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NickBari New Member
Joined: 22 Jan 2024 Posts: 1 Location: Conway, SC
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Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2024 6:40 am Post subject: Deeper Cornet Mouthpieces and High Notes for Beginners |
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I'm a Saxophonist, learning the Cornet. I have some experience on Trombone- I'm playing it in my University's Jazz Band- so I thought that perhaps cornet wouldn't be very difficult. I wanted a warmer sound than a trumpet can afford, but I'd heard the intonation is pretty bad on Flugels, and I didn't want that for my first valved instrument. So, I bought a Bach Student Cornet on Facebook Marketplace. Though it has a patched leadpipe, that wasn't disclosed in the listing, and the trumpet professor still really liked it. The included mouthpiece is unmarked. I'll add the Cornet's model number when I get home.
Given the name of this thread, it should be obvious that I'm struggling with high notes. Not even high notes- my maximum is C in the staff. My tone is abysmal, too. I'm enrolling in Trumpet lessons next semester, and I'm certain it's mostly an embouchure issue, but I can't help feeling like a larger mouthpiece will be easier for me to play, as a mediocre trombonist.
From what little I know about brass mouthpieces, a larger cup seems to aid the lower register, thus creating a darker sound, yet detracting from the high register. Still, notes in the staff shouldn't be considered high, right?
I suppose a shallower cup would facilitate high notes, but wouldn't that be less comfortable to play, and harder to learn on? To overgeneralize what I've read in this forum, a good player should be able to get any tone color and note on any mouthpiece, but different mouthpieces will help facilitate your best sound. For a darker sound, I've seen suggestions for the Curry VC mouthpiece, a Denis Wick 2, 3, or 4, an Austin Custom Brass New York 1, or even putting a Flugelhorn mouthpiece in the cornet.
To summarize, I feel that my current, unmarked mouthpiece is holding me back. I want a warmer sound, like the ballads of Chet Baker or Wynton Marsalis, but I don't want to impede my learning. There's simply no way I can play trumpet without going above C in the staff. I feel like a deeper mouthpiece will be easier for me to play, especially as a third trombone, and a saxophonist. I don't know how these affect the high range (or even what actual brass players consider high notes).
Do any of you have any suggestions? Mouthpieces, Practice routines, embouchure changes.. Anything helps. If this thread is redundant, feel free to link me to someone who's asked the same thing. I'd appreciate some advice. _________________ Saxophonist and Engineering Student learning Brass Instruments. Interested in Instrument Repair, Instrument Construction, and Acoustics.
Dexter Gordon, Chet Baker and Gerry Mulligan Fanboy.
~~
York Super Custom Tenor Trombone
Bach Student Cornet |
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JayKosta Heavyweight Member
Joined: 24 Dec 2018 Posts: 3308 Location: Endwell NY USA
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kalijah Heavyweight Member
Joined: 06 Nov 2003 Posts: 3260 Location: Alabama
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Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2024 7:06 am Post subject: |
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I encourage new players to use medium sized or average size mouthpiece. Nothing excessively large or small. That would include extreme cup depths.
Dark tone is facilitated not only by the mouthpiece and instrument, by your skill development AND how loud or soft you are playing.
You need simply a good average sized cornet mouthpiece such as a Schilke 11 or a Bach 3C and a beneficial approach. |
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Andy Cooper Heavyweight Member
Joined: 15 Nov 2001 Posts: 1833 Location: Terre Haute, IN USA
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Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2024 7:08 am Post subject: |
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Since we don't know the size of your present mouthpiece it's tough to say.
First - try something that is not overly large nor overly deep and see if you get an improvement.
Euphonium players I know usually end up around a Bach 1 1/2C for trumpet. Why not go with a mouthpiece that will feel almost as big, has a dark but not British Band dark sound and is easy to find.
I would suggest starting with a Bach 3B. Gives a smooth sound with some life that's easier to shape than the Bach 3. |
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Richard III Heavyweight Member
Joined: 22 May 2007 Posts: 2655 Location: Anacortes, WA
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Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2024 7:44 am Post subject: |
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Andy Cooper wrote: | Since we don't know the size of your present mouthpiece it's tough to say.
First - try something that is not overly large nor overly deep and see if you get an improvement.
Euphonium players I know usually end up around a Bach 1 1/2C for trumpet. Why not go with a mouthpiece that will feel almost as big, has a dark but not British Band dark sound and is easy to find.
I would suggest starting with a Bach 3B. Gives a smooth sound with some life that's easier to shape than the Bach 3. |
Good point here. However, one of the common mistakes people make is trying to equate euphonium mouthpiece size to trumpet/cornet mouthpiece size. I play a Yamaha 51D on euphonium. On trumpet and cornet, I play a 7 rim size mouthpiece. I play that size because it is appropriate for my lip size and embouchure approach. The embouchure you use on large horns is not the same one you use on small horns. Don't even try to find something in the middle to make the job easier. The mouthpiece has to be right for the horn and the player playing that horn, with the appropriate approach. _________________ Richard
King 1130 Flugabone
King 12C mouthpiece |
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abontrumpet Heavyweight Member
Joined: 08 May 2009 Posts: 1783
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Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2024 7:55 am Post subject: |
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kalijah wrote: | I encourage new players to use medium sized or average size mouthpiece. Nothing excessively large or small. That would include extreme cup depths.
Dark tone is facilitated not only by the mouthpiece and instrument, by your skill development AND how loud or soft you are playing.
You need simply a good average sized cornet mouthpiece such as a Schilke 11 or a Bach 3C and a beneficial approach. |
+1. But I would say that Bach cornet mouthpieces aren't that great and would go with the Curry. |
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kehaulani Heavyweight Member
Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 9033 Location: Hawai`i - Texas
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Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2024 8:38 am Post subject: |
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Regarding cup size, I was a multi-instrumentalist. At first, I tried to get all my equipment as close as possible to one another. I eventually chose a mouthpiece that is appropriate to each individual instrument. Made each instrument sound more idiomatic.
https://www.trumpetherald.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26763 _________________ "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird
Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn |
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