johnmarkpainter

Sorry to write a book here but I think it will help answer my question.

I am a full time musician (Pop producer/film composer/session player) but a part time Trumpet player.
I have been playing for a long time but not on a consistent basis.
It isn't unusual for me to go for several months without playing at all.
I almost never play live any more.

Right now my work calls for lots of Brass so I am playing every day for a few months. My next job might cause me to play guitar every day...or Piano etc...

While I am making an effort to keep my Horn out and play while I reboot my computer, make backup files, burn a DVD or whatever busy work I am doing it still isn't enough to stay in shape.
Luckily for what I do I don't have to play for long periods of time.

ANYWAY I am so part time that I can play on whatever mouthpiece happens to be in the horn. Of course my Tone changes.
I am wondering if it is smarter for me to choose one Mouthpiece (or at least rim size) that is a safer choice for an out of shape Embouchure as I KNOW that I won't be playing 2 hours a day.

When I played regularly I used a Bach 1 1/4C and a Schilke 12B4.
On Flugel I have the original Toilet Bowl mpc that came with my Couesnon.
I have a Wick 5 on my Cornet and a Curry 3TF (Flugel cup) on a 50's Ambassador.

The sounds I need to get most often are pseudo-classical (pseudo because it is ME), soft jazz and the occasional High edgy (I recently did a retro Disco project).

When I need REAL Lead playing I just hire one :)

Thanks!
Any advice would be appreciated.

John

Vulgano Brother

I am going on pure intuition here, a hunch. It is sort of based on years of paid goofing off with a trumpet in my hands, so please don't attack me for being flat out wrong, but.....

How about a Marcinkiewicz Herb Alpert model for your trumpet? A tad bit smaller but deeper than your 12B4, based on the Bach 7B but with typical Marcinkiewicz efficiency. The sound shouldn't be so far out there that you can't "fix it in the mix ( )."

Classical is more a style than a sound, anyway. If you're not doing that much playing, it may not be worth the time and trouble to match the rim on all your insruments, especially if they are otherwise in tune and get the sound you want.

Give it a try, and if it makes you say "wow!" then my hunch was correct; if it makes you say "yeech!," well, sorry.

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wiseone2

Get a copy of Jim Thompson's "Buzzing Basics." I have little experience with down time on the horn, but, when Clark was laid up he buzzed. He kept his chops up that way. I am incorporating buzzing into my daily routine. Try buzzing for chop maintenance. Don't overdo it though

I am one of those same sized rim for everything people. Lately the Laskey 80 series is my choice, I am thinking Monette........we'll see.
Wilmer

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Be sure Brain is engaged before putting Mouthpiece in gear.
S.Suark 1951

johnmarkpainter

Oh No!!!

The "Wise" answer is to stay in shape??
Breaking out the 1 1/4C for some long tone buzzing excercises........

jmp

Vulgano Brother

Well, yeah. I gave you the instant gratification answer you were wishing for, but the Wise One is indeed that. Displacing practicing trumpeters in the workplace isn't encouraged, so it would be cool if you became one yourself. We all have 168 hours a week to spend, and the old mouthpiece in the pocket trick will let us multi-task in our "time is money" mindset. A 1 1/4 C, great mouthpiece that it is, is usually reserved for the "big boys;" our ideal mouthpiece is one that works even when we are not in the best of shape. Have fun practicing!

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Dale Proctor

Try a Bach 3C. You'll either like it, or you won't.....

Wide enough to get a good tone (but not too wide), shallow enough to help the range when you haven't been practicing much.

Short answer, as best as can be given over the internet. Your mileage may vary.

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www.otbrass.com

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johnmarkpainter

A little follow-up.

I just got a 1 1/4C on eBay from Harrelson that has a permanently installed sleeve. Extremely heavy.

The 1 1/4c feels very normal to me. Maybe I'm a 'big boy'
The Bach cup Tone is much more what I am going after than the Schilke gives me. I haven't tried it on Picc yet. We'll see.

It is very close in rim size (17mm) to my Curry 3TF (16.9mm) and my Wick 3 Cornet (17mm)

NOW I need a smaller Flugel mpc.

THanks,
John