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Dkjcliff Regular Member
Joined: 12 Apr 2020 Posts: 97
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Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2021 7:45 pm Post subject: Mouthpiece consultations |
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Are there any well known/respected mouthpiece makers that do online video consultations? As I near the one-year mark of my comeback and my embouchure is becoming more developed, I'm getting the sense that I've been gravitating to the wrong size of mouthpiece for my physical characteristics. It would be great if I could get a mouthpiece expert to watch me play and make some recommendations. Thanks. _________________ Selmer Radial II
Yamaha YHF-635T Flugelhorn
Martin Indiana Cornet |
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Bethmike Veteran Member
Joined: 21 Jan 2020 Posts: 194 Location: NW of ORD
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Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2021 8:02 pm Post subject: Mouthpiece Consultations |
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One option is Phyllis Stork of Stork Mouthpieces. Set up a Skype meeting with her. She will help select a mouthpiece that fits your facial structure. _________________ Bach190ML43
Kanstul 1001
Bach NY7
Yamaha 631 Flugel |
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Jaw04 Heavyweight Member
Joined: 31 Dec 2015 Posts: 899 Location: California
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Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2021 10:00 pm Post subject: |
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No, there is not a right size mouthpiece based on physical characteristics. You can learn to play whatever mouthpiece you like. You can fit your lips into a small mouthpiece if you have big lips, and likewise if you have very small lips, you can play tuba.
Mouthpiece choice is about sound, type of playing, and response that you are looking for. |
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Jim19043 Veteran Member
Joined: 03 Feb 2020 Posts: 107 Location: Los Angeles
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Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 9:19 am Post subject: |
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Another maker that does consultations is Bob Reeves Brass Mouthpieces. Their website says they do consultations by phone, email, or Facebook Messenger. I do not know if they do FaceTime or Skype or Zoom consultations, but you might give them a call at (800) 837-0980 or email them at info@bobreeves.com. Since you are in San Diego, you might consider an in-person consultation at their office in Valencia, just north of Los Angeles. _________________ Jim19043
1998 Bach Strad L180S72
GR 3MX |
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austincustombrass Veteran Member
Joined: 11 Nov 2018 Posts: 246 Location: Kansas City, MO
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Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 9:52 am Post subject: Re: Mouthpiece consultations |
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Dkjcliff wrote: | Are there any well known/respected mouthpiece makers that do online video consultations? As I near the one-year mark of my comeback and my embouchure is becoming more developed, I'm getting the sense that I've been gravitating to the wrong size of mouthpiece for my physical characteristics. It would be great if I could get a mouthpiece expert to watch me play and make some recommendations. Thanks. |
We do via mpcsales@austincustombrass.com
-T _________________ As of 1/1/2022 ACB will no longer post online here nor monitor TH.
It's a shame how far this forum has fallen. If you need us call 816-410-0826 or email.
Cool Links here:
https://linktr.ee/austincustombrass |
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wilder Veteran Member
Joined: 27 Jun 2020 Posts: 341 Location: NYC
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Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 10:49 am Post subject: |
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You need to study with a player that knows how to teach. jw |
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deleted_user_687c31b New Member
Joined: 03 Apr 1996 Posts: 0
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Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 11:11 am Post subject: |
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wilder wrote: | You need to study with a player that knows how to teach. jw |
Sounds like the above suggestions are solid then. |
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cheiden Heavyweight Member
Joined: 28 Sep 2004 Posts: 8911 Location: Orange County, CA
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Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 11:13 am Post subject: |
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Don't know about video but GR gets a lot of buzz about their consultations. _________________ "I'm an engineer, which means I think I know a whole bunch of stuff I really don't."
