GR mouthpieces

[PH]

[Hudson08]

To get back to the OP, yes, GR mouthpieces are very well made and the consistency is arguably the best in the business. The rims are also super comfortable, with an infinite combination of inner/outer dimensions and angles to suit your needs. And, as we've learned, there are several trained specialists who will help you find one that works for you. I've had the great pleasure of standing next to Brian Scriver in the section as well as working with him for a mouthpiece consultation. I can tell you for certain that he is not only a monster player, he's a stand-up cat, a truly fine gentleman.

That said, I never stuck with GR mouthpieces for more than a few months. Years ago I went through several GR mouthpiece trials and always found they sounded too bright for my taste. I've also sat next to players who use GR's and found their sound on the bright side as well, which worked well in commercial settings, not so much in the orchestra. Not that you don't see professional orchestral players using GR pieces, I've just never sat next to them The good folks at GR will tell you that this brightness is the result of more overtones coming through in the sound, which our ears are not accustomed to with traditional mouthpieces. That may be true, but to my ears, the overtones on the upper end of the spectrum are highlighted, making the perceived sound brighter. I also had trouble finding a rim that worked for me and my articulations suffered, but my face is very sensitive to rim shape. Comfortable, yes, but not for me.

There are several top players around the world who use GR mouthpieces with amazing results and that list only seems to be getting longer - in any style of playing. In the end, they were not for me.

That's my (slightly more than) $.02

[Jerry]

Hudson, when you were evaluating the brightness of the GR mouthpieces you tried, did you have someone listen to your sound from in front of your bell? I ask because (as I posted earlier in this thread) my (last) teacher commented that the GR mouthpieces I would play for him sounded very different when he was sitting next to me compared to when he got up and moved in front of me.

[Dave CCM/SSO]

Hello everyone,

Years ago I actually went and worked with Gary Radke himself to find a set of mouthpieces for me. I had a very similar experience to Hudson. While the quality of the mouth pieces were undeniable and the ease of production was quite good, I just could never get the sound that I wanted. I always felt it was favoring the higher overtones. For several months I recorded myself in many locations and had respected colleagues listen. I just couldn't get what I wanted to hear. For me, Laskey and Hammond allow me to get the sound that I want with the smallest amount of effort. I am primarily an orchestral player.

As has been stated already, there are many phenomenal professionals that are very successful with GR mouthpieces. If they work for you, you are not alone!

Best of luck!
_________________
Dave

Springfield Symphony Orchestra (OH)
- www.springfieldsym.org
Seven Hills Brass
- http://www.facebook.com/sevenhillsbrass

[wiemelen]

When brightness of sound is an issue, I would recommend trying some other GR models. The one I'm using (66.9L) actually sounds warmer and rounder than any mouthpiece I played before (Bach, Stork, Wick, Yamaha).
Luckily for me, I'm really loving the sound I can produce using the GR, next to having one of the most comfortable rims for my lips.
_________________
Trumpet : Yamaha YTR-9335CHS + Yamaha YTR-6335H
Trumpet mouthpieces : Lotus 2L (main) + Lotus 2L2
Flugelhorn : Kanstul 1525 with Curry 1,5FL
Cornet : Conn 80a (1919) with Curry 1,5 BBC + Curry 1,5 VC + GR L66,9 #6