Mouthpiece size- newbie question

[kegmcnabb]

Try a Bach 18 (or save a little cash and order a FAXX 18 )...a good all around MP for starting out. The 24AW seems (IMHO) a bit smaller than is typical for a BBb horn. Of course, your mileage may vary.

Of course, the MP is only one piece of the equation. I'm sure that others here can make specific technique suggestions.

[Donn]

Now that I am teaching myself the tuba I find that I am getting a pretty good high range but struggling to go down below the low Bflat.

What kind of struggling? Not that I know enough about these matters to help, but aside from the most likely explanation (need more practice, better technique), there could be things wrong with the horn or even the practice room.

How does one go about determining the correct mouthpiece?

By playing them, I guess. Bach 24AW is a very popular model copied by other manufacturers, of medium inside diameter. Perfectly suitable, maybe ideal, for your situation -- unless something else works better for you and this horn, but when you go to the local music store, that's probably what they'll have, a Bach or maybe Blessing 24AW, because they're immensely popular for BBb tuba and sousaphone in high school band.

[Rick Denney]

I recently purchased a beat up (it plays) Yamaha BBflat tuba. I was a trumpet player years ago but never did have the right lips for it. Now that I am teaching myself the tuba I find that I am getting a pretty good high range but struggling to go down below the low Bflat. Should I consider the mouthpiece? The one I have has 24AW stamped on it. At the rim the inside diameter is 1 1/4 inches and the outside is 1 15/16. How does one go about determining the correct mouthpiece?

If there were clear instructions on how to determine the correct mouthpiece, most of us would not own a dozen or more of them, heh, heh.

My advice is to start with a plain vanilla mouthpiece that has withstood the test of time and devote your mouthpiece budget to a couple of private lessons. You have to develop a little bit of skill before you can evaluate a mouthpiece, so starting with a common, broadly popular model won't make it easy to learn how to play incorrectly. It is quite easy to learn the instrument incorrectly, and that will get in your way far more than the wrong mouthpiece.

The 24AW is not universally popular, but it's a functional mouthpiece. I played one all through school. It's definitely not the reason you are having trouble with low notes. But I think the very wide rim forgives you too much for using excessive pressure, which is the most common error I can think of. When you learn to depend more on air and less on pressure, the low notes will be easier.

I think you are better off taking another poster's recommendation and buying a Bach 18 or one of its cheaper clones. That mouthpiece is the archetype of cup-shaped mouthpieces, with dozens of derivative models customized to suit particular players. Another vanilla mouthpiece is the Conn Helleberg, which is the archetype of funnel-shaped mouthpiece. Either one is a fine place to start.

Rick "who thinks it best to establish a baseline of ability with vanilla stuff before chasing specialty features" Denney

[iiipopes]

And when you get a mouthpiece, remember to keep the corners of your embouchure tight, but relax everything else: neck, shoulders, especially drop the jaw, and be precise on your fingerings.

Start with long low tones, and go down a 1/2 each time you feel you have produced a good, stable open tone at any given note.

Relax and have fun!

BTW, I use a Kelly 18 on everything but my 1971 Besson with the smaller receiver. I recommend them wholeheartedly.

[ArnoldGottlieb]

I agree with all of the recommendations set forth here, a bach 18 or it's clone has gotten a lot of mileage for me and although I don't use one exclusively anymore, I still use it as my "dixielandish funkbandish" mouthpiece. I also agree with the posters on practicing and maybe taking your horn to a tech to see if there's a leak. I would think that once you have a mouthpiece you can play on, your time will be better spent playing than wondering what difference a half a millimeter will make in a mouthpiece. If you would post where you live, I'm sure many people on this board could make recommendations for a tech, teacher, and community band for you. Good Luck and welcome to the world of tuba. Peace. ASG