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Found my perfect mouthpiece – GR!



 
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janet842
Heavyweight Member


Joined: 04 Aug 2005
Posts: 570
Location: Denver metro area

PostPosted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 8:27 pm    Post subject: Found my perfect mouthpiece – GR! Reply with quote

I am a comeback player - off the horn for about 25 years. I had full symphonic training,
played a few symphony auditions, and gave up it all up for a career in commercial art. I have
(since last January) been struggling to reclaim what I once had on the trumpet, not realizing
that the mouthpiece I was on was an enormous hindrance. 25 years ago, people didn't know as
much about mouthpieces and most people I knew were on either Bach or Schilke. Never in my
wildest dreams would I have thought that a mouthpiece could make such a difference.

This is what the GR67M has done for my playing:

The GR seems to set up a lot more harmonic vibrations through the whole trumpet from one
end to the other (the trumpet actually feels like it is vibrating more). The sound lights up and is
much richer, intonation has improved dramatically, and my playing range has been extended
by about five notes and that added range now gives me a very solid, consistent high C. Where
my high C used to fade out after about 40 minutes, its now there no matter how long the
practice session. All this from a mouthpiece! Flexibility is great, too! Now I need to do is
unlearn all the bad habits I got into when I was trying to eek out notes on that (Curry designed)
Flip Oakes C mouthpiece!

Besides using the GR67M on my Oakes C, I'm also using it on my Stomvi Piccolo and experiencing
the same dramatic improvements. On both trumpets, (more so on the pic) I can hear that the
tonal quality across the octaves is much smoother. Low range, middle range, and upper
register now sound like they are all played on one instrument instead of three different horns.

So, if you haven't found your perfect mouthpiece yet, keep looking! I've gone from skeptic to
believer in what the right mouthpiece can do for you. The search for a perfect mouthpiece
is well justified. Maybe a GR won't be right for you, but definitely throw one of those onto your
list of mouthpieces to try.
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skamerican
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Joined: 03 Apr 2003
Posts: 216

PostPosted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 8:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Maybe a GR won't be right for you, but definitely throw one of those onto your list of mouthpieces to try.


I disagree on the first part. GR has a 'piece for everyone if you give their whole line a fair chance, but don't take that as a knock. I play a GR e65M. The second part is so true though! Anyone who doesn't consider GR on their mouthpiece safari is limiting themselves.
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jcknauss
Regular Member


Joined: 23 Feb 2005
Posts: 26
Location: Hatboro, PA (USA)

PostPosted: Tue Nov 01, 2005 8:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

When I switched to my GR67C* back in July, one of the first things I noticed was the improved brightness of my sound. (I formerly played on a Bach 1x - circa 1983). My brother (a piano technician) has an instrument that can measure overtones. We compared the GR to the Bach and the differences were remarkable. As he explained it (I'm paraphrasing here), the GR sounds brighter because all of its overtones were either bang-on or just a hair above "normal" (I hope I got that correct!), while on my Bach, the overtones were all over the place.

I also noticed immediate improvements in accuracy, endurance and intonation. (BTW: I still can't play above a high G - I guess I can no longer blame the mouthpiece! )

I agree that mouthpieces today are far superior to anything manufactured 25 years ago when I was in high school/college. I also agree that anyone considering a change should include GR on their list of options.

Thanks,
John
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Schilke X3
GR 67C*
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nwtrumpet
Regular Member


Joined: 28 Apr 2005
Posts: 17
Location: Tacoma, Washington

PostPosted: Tue Nov 01, 2005 8:30 am    Post subject: Found my perfect mouthpiece – GR! Reply with quote

Yes, I too have been playing a GR 67M for over 3 years now and made the switch from playing on a Monette B4LD. Prior to the B4LD, I played a Warburton 3M cup with a #7 backbore. I found the GR 67M to be just what I looking for in a mouthpiece. My sound improved almost immediately, my range was more solid, and I found this particular model improved my intonation quite a bit. IT'S THE PERFECT MOUTHPIECE FOR ME! I own two large bore trumpets: A Schilke X3 & a Gold Plated Selmer Claude Gordon trumpet. I do recommend the GR mouthpiece line to all my trumpet playing acquaintences. Great quality work GR!!!

Bill Sprague
Tacoma, Washington
_________________
Music comes from within, so always have a happy frame of mind whenever playing the trumpet.

1980 Elkhart Model 37 Bach Stradivarius
Marcinkiewicz E3/3C Signature mouthpiece
Marcinkiewicz E3/3C Concert Hall mouthpiece
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Pilsueng
Veteran Member


Joined: 03 Sep 2005
Posts: 143
Location: Langhorne, PA - outside Philly

PostPosted: Tue Nov 01, 2005 8:37 am    Post subject: Re: Found my perfect mouthpiece – GR! Reply with quote

janet842 wrote:
I am a comeback player - off the horn for about 25 years. I had full symphonic training,
played a few symphony auditions, and gave up it all up for a career in commercial art. I have
(since last January) been struggling to reclaim what I once had on the trumpet, not realizing
that the mouthpiece I was on was an enormous hindrance. 25 years ago, people didn't know as
much about mouthpieces and most people I knew were on either Bach or Schilke. Never in my
wildest dreams would I have thought that a mouthpiece could make such a difference.

