Where does my Bach Strad Reverse Leadpipe 43 stack up?

[markag]

I sent a message to M/K directly a few days ago. I'll paste what I sent them, but suffice to say that I've already taken that first step to reach out to them for their recommendations.

The body of my message to M/K for my horn:

I find that in the upper register, I have a hard time staying in the slots above a high E. My range can go up to about a double A or so, but I struggle with consistently finding in the slots and staying in them in that range. I also feel that certain notes are harder to center on (high C being one of them). Lastly, the sound I get could be a little more focused and brilliant as well as a littler darker. I have plenty of volume, but I feel that I can tend to have a bit of an unfocused sound, and the band leader consistently asks me to "sing more" on the solo parts or featured lead sections. Part of it is my setup with a high compression lead mouthpiece (currently the bobby shew lead, or Schilke 14 A4a), but I've always had a bit of that with this horn going back to my high school days even on more conventional mouthpieces. I grew up with teachers that focused on getting a lot of air through the horn, so I have a learned tendency to overblow. I'm trying to play more efficiently and not overblow as much, but my current setup feels a little stuffy at times and I would welcome a horn that blows more free than the stock setup, especially in the upper register.

I don't know what tuning slides you would recommend based on my comments above, but I would be interested in trying a rounded or semi-rounded leadpipe without a brace (or another configuration based on your experience) to push my horn into a more commercial direction beyond where it already is from the factory.

[JayKosta]

It will be interesting to learn how the combination of 'stronger high range slotting' and 'more free blowing' can be achieved.
_________________
Most Important Note ? - the next one !
KNOW (see) what the next note is BEFORE you have to play it.
PLAY the next note 'on time' and 'in rhythm'.
Oh ya, watch the conductor - they set what is 'on time'.

[markag]

Some of the elements may seem to be opposites, but I still listed out what I would want.

As it is today, I can play and slot notes above a high E but the combination of my horn, MP, and my ability can make it a bit squirrely in that upper register. I'm just as likely to crack the note by jumping up to a higher pitch as I am to jump down.

[blownchops]

[markag]

3rd ledger line above the staff. Above that, the it can sometimes be harder to slot into a note. I can still usually slot into an F above the 3rd ledger line E, but double G and A can really be hard to land on for me and stay in the slot.

In that situation, my natural instinct is to blow harder which either causes me to bottom out in the MP, or it increases the feel of resistance and makes it harder to stay in the slot. Thats where my comment about wanting a horn that feels more free in that range comes from. When I get in the slot without overblowing, notes in that range really sound great and feel great.

[blownchops]