Marching Band Woes - Shallower Mouthpiece?

[JazzTrumpet19]

This year our HS marching band is doing a jazz show. The songs (So far) are Harlem Nocturne, Birdland, and Coconut Champagne. There's others but I don't remember them. Here's the range connection: I play on a Bach 5C and I can play a high Bb. However, in Coconut Champagne I have to be able to play a high D. I'm expected to be able to play it because we played this song in jazz band last year, and I nailed the trumpet solo and the High D. On a 10.5C. (For those who have never heard the piece, it's kinda like a carribbean piece with a really high trumpet solo. Maynard has recorded it.) And our director wants to transpose Birdland to a higher key...up to high C. So my question is, is playing on a 10.5C going to hurt me in the long run? I have all the solos and high parts, because I'm the only one who practices! (Solos are great but not ones that are out of my range!) I have the mouthpiece, but I don't want to use it if it's going to hurt my chops. If I used the shallower mouthpiece I would be able to play it....but again I don't want to hurt myself. If this doesn't make sense, then just say so and I'll try to explain it better. Thanks!

_________________
- Mike
"It's so important to listen to music, to listen again and again. Eat, sleep and drink music." -Arturo Sandoval

[ This Message was edited by: JazzTrumpet19 on 2003-08-08 19:09 ]

[mafields627]

Pick the one that you SOUND best on. Take the other one, place it in a Ziploc bag of water and freeze it! Play on the one that you have now. The range will come. There's not much difference between a Bb and D. Time will take care of the endurance.
_________________
--Matt--

No representation is made that the quality of this post is greater than the quality of that of any other poster. Oh, and get a teacher!

[LeeC]

Here's where I generally disagree with the mouthpiece issue. My question is: What mouthpiece makes you happier?

If you're killing yourself playing a high C or whatnot on a large piece then maybe the smaller piece is the answer. Other than that I agree with the previous poster about range improvement. A high D isn't an especially high note for a well seasoned trumpet player.

My technique was to develop a good high F (above high C) first and then gradually increase mouthpiece size while maintaining range. I would increase the mouthpiece size only to the point that I got the sound I wanted. If the range and endurance dropped off radically then I shifted back to the smaller piece. So I suppose if you took my advice you'd keep playing the smaller piece and concentrate on fundamentals. As you felt more and more comfortable with your range you could substitute larger pieces as desired.

No one ever asked me to join a band because they needed to hear me play a low F#. Conversely I have gotten a fair amount of gigs because I can nail the notes above the staff.

Nothing succeeds like success.

Lee

[marktrumpet]

Marching is tough. I'd say use the one that is the easiest. I don't see how playing a shallow piece can ruin your chops. To me playing on a mouthpiece too big and too deep and trying to get it to really sizzle hurts my chops a lot more, especially the next day.
I find it a lot harder to really get a Bach mouthpiece to sizzle in the upper register, I don't know if it has to do with the cup shape or the backbore. Maybe just another brand in the same size might be enough for you.

Go with what works, all of that crap about play on one, large mouthpiece for everything seems to come from people locked away in their academia fantasy lands who mainly play only one style anyways, and that style is NOT high, loud marching band. You are your best teacher, peace.

[FlugelFlyer]

From what I'm pondering, you'd probably be best off developing your sound off the 10-1/2C. If you can nail the high D with that mouthpiece, I'm guessing it's going to be much better than with the 5C. I'd normally play a Bach 1-1/2C if I were in your shoes (being that my HS's old brass instructor hated anything that wasn't Bach), I can still say that there are people with sounds as big as a truck who play 10-1/2C's. It's all about what works for you, not necessarily what works for Mr. First Chair Johnny in the Butler's Conservatory for music or what have you.
_________________
Trumpet: Bach 180LR, 72 bell
Mouthpiece: Warburton 3XD/KT

[groovinhigher]

Play the smallest mouthpiece you still like your sound on and the one that feels the best... Play relaxed, it's more about coordination than brute force.

_________________
Rich Wetzel
Trumpet Artist / Band Leader / Holton - Leblanc Clinician
"Rich Wetzel's Groovin Higher Jazz Orchestra"
http://www.richwetzel.com
http://www.groovinhigher.com

[ This Message was edited by: groovinhigher on 2003-08-08 23:27 ]