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Practicing with different mouthpieces



 
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y-o-y
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 28, 2017 1:39 pm    Post subject: Practicing with different mouthpieces Reply with quote

A lot of players regularly utilize different/specialized mouthpieces to support the demands of different playing situations - orchestra, wind/brass ensembles, small group jazz, jazz lead, commercial/pit, etc.

For those of you that switch between mp's, how do you determine which piece you practice with? pick an all around piece to do everything, practice specialized material with specialized piece, something else?

I guess this same question extends to the horn as well for the player that uses different horns for different applications.
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zaferis
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 28, 2017 1:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I do most of my playing and all of my warming-up/routine on the Bb and a Curry 3C. (with a caviate that, when I'm exlusively playing lead or a show and have no other gigs, I don't mind playing my commercial setup - trumpet and somewhat shallower/tighter mouthpiece; but my setup is not what I would call extreme. It's really a 3M)

Then I switch to the other horns and mouthpieces as needed.

In reality, my "switching" is within a pretty narrow range. I don't change rim size, only depth, shape of cup, and backbore.
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Benge.nut
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 28, 2017 2:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When I practice I use the mouthpiece I play the most. Which is a medium shallow to shallow bowl cup, with a semi tight backbore. Just because that is what I use the most.

When I switch mouthpieces I keep the rim size the same (as identical as science allows!!) and really only to a deeper cup and more open backbore for less commercial work.

I can change cups and backbores for different jobs, but I've noticed that if I just back off the air and edge, I can get away with my commercial piece just about anywhere, church gigs, brass quintet stuff, solo work, etc just depends if I remember to switch!!

Most important constant for me again is rim size. Switching anything else is easy, but rim size changes can cause havoc on my chops!!
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cbtj51
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 28, 2017 5:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

FWIW, I'm firmly in the same camp as the other respondents so far. I use the same Rim for everything and different cup depths and backbores depending on the performance requirements, just like using different horns for different situations. But like others, if I am playing a particular style for any length of time, I warm up, practice and perform on that mouthpiece/horn combination. For the next several days I will be practicing and performing with a Chamber Orchestra, playing lower pitched 2nd parts using my C trumpet, so deeper C cup with my usual Rim size. Rim size is always the common denominator for me.
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RussellDDixon
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 28, 2017 6:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I practice all of my technical studies on a Claude Gordon Personal mouthpiece with #20 drill (or a Patrick 12C) and anything extending from a high E to double C using my Monette Prana Nicholson piece with #23 drill. I've never had a problem playing multiple pieces as long as the inner diameter isn't too wide for me. My two pieces are both V cups.
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Last edited by RussellDDixon on Fri May 05, 2017 1:36 pm; edited 1 time in total
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razeontherock
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 28, 2017 8:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I take a very different approach. I wish I could do everything on one mpc (or even one rim size) but I can't. I do need to maintain my high chops, and ability to play the mpc best for that as that's what I get paid for. Sometimes my chops prefer to start the day on my smallest mpc, but lately I do better starting on a bigger mpc. Consistent practice is the key!

I find three day's practice is enough when I need to do something different, but that's always going to a bigger mpc. Gaining ability to play something smaller takes me longer.

You may find your chops work best under very different "rules." All this stuff is very personal, and a lot of it you just have to experiment and be as objective as possible.
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Seymor B Fudd
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 6:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Benge.nut wrote:
When I practice I use the mouthpiece I play the most. Which is a medium shallow to shallow bowl cup, with a semi tight backbore. Just because that is what I use the most.

When I switch mouthpieces I keep the rim size the same (as identical as science allows!!) and really only to a deeper cup and more open backbore for less commercial work.

I can change cups and backbores for different jobs, but I've noticed that if I just back off the air and edge, I can get away with my commercial piece just about anywhere, church gigs, brass quintet stuff, solo work, etc just depends if I remember to switch!!

Most important constant for me again is rim size. Switching anything else is easy, but rim size changes can cause havoc on my chops!!




+1! Yes indeed!
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giakara
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 7:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I use four different pieces all are exactly the same accept the cup depth , I practice with the deepest and I do the work with the other three.
Reeves 43C/2 with #28 bore
Reeves 43S/2
Reeves 43ES/2
Reeves 43sES/2 (custom)
All are cut for sleeves to manage different horns.

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bach_again
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 9:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would tend to do the majority of my practice on my shallow gear as I think it helps me stay nimble on it, it helps me develop things on a more unforgiving piece and it is the piece I gig most. Recently I have been rotating mpc in the sessions and working on playing softer on the bigger gear. That helps.

