why did Mr. Adam open your mouthpiece throat?

[thadjones1213]

I have heard that Mr. Adam did this. Was there a pedagogical reason, something he heard in the sound, the free blowing allowed things to come forward?

Did he ever explain it to anyone how this could help a student with X issue?

[Matthew Anklan]

On a related topic, HOW did he do it?
_________________
Matt Anklan

www.matthewanklan.com

[thadjones1213]

I know that he would use a drill bit or reamer that would take one size at a time.

He also told me that he had a huge box of old/ruined mouthpieces in his garage from trying things.

[Matthew Anklan]

I am curious whether he uses a bit or reamer because they have a different effect on the throat length. I have also heard about the box of messed up mouthpieces. You gotta wonder how ruined
_________________
Matt Anklan

www.matthewanklan.com

[PH]

When I first studied with Mr. Adam (in the '70s) he would gradually open up the throat of your (almost always Bach) mouthpiece quite a bit as your playing developed (usually in increments of 1 or 2 bit sizes) until you relaxed your airstream and eased your body and tongue tensions. He would sometimes open mouthpieces up to as much as 18 or 19 throats! Then, when you were very relaxed and moving a lot of energized air, he would back the throat size down again and at that point he would move some players to the Reeves or Purviance.

He would do this by hand with drill bits.

At some point he became dissatisfied with this approach. Now his biggest concern seems to be how the mouthpiece fits with the trumpet, particularly the receiver gap.
_________________
Bach trumpet artist-clinician
Professor of Jazz Studies, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music
Faculty Jamey Aebersold Jazz Workshops since 1976

[thadjones1213]

Pat,

In your experience/opinion was it common in this practice to open up a smaller diameter mouthpiece more or less than say a 3c?

Did it matter? (in the 70s) did he do it similarly across the board to all students in some way shape or form, or did it vary on equipment or just relate more to the needs of the individual student? (I think I know the answer but I am asking anyway)

[PH]

Back then he put virtually everyone on a 1C, 3C or 5C Bach and opened up the throats of virtually everyone in the first stages of their study. Of course, back then Bach and Schilke were virtually the only mouthpieces widely available. Reeves and Purviances were pretty esoteric and were rare in the midwest. There weren't many boutique makers or custom makers.
_________________
Bach trumpet artist-clinician
Professor of Jazz Studies, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music
Faculty Jamey Aebersold Jazz Workshops since 1976

[John Mohan]

Most players do better with larger throats on their mouthpieces. Despite popular opinion that larger throats reduce endurance, the opposite is actually true. By reducing resistance, one doesn't have to work as hard to create the same volume of sound. Of note though: a player who hasn't learned to control the airstream correctly will feel that a tighter mouthpiece helps him, because it's creating reistance for him (that he should be creating himself with his properly arching tongue).

There is an excellent article about enlarging the throats on mouthpieces at this URL:

http://www.dallasmusic.org/gearhead/Mouthpiece%20throat%20size.html

Here's part of that text:

[thadjones1213]

Is the modern equivalent to opening the throat with a drill the same as getting a bigger backbore say warburton, reeves, etc.?

For the sake of accuracy, and I don't have anything to ream it out with, is this what I would do to experience the same concept?

Am I showing my ignorance or inquisitive nature? both?

[cheiden]

[crzytptman]

[Jeff_Purtle]

Claude Gordon used to drill-out students' mouthpieces too.

I remember him talking about it in a pedagogy class. He would send the student up the street to get something or run copies of some of his exercises. While they were gone he would open it up. Then, the student would play and not know what happened. I thought it was funny.

A couple years later I was looking for an identical match for my mouthpiece as a backup when I measured and looked at the throat I discovered the plating was off and Claude had done that to me too.

It accomplished what he wanted and I never thought about equipment

I do it with some of my students while they watch. It's more noticeable to the player if they are using their air properly to begin with.

I have seen some people take it too far and open it up so that it destroys the taper in the backbore by lengthening the throat length.

However, there are horn players that play with mouthpieces with a #1 drill with absolutely zero backbore taper and it works great. The Giardinelli C1 French Horn mouthpiece is like that.

Jeff
_________________
Jeff Purtle
Purtle Brass Conferences
Trumpet Lessons Online since 2004
864-292-3532 Home/Studio
864-354-3223 iPhone 5 with FaceTime

[crzytptman]

[Jeff_Purtle]

The CG Personal started with a #22 and he made it a #20, which I have used since 1984 along with the CG Selmer trumpet. I'm not one for changing gear.

Before Claude I studied six years with a guy named Chuck Brady who once said, "I would rather have one bad mouthpiece than two good ones." I asked why and he said he would always wonder if it would be better on the other one vs. just knowing it was his fault and he had to practice better.

That point didn't make sense until years later when Claude was more blunt about the same thing.

More open equipment gives you the ability to have more control over the sound. When the equipment is tight you can't make the sound get that much bigger. But, with more open equipment you can do more with the tongue and air.

I think too open is obvious in that the sound will be unfocused, spread, blatty or whatever you want to call it and notes won't center or slot. I never experienced that on the CG Personal and the CG Selmer even though they are more open. It's all in the combination of tapers and of course practicing.

Jeff
_________________
Jeff Purtle
Purtle Brass Conferences
Trumpet Lessons Online since 2004
864-292-3532 Home/Studio
864-354-3223 iPhone 5 with FaceTime

[thadjones1213]

Mr. Purtle,

So if I am playing a 10 1/2c or 7c and although comfortable, they have moments of feeling stuffy, would opening the throat simply remove that stuffiness?

[thadjones1213]

From an Adam point of view, if playing a Bach C cup mouthpiece with appropriate gap, what are some things in the sound that would indicate that opening the throat might be appropriate?

thanks

[PH]

I think there is a reason that Mr. Adam stopped opening mouthpiece throats around 1980. I do not recommend it.

P
_________________
Bach trumpet artist-clinician
Professor of Jazz Studies, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music
Faculty Jamey Aebersold Jazz Workshops since 1976

[PH]

When the gap is wrong there are problems with intonation and also with response.
_________________
Bach trumpet artist-clinician
Professor of Jazz Studies, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music
Faculty Jamey Aebersold Jazz Workshops since 1976

[thadjones1213]

PH,

If you don't mind, I am going to PM you.

[Billy B]