Charles J Heiden/So Cal
Bach Strad 180ML43*/43 Bb/Yamaha 731 Flugel/Benge 1X C/Kanstul 920 Picc/Conn 80A Cornet
Bach 3C rim on 1.5C underpart |
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Richard A Heavyweight Member
Joined: 11 May 2005 Posts: 722 Location: Rhode Island, USA
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Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 4:09 pm Post subject: GR Consultant |
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cheiden wrote: | Don't know about video but GR gets a lot of buzz about their consultations. |
I had a fitting session with Alexa Yates a few years ago. Time and money well spent. _________________ Richard Ashmore
I am a Mechanical Engineer and have many years of Social Distancing experience. |
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cgaiii Heavyweight Member
Joined: 26 Jun 2017 Posts: 1543 Location: Virginia USA
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Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 8:31 pm Post subject: |
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I think Stomvi does these consultations too.
K. O. has published some videos about consulting on mouthpieces in person. Not sure about video consultation.
https://stomvi-usa.com/contact-form/ _________________ Bb: Schilke X3L AS SP, Yamaha YTR-6335S
C: Schilke CXL, Kanstul 1510-2
Picc: Kanstul 920
Bb Bugle: Kanstul
Bb Pocket: Manchester Brass
Flugel: Taylor Standard
Bass Trumpet: BAC Custom
Natural Tr: Custom Haas replica by Nikolai Mänttäri Morales |
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hose Heavyweight Member
Joined: 29 Jun 2003 Posts: 1854 Location: Winter Garden, FL
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Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 5:34 am Post subject: |
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Ken Titmus "KT", after 34 years as Warburton's mpc man has just opened a custom mouthpiece shop in his Orlando home. He diagnoses in person or over the phone. www.ktcustommouthpiece.com _________________ Dave Wisner
Picketts
Yamaha 6335RC
Yamaha 8335RS
Lawler Flugel
Kanstul cornet |
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AndyDavids Veteran Member
Joined: 08 Jun 2020 Posts: 176
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Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 6:38 am Post subject: |
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Warburton |
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HERMOKIWI Heavyweight Member
Joined: 24 Dec 2008 Posts: 2581
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Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 7:12 am Post subject: |
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There is no scientific foolproof method of determining the best mouthpiece for anyone. There are just theories and tendencies which may or not apply very well depending on the particular player involved.
The physical characteristics of a particular player are numerous (lip dimensions, jaw positioning, teeth, oral cavity, muscle structure/strength, embouchure profile, etc., etc.) and are all interrelated in very complex ways. There are also many different ways players approach playing. Players also have their own personal definitions of what they find comfortable and uncomfortable and what works for them and what does not.
There are so many variables that it would be impossible to identify with precision the best mouthpiece for someone based on physical characteristics alone. The best you can reasonably hope for is a statement that "Based on what we see about your physical characteristics coupled with what we observe about your playing coupled with what we know about the theory of mouthpiece design and how mouthpiece design is predicted to affect results we predict that (insert mouthpiece specifications here) will result in (insert specifics of improvement here). However, in your personal situation we reserve the right to be wrong or not quite as right as we'd hoped."
Mouthpieces are very personal in terms of the player's perceptions of how they feel, how they play and the results obtained by playing them. There's nothing wrong with mouthpiece consultations. I think for most players there is a benefit to working with someone who has an excellent knowledge of the mechanics of mouthpieces and the predicted effects of those mechanics. At the end of the day, however, mouthpiece recommendations are "recommendations". They are predictions based on the best evidence known to the person doing the predicting. That evidence may be misleading, incomplete or lacking in some way. The predictions may require more fine tuning/major adjusting later once the results are actually known. They are not guarantees. _________________ HERMOKIWI |
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Richard III Heavyweight Member
Joined: 22 May 2007 Posts: 2652 Location: Anacortes, WA
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Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 8:01 am Post subject: |
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I would also assume that anyone associated with a mouthpiece maker, would have you play their mouthpiece and recommend any changes to be done with their mouthpieces. That limits your choices. Years ago, I did the questionnaire for GR and ended up with a great mouthpiece choice. However, over time GR did not have a mouthpiece that matched my goals, so I moved on.
