Mouthpiece buzzing to help select best size?

stanton

I have had my custom mouthpiece for one week now and have practiced with it every day, from time to time re-testing my old standby mouthpieces. Though not perfect (and will probably have one more variation built) my new mouthpiece seems to win in most if not all categories. Though I am not a hardcore advocate of mouthpiece buzzing, I do believe it has some uses (to be saved for another thread).

With my injured embouchure, heretofore I have not been able to cleanly gliss between notes and registers easily. The buzz would sound relatively thin and there would be "holes" in the gliss where the sound diminished or quit, requiring adjustments of the embouchure and consequently more muscular effort.

THIS NEW MOUTHPIECE IS DIFFERENT! The sound is full and the gliss is constant and continous with no breaks. It appears that the consistency tranfers to the horn and mistakes I am making are due to relative unfamiliarity with the feel of the mp on the horn. I was pretty sure I was *really* close to zeroing in on my ideal rim when I ordered this piece (custom from Kanstul). Wasn't sure about how the cup/backbore would work out, but so far so good.

Here's the question: Given my experience with mouthpieces and buzzing, would the mouthpiece gliss exercise be a reliable way to test/compare mouthpieces for suitability/efficiency for most individuals?

Just wondering if anyone else has had the same experience testing mouthpieces?

Regards to all,
Stanton
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Schilke B1, Bach 37, 1969 Getzen Severinsen Eterna
Bach C 229 w Charlie Melk custom work
Getzen Eterna Cornet, Benge #5 Fluegel
Kanstul Besson Prototype A/Bb Pic
Crappy old Yamaha 3valve Eb
Stanton Kramer "Signature" Mouthpiece

garrett901 · Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 10:55 pm Post subject:

Although every mouthpiece reacts differently to every horn, It seems logical that if your playing the mouthpiece better, the horn should play better.

I like to think of the mouthpiece as being the "interface" between the human and the horn. But it still all works as a combined "system". Human, mouthpiece, horn.

Certain mouthpiece exercises (glissando's being one) IMHO are beneficial to overall playing.
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Jeff Garrett
Playing "G" Soprano Bugle, Freelancers Alumni/Mini Corps
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Yamaha YTR-739T
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JRoyal · Heavyweight Member Joined: 25 Apr 2003 Posts: 748

I have a bunch of mouthpieces in the 1 range, and of those, there are a few I can buzz well that do "work" with the horn but the are not the best choice. Then there are ones that are fine to buzz but are absolute disaster on the horn. So there might be some correlation, but not causation, so I say no.

Keep in mind that the first thing I do everyday is buzz the mouthpiece. If I were experiencing the problem you describe, and if my function was that poor, I would not move past that in my warm up and/or I would take the day off.

stanton · Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 6:05 am Post subject:

The reason for my post is that the difference in the buzz characteristics of this mouthpiece (without the horn) is PROFOUND. I'm wondering if there isn't a correlation that transfers to the horn?

One consideration that may come into play is that this MP has a 27 throat. A little tight in the upper register, even with a Schmitt backbore. Considering having one created with a 24 throat. I wonder how that will affect the "buzzability"?
_________________
Schilke B1, Bach 37, 1969 Getzen Severinsen Eterna
Bach C 229 w Charlie Melk custom work
Getzen Eterna Cornet, Benge #5 Fluegel
Kanstul Besson Prototype A/Bb Pic
Crappy old Yamaha 3valve Eb
Stanton Kramer "Signature" Mouthpiece

Nonsense Eliminator · Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 8:51 am Post subject:

You would have to test an awful lot of mouthpieces to establish whether there really is any meaningful correlation between how it buzzes and how it plays in the trumpet. Fortunately, there is a perfect correlation between how it plays in the trumpet and how it plays in the trumpet, so why not just stick with that?
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Richard Sandals
NBO ~ HSSB ~ TNB

irith · Heavyweight Member Joined: 14 Sep 2008 Posts: 794

You might find certain cases, as you have cited, where some quality of the mouthpiece is apparent from just buzzing it. However, I think most people would make better use of their time by just putting it in the horn. IMO there's nothing to be gained by testing a mouthpiece alone as opposed to on the horn.

In any case, I think that a glissando (horn or mpc) tends to expose whether there is undue lip impingement or not. Likewise, soft breath attacks are a great test for response.
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stanton · Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 10:18 am Post subject:

JRoyal · Heavyweight Member Joined: 25 Apr 2003 Posts: 748

stanton · Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 10:37 am Post subject:

JRoyal · Heavyweight Member Joined: 25 Apr 2003 Posts: 748

we are not saying the same thing, not even close.

Nonsense Eliminator · Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 10:43 am Post subject:

The way your lips function when you buzz the mouthpiece is not exactly the same as the way they function when you play the trumpet. Testing a mouthpiece by buzzing on it is like testing golf clubs by playing hockey with them.
_________________
Richard Sandals
NBO ~ HSSB ~ TNB

Brent · Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 11:13 am Post subject: mpc.

I think what Mark Curry is saying makes a lot of sense:

http://currympc.com/custom-mouthpieces.html

Go down to the part regarding "Important Considerations . . . " Point number 4 I've found especially helpful.

Brent
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Brent

stanton · Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 11:26 am Post subject: Re: mpc.

oxleyk · Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 11:30 am Post subject: Re: mpc.