This is what the GR67M has done for my playing:

The GR seems to set up a lot more harmonic vibrations through the whole trumpet from one
end to the other (the trumpet actually feels like it is vibrating more). The sound lights up and is
much richer, intonation has improved dramatically, and my playing range has been extended
by about five notes and that added range now gives me a very solid, consistent high C. Where
my high C used to fade out after about 40 minutes, its now there no matter how long the
practice session. All this from a mouthpiece! Flexibility is great, too! Now I need to do is
unlearn all the bad habits I got into when I was trying to eek out notes on that (Curry designed)
Flip Oakes C mouthpiece!

Besides using the GR67M on my Oakes C, I'm also using it on my Stomvi Piccolo and experiencing
the same dramatic improvements. On both trumpets, (more so on the pic) I can hear that the
tonal quality across the octaves is much smoother. Low range, middle range, and upper
register now sound like they are all played on one instrument instead of three different horns.

So, if you haven't found your perfect mouthpiece yet, keep looking! I've gone from skeptic to
believer in what the right mouthpiece can do for you. The search for a perfect mouthpiece
is well justified. Maybe a GR won't be right for you, but definitely throw one of those onto your
list of mouthpieces to try.


Janet,

What mpc were you using before the switch?

Paul
_________________
Bach Stradivarius 180S-43 ML ('77) - Curry Precision 1 1/2B
Olds Ambassador Cornet ('62) - Yamaha 11C4-7C
Conn Connstellation 85F Flugel ('95-'96) - Parduba 6.5
Jupiter SPT-416 Pocket Trumpet ('86)
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janet842
Heavyweight Member


Joined: 04 Aug 2005
Posts: 570
Location: Denver metro area

PostPosted: Tue Nov 01, 2005 12:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Before the switch, hum – OK, here's the list from January when I started playing trumpet again:

Bach 7C (came with rental horn)
Curry 5
Bach 1 1/2 B
Flip Oakes 3 (for C trumpet)
(I also have an Oakes 1 1/5 for C trumpet that I have never played)
Schilke 14a4a (just to see what it was like, I never really played it.)
GR67M

Some I picked up used on ebay, the Oakes pieces I bought new.
All (except the GR67M will be on ebay shortly!)
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jazzer
Regular Member


Joined: 28 May 2005
Posts: 18
Location: North Wales UK

PostPosted: Tue Nov 01, 2005 12:36 pm    Post subject: Foun my perfect mouthpiece-GR Reply with quote

Having played on a Monnet B2 for about a year, I was having trouble with endurance so I tried a GR67L, and what a difference it has made. My endurance is better and my upper range has improved dramaticly. I am not knocking Monnet because the sound is great, but so is the GR, different but still great. ( and less expensive )
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PowerSpectrum
Veteran Member


Joined: 25 May 2004
Posts: 188
Location: France

PostPosted: Tue Nov 01, 2005 1:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I do most of my practice on the Bach 3C.
On each rehearsal or performance or sometimes on a bad day, I'm using a GR66M.
That way I'm sure I will never have a bad day for the rehearsal, since the GR offers more endurance and easier high register.

BUT: When I played on the GR66M everyday my tone became weak and airy after a while especially with my new Selmer Chorus 90.
I tried to analyze why this happened and the reason seems to be the fact I was using each day a bit less support (the Chorus needs a lot of air if you want a rich tone) and relied more on chops instead.
With the 3C I'm forced to rely on air since I cannot play it without good support, my chops are simply not strong enough to do the job alone.

With the GR66M IT IS possible to play on tired chops since the additionnal grip provided by this MPC will still hold the lips together.

Michel
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_dcstep
Heavyweight Member


Joined: 05 Jul 2003
Posts: 6324
Location: Denver

PostPosted: Tue Nov 01, 2005 2:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was there when Janet first tried the GR and I can attest that the differences were obvious and immediate. Most surprising to me was the improvement in intonation over the mpc designed for her Flip Oakes C trumpet. The eveness and intonation improvement was very clear to hear. (I'm not bashing the FO mpc, just saying that for Janet and that really large C-trumpet it wasn't working ideally. I love that C-trumpet, BTW).

I was also amazed to hear how well the 67M matched up with her picc. It took just a little adaption and she was making that little bugger sing beautifully.

Just so it's clear, Janet is way beyond your average comebacker here on TH. Ten months into a comeback she's nearing performance level on picc. doing Seraphim with a soprano. She studied with Stamp and it shows even today, thirty years after she put down the trumpet. I say this just to let you know that when she talks about intonation and resonance, she means IN TUNE and VIBRANT resonance. It's all I can do to keep up on some Charlier Companionduets.

Many of you know that I use GR. I have a kit loaned to me by Horn Haven, with a 65M, 66M, 67M and assorted other pieces in the 66ish range. When Janet gets her own 67M (probably a couple of weeks away) anyone in Colorado that wants to try to hook up with me to try the GRs is welcome. (If the drive is too far, I'll send via USPS @ your expense). I'm just trying to spread the word and I'm not a dealer, just a friend of GR and Horn Haven.

BTW, I noticed a propensity of people on this thread with large horns using the 66 and 67Ms. The Flip Oakes C has a huge bell, someone mentioned a 3X and my Concept TT blows "big". You big horn players seeking a little more control, more core and resonance might particularly look into GR's M series, that mixes a relatively large cup volume with a pretty high alpha angle to get an amazingly versatile mpc.

Dave
_________________
Schilke '60 B1 -- 229 Bach-C/19-350 Blackburn -- Lawler TL Cornet -- Conn V1 Flugel -- Stomvi Master Bb/A/G picc -- GR mpcs
[url=http://www.pitpops.com] The PitPops[/url]
Rocky Mountain Trumpet Fest
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