Why not switch diameters?

[Shaft]

Pops had a simple explanation for me. If I want to "practice twice as much" then work on two different diameters.

If you don't feel like your accuracy is going to suffer or that you need to put extra time in, then that may be something to consider.

It may not be a law using that Maxim but I do enjoy being able to switch from flugel to trumpet and having the diameter feel the same to my face.

If it doesn't affect you then who cares.

Somethings cannot be worked around, for example if you were performing a piccolo piece or a D trumpet piece and getting your timbre/ sound concept , etc. correct and it may not be possible with the same diameter. If that is your situation, you're practicing More anyways, to be using a different horn and then your big horn.

The audience just wants to hear good sounds.
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🎺

[Nonsense Eliminator]

There's switching diameters and then there's switching diameters.

If you were to survey working symphonic players, you'd find that most of them use different diameter mouthpieces on C trumpet and piccolo. That's because most of us use large diameter mouthpieces on our big horns, and most of us find that those large diameter rims don't work on piccolo trumpet. Some might also use a different diameter on their commercial mouthpieces, although for me my regular diameter works just fine for that (insofar as anything I do in that department can be called "just fine").

On the face of it, that looks like switching diameters. But I would suggest that the "rule" to be derived from that behaviour is: avoid switching if you can. I use the same rim on everything except piccolo and soprano cornet. If I played a 3C on big horns, or if I never had to play piccolo or sop, I would probably keep the same rim for everything.

On the other hand, anybody who says "never ever switch" is not really looking at the whole picture. Sure, if you are playing a 5C on big horns, you probably ought to be able to do just about whatever you need to do without changing rims. And if you can play piccolo on a 1something, knock yourself out. But most people can't.
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Richard Sandals
NBO

[ljazztrm]

[Nonsense Eliminator]

Again, it isn't black and white, and it isn't about only making small adjustments. It's about what you are trying to do and what you are trying to do it on. 90% of orchestral players use a 1something on big horns and at least 90% of them use something in the 3-7 range on piccolo trumpet. Because that's what works, in practice, in the real world, on the job.

I tried. I tried like a madman to make the same rim work on big horns and on piccolo trumpet -- because an official Mouthpiece Smart Person said that that was the thing to do. It. Did. Not. Work. I am sure there are players out there using a 1E (or whatever) on piccolo trumpet but I honestly don't think I've ever met one. Phil Smith doesn't do that. Maurice André didn't do that. Sometimes, the demands of playing widely disparate styles and/or instruments make it easier to switch rims. Yes, it takes some getting used to, but if it's the right thing to do it makes everything else so much easier that switching rims is obviously and immediately worth it.
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Richard Sandals
NBO

[Bill W]

For me, the shape of the mouthpiece rim has a much bigger impact on switching then does the diameter. I learned very quickly in my trumpet career that I was uncomfortable with any Bach rim. Didn't matter whether it was a one and a half, a three or a 10 1/2, the inside rim edge was just too sharp and failed to support my playing. It was a fight every time I tried to play. I first found a compatible rim in the smaller diameter pieces, in particular the Jet Tone(s). It took quite a while for me to find a mouthpiece for classical because there are so few stock pieces with the flatter rim that I preferred. Thank goodness that Trent Austin came up with his beautiful TA rims. Now I use Trent's version of a Jet Tone Al Hirt A for lead and my ACB Mount Vernon 3C with a flat TA3 rim. I also use the TA3 rim on my Flugelhorn piece). The difference between the TA3 and Hirt A rim diameters is quite large, but because the rim shapes are similar (they feel the same on my chops) switching for me is seamless without loss of sound quality or endurance. However, everyone is different. Best advice: Try everything and use what works.
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Bill Wasserman
Shires B-LW
Shires Custom C
1962 Quesnon Flugel
http://youtube.com/watch?v=iMEHat1PXV0 Playing Maynard's "Hey There"

[andybharms]

Richard Sandals, professional nonsense eliminator!
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Andrew Harms, DMA
http://www.andrewbharms.com