C range and stick with it.

Youngsters will not need to think much about this until their junior year in high school, when they begin to regularly be asked to play in the high-C range. Still, a 3C can do almost anything.

Dave