I'm a big fan of the quantity method. Keep buying and trying until you have a box of mouthpieces. Every once in a while go through the box again. You will learn something and may find a gem you passed up earlier on. And of course, repeat that whenever you feel the need. _________________ Richard
King 1130 Flugabone
King 12C mouthpiece |
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hose Heavyweight Member
Joined: 29 Jun 2003 Posts: 1854 Location: Winter Garden, FL
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Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 8:17 am Post subject: |
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Richard III wrote: | I would also assume that anyone associated with a mouthpiece maker, would have you play their mouthpiece and recommend any changes to be done with their mouthpieces. That limits your choices. Years ago, I did the questionnaire for GR and ended up with a great mouthpiece choice. However, over time GR did not have a mouthpiece that matched my goals, so I moved on.
I'm a big fan of the quantity method. Keep buying and trying until you have a box of mouthpieces. Every once in a while go through the box again. You will learn something and may find a gem you passed up earlier on. And of course, repeat that whenever you feel the need. |
There is logic to that approach. My current go-to mpc for the last three years is a GR 67M that I bought in 2003. There have been many trials of many brands since then including other GR's. The match between horns and chops can change over the years. _________________ Dave Wisner
Picketts
Yamaha 6335RC
Yamaha 8335RS
Lawler Flugel
Kanstul cornet |
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Richard III Heavyweight Member
Joined: 22 May 2007 Posts: 2652 Location: Anacortes, WA
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Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 8:35 am Post subject: |
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I have boxes for cornet, trumpet, french horn and baritone. Same process. Baritone or euphonium has different shanks depending on US or EU. I went to try new euphoniums yesterday. I brought three mouthpieces to cover the options.
You just never know and an example was a recent play of an old cornet. Out came the box and a King 7M was the perfect match. I also collect vintage mouthpieces for that purpose. You really just never know.
Mouthpieces are relatively cheap and we are ever changing in our structure and development. _________________ Richard
King 1130 Flugabone
King 12C mouthpiece |
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Filius Regular Member
Joined: 12 Jul 2020 Posts: 29 Location: Southern California
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Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2021 5:25 pm Post subject: |
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Richard III wrote: | I would also assume that anyone associated with a mouthpiece maker, would have you play their mouthpiece and recommend any changes to be done with their mouthpieces. |
For what it's worth, I had a consultation with Phyllis Stork and she focused on technique -- embouchure, breathing, opening the throat, etc. She said my mouthpiece -- not one of hers -- was fine and it seemed like she wasn't really interested in talking about it. She never mentioned the subject except to ask what I was using, and as soon as she had an idea what size and depth it was, she had nothing more to say about it. I brought it up again because I really wanted a mouthpiece recommendation, but all she said again was that mine was fine.
Now maybe that's because my technique was so bad that she wanted to focus on that first. Still, I expected her to recommend at least one of her company's products, in fact I was disappointed that she didn't. But it really seemed like she was only interested in solving my technique issues. _________________ Bach Strad 37 (1979-ish)
Yamaha YCR-2310 |
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nltrumpet Veteran Member
Joined: 11 Nov 2019 Posts: 206 Location: Washington DC
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Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2021 6:03 am Post subject: |
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While I don’t use his mouthpieces, I know Dr. Dave at Wedge Mouthpieces does online video consultations. |
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bjcord Regular Member
Joined: 10 Mar 2012 Posts: 25 Location: Portland, Oregon
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Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2021 10:18 am Post subject: |
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I handle all of the mouthpiece consultations at Monette by phone and email (and in-person appointments), and will sometimes ask a player to send a short video so I can see and hear how they play. |
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deleted_user_687c31b New Member
Joined: 03 Apr 1996 Posts: 0
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Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2021 11:43 am Post subject: |
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Filius wrote: | For what it's worth, I had a consultation with Phyllis Stork and she focused on technique -- embouchure, breathing, opening the throat, etc. She said my mouthpiece -- not one of hers -- was fine and it seemed like she wasn't really interested in talking about it. |
Though not a mouthpiece consultant, the technician that maintains my horn is usually willing to offer his insight on musical matters if asked...and more often than not, he advises against purchasing something . He's a great guy and I find his advice solid and trustworthy.
His workshop has a room to test instruments and on the wall is a cartoon that basically says: if you buy a new mouthpiece rather than practice long tones, you'll get slapped. |
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