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brassmusician
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Joined: 25 Feb 2016
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 Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 12:38 pm Post subject: On my choice of lead mouthpiece |
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| Fishing for opinions about this. I use a schilke 12a4a for my big band playing and I am happy with the results except for that fact that if I don't play high and loud on it at least every two or three days my lips start to spread/protrude so that I have problems with bottoming/siding out on the piece. The high loud playing keeps my lips out of the cup. I see two solutions (a) just make sure I practice high and loud often (b) look for a more accommodating lead piece. Thoughts? (thanks in advance). |
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trumpet.sanity
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Joined: 24 Oct 2016
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| Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 12:47 pm Post subject: |
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Are you using the same rim size mouthpiece for your "other than big band" playing? If you are switching rim sizes, my bet is you are using a larger rim size for your other playing.
Switching cup sizes and backbore sizes for me is not a big deal, but when I fool around with different rim sizes my chops get weird. |
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brassmusician
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| Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 2:45 pm Post subject: |
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| trumpet.sanity wrote: | Are you using the same rim size mouthpiece for your "other than big band" playing? If you are switching rim sizes, my bet is you are using a larger rim size for your other playing.
Switching cup sizes and backbore sizes for me is not a big deal, but when I fool around with different rim sizes my chops get weird. |
At the moment, only using the one (12A4a) mouthpiece for big band and outdoor dixie gigs. Flugel in jazz combo with a Yam 11F4. |
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Brad361
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| Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 2:47 pm Post subject: |
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Have you tried a slightly larger/deeper mpce? Without looking up the specs, I would think maybe a 13a4a might give you a bit more room without sacrificing much in the way of tone color (I'm assuming you want a relatively bright tone) and/or endurance, and I know a 14a4a is a bit deeper. For me, a 13a4a won't work once I tire a bit (and I suspect that also has something to do with my technique), the 14a4a does. In fact, I'm trying out a14a4z tonight and tomorrow.
And with Schilke pieces it's fairly easy to find a dealer who allows a brief trial period.
Brad
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When asked if he always sounds great:
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trumpetplanet
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Location: Bristol, UK
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| Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 8:48 am Post subject: |
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You're probably playing louder than you need to most of the time. IMHO you should be working on playing softly on that mouthpiece and concentrating on resonance.
Practicing playing loudly is rarely a good solution to any problems - if anything you'll make the problem worse.
FWIW, this is the kind of sense that both Bobby Shew and Roger Ingram talk about. If you don't want to trust me then believe them!
_________________
UK-based professional trumpeter.
Proponent of the Superchops/TCE.
https://neotericbrass.com/
https://trumpetpla.net/
https://tonguecontrolled.info/ |
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brassmusician
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| Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 4:18 pm Post subject: |
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| trumpetplanet wrote: | You're probably playing louder than you need to most of the time. IMHO you should be working on playing softly on that mouthpiece and concentrating on resonance.
Practicing playing loudly is rarely a good solution to any problems - if anything you'll make the problem worse.
FWIW, this is the kind of sense that both Bobby Shew and Roger Ingram talk about. If you don't want to trust me then believe them! |
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I hear where you are coming from except when I play softly, for example doing Clarke exercises for a week, my response is improved but when I go to play into the mid and upper register on big band charts I find my lips are too far in the cup and sometimes bottoming out. I should add that when I say a week of clarke I am talking mostly lower register practice and that might be my problem. It is possible I have ended up using two slightly different embouchures for the low and high registers without realising it. I will extend my Clarke to the top of my range, that might help some.
Also, I have a 14A4a which doesn't seem a huge step away from my 12A4a so I will give that a wee trial too. Thanks for the ideas. |
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Brad361
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| Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 5:57 pm Post subject: |
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| brassmusician wrote: | | trumpetplanet wrote: | You're probably playing louder than you need to most of the time. IMHO you should be working on playing softly on that mouthpiece and concentrating on resonance.
Practicing playing loudly is rarely a good solution to any problems - if anything you'll make the problem worse.
FWIW, this is the kind of sense that both Bobby Shew and Roger Ingram talk about. If you don't want to trust me then believe them! |
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I hear where you are coming from except when I play softly, for example doing Clarke exercises for a week, my response is improved but when I go to play into the mid and upper register on big band charts I find my lips are too far in the cup and sometimes bottoming out. I should add that when I say a week of clarke I am talking mostly lower register practice and that might be my problem. It is possible I have ended up using two slightly different embouchures for the low and high registers without realising it. I will extend my Clarke to the top of my range, that might help some.
Also, I have a 14A4a which doesn't seem a huge step away from my 12A4a so I will give that a wee trial too. Thanks for the ideas. |
I would not try to diagnose anyone's playing here on the forum, but I know that for me, a lot of extended low and mid register playing sort of temporarily "sets" my embouchure in that register. Maybe mixing up your practice with some upper register as well might help?
Brad
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When asked if he always sounds great:
"I always try, but not always, because the horn is merciless, unpredictable and traitorous." - Arturo Sandoval |
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Arjuna
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| Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 7:22 pm Post subject: |
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| Schilke 14A4a. |
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trumpetplanet
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Location: Bristol, UK
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| Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 2:08 am Post subject: |
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| Arjuna wrote: | | Schilke 14A4a. |
Advising somebody just to change mouthpiece will not solve the problem they're having with the mouthpiece they already have. Sooner or later they'll begin experiencing all of the same problems, and maybe some others - particularly moving to bigger gear. It's like painting over mould.
_________________
UK-based professional trumpeter.
Proponent of the Superchops/TCE.
https://neotericbrass.com/
https://trumpetpla.net/
https://tonguecontrolled.info/ |
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trumpetplanet
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Location: Bristol, UK
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| Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 2:13 am Post subject: |
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| brassmusician wrote: | I hear where you are coming from except when I play softly, for example doing Clarke exercises for a week, my response is improved but when I go to play into the mid and upper register on big band charts I find my lips are too far in the cup and sometimes bottoming out. I should add that when I say a week of clarke I am talking mostly lower register practice and that might be my problem. It is possible I have ended up using two slightly different embouchures for the low and high registers without realising it. I will extend my Clarke to the top of my range, that might help some.
Also, I have a 14A4a which doesn't seem a huge step away from my 12A4a so I will give that a wee trial too. Thanks for the ideas. |
You really should be pratising over your whole range all of the time...
All methods and mouthpieces aside - the only way to improve your upper end is to practise the upper end (we don't solve triple tonguing problems by practising lip flexiblities do we?).
The aperture needs to be smaller when you play higher, which is why soft practice is recommended to help with your problem. You'd be teaching your body to control the air flow through a smaller aperture.
_________________
UK-based professional trumpeter.
Proponent of the Superchops/TCE.
https://neotericbrass.com/
https://trumpetpla.net/
https://tonguecontrolled.info/ |
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