I play a Warb 7ESV, 7SV and 7M mostly. A 2 backbore or a Bach 7 currently. Always experimenting. The rims aren't all the same, but they aren't far enough apart to cause an issue like the 5MD rim did; that used to be my go-to, but since downsizing in the last few years, it feels like a fish bowl.

Best,
Mike
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Lionel
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 9:44 am    Post subject: Re: Practicing with different mouthpieces Reply with quote

y-o-y wrote:
A lot of players regularly utilize different/specialized mouthpieces to support the demands of different playing situations - orchestra, wind/brass ensembles, small group jazz, jazz lead, commercial/pit, etc.

For those of you who switch between mp's, how do you determine which piece you practice with? pick an all around piece to do everything, practice specialized material with specialized piece, something else?

I guess this same question extends to the horn as well for the player that uses different horns for different applications.



This is a question which really applies to me. As I actually have a little clip on table attached to my music stand. Holds up to ten mouthpieces. I generally wont use that many on a gig but at least they are there.

Conditions:

All the mouthpieces have the same or nearly the same rim contour. These contours are all very round or not flat. Each has a soft inner rim edge.

The depths vary considerably. From a super deep flugel horn piece using a cornet to trumpet adapter. Then a medium large piece roughly the size of a 3C. Contonuing into four or more shallow pieces. One of which I cut myself and is extremely shallow but not quite so shallow aa Cat Anderson's.

The ability to use multiple mouthpieces is both practice dependent and an "oldtimer trick". Ive been playing trumpet going on 53 years. I know what a low C and a high C FEEL like on these or any mouthpieces.

The purpose of switching mouthpieces is similar to golf club selection. You wouldn't putt with a 9 iron. Nor use a driver to hit out of the trap.

We grab a physical advantage from the available technology. A mouthpiece never gets tired.
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bnsd
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 12:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

[quote="zaferis"]I do most of my playing and all of my warming-up/routine on the Bb and a Curry 3C. (with a caviate that, when I'm exlusively playing lead or a show and have no other gigs, I don't mind playing my commercial setup - trumpet and somewhat shallower/tighter mouthpiece; but my setup is not what I would call extreme. It's really a 3M)

Then I switch to the other horns and mouthpieces as needed.

In reality, my "switching" is within a pretty narrow range. I don't change rim size, only depth, shape of cup, and backbore.[/quote]

this is exactly what I do with almost the same mouthpieces... 3Z for commercial stuff though. Same rim diameter for my cornet and flugel, with different cup and bores obviously[/quote]
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y-o-y
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 3:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good replies. For the first time in almost 30 years (with lots of time off) i am coming around to the idea of standardizing on a rim (curry 1.5 with c and z cups...probably more to come) and moving the other parts around to fit my needs.

I don't currently have any real playing demands but I want to be prepared to handle a variety of situations as the may come up. The only thing I haven't done yet is go the sleeve route. Fortunately the gap on the two horns I use both measure very close so I think I may be ok.
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Bflatman
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PostPosted: Thu May 04, 2017 4:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A mouthpiece is a hunk of metal with a bowl and a hole in it. I really dont care what it is.

Example 2 days ago my trumpet fell apart due to a fault, the result was my mouthpiece became stuck in the remains so I picked up a different instrument and a different mouthpiece.

The old mouthpiece was around a bach 1, the one I am now using is around a bach 7c so what I just blow the gear.

I dont have any gear preference its a different approach it frees me to make music. I just use whats there and practice on what I use.

I once after cleaning my gear left the house to a gig with completely the wrong mouthpiece, I just played it no sweat and sounded great on it.

The more I practice the less gear dependent I am.

Gear choice does not lead to ability, ability leads to gear choice.
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marnix
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PostPosted: Fri May 05, 2017 12:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I play only piccolo, Bb or C. For Bb and C I use the same mpc. So that leaves me one other mpc; the one for piccolo.
So for me that's easy.

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Mason3724
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PostPosted: Sun May 14, 2017 1:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

y-o-y wrote:
Good replies. For the first time in almost 30 years (with lots of time off) i am coming around to the idea of standardizing on a rim (curry 1.5 with c and z cups...probably more to come) and moving the other parts around to fit my needs.

I don't currently have any real playing demands but I want to be prepared to handle a variety of situations as the may come up. The only thing I haven't done yet is go the sleeve route. Fortunately the gap on the two horns I use both measure very close so I think I may be ok.


Changing diameters can have a huge impact on the internal volume of a cup, even if they're all the same diameter, a shallower cup (or deeper for that matter) may not be comfortable or efficient.
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