Best high-register mouthpiece for a BBb tuba

[Mark]

I guess I have a different take. Using a different mouthpiece to obtain a high register is a crutch you should not be using.

I have been playing for a long, long time (45 years) and still have nothing above an F that you would want to hear! From this prospective, I can understand wanting an aid to reaching those Gs and above - such as in the VW Concerto.

So, are you going to change mouthpieces in the middle of the cadenza in the first movement of the Vaughan Williams, where it goes from a low F to a high Ab?

[Jay Bertolet]

Such a disturbing question!

Seriously, the OP may wish to consider that playing everything on a contrabass tuba is nothing new. Folks have been doing this for literally over a century. Arnold Jacobs was a famous advocate of playing different mouthpieces to get different colors out of his primary instrument. Does this also apply to aiding high range playing? I'd be surprised if it did. In college, I used to practice Berlioz "tuba" excerpts every day on my RM-10 CC tuba (using a Bach 18) before I had my own bass tuba. I've heard of prominent tuba teachers who purposely made their students learn bass tuba excerpts on contrabass tuba first. There's literally no reason to expect that you should be playing any less high with your standard setup unless that is fundamentally flawed. You may have to work harder at it but it can be done. Consider this: In the past, composers generally (there are always exceptions) didn't write pieces for our instrument that covered really large ranges. For the most part they limited themselves to more narrow ranges. Now, composers have no hesitation writing for us to cover the extremes of the ranges and even one extreme right next to the other. We just don't have the luxury anymore to be able to count on the time needed to switch mouthpieces. Most often in these cases, we don't even have the time to move our embouchure. Considering that players keep improving, one would be wise to continue to work at that which we cannot do yet with every intention of mastering it soon. What is the point of practicing, after all?

[iiipopes]

I guess I have a different take. Using a different mouthpiece to obtain a high register is a crutch you should not be using. Learn to play high on your standard mouthpiece. Also, are you really sure you need a mouthpiece as big as a PT-50?

It depends. Now, it takes the same embouchure strength to play high register, whether or not a player uses a Wick 1 (deep funnel) or Miraphone C4 (shallow bowl). So continued practicing to achieve the proper embouchure conditioning is most important. But depending on the player's physiology and ability to provide the necessary breath support, a particular cup geometry, throat size and backbore configuration may help whatever breath support a player has to be more efficient at it. Moreover, generally, a shallower bowl will provide more perceived resistance than a deep funnel which can help a player manage breath support more efficiently.

[Mark]

where it goes from a low F to a high Ab?

or I could play it just like the printing I have where it goes from that F *DOWN* to an Eb and back - so many variations in the different editions of that piece....

In the cadenza? There is a low Eb at the end of the movement; but not in the cadenza. Even so, where would one switch mouthpieces? Which was my point.

[iiipopes]

There's literally no reason to expect that you should be playing any less high with your standard setup unless that is fundamentally flawed.

I agree. When I pick up a euphonium, I only have a couple notes more in the upper range. It is the lot I was given, the lips I have, the strength I have in them, etc. Not everyone can bench press 450 no matter how hard they work. Not everyone can play high no matter how hard they work. All we can do is they best we can with what God gave us!

This is the reason I switched to tuba. When it became apparent that no matter what I did or how I did it that I had limitations to range and endurance on trumpet that I could not keep up with the rest of the section, then to the trenches I went. On trumpet, I can play about a half hour in concert band 2nd section parts. On tuba, I can play concert band music all night, all day....

[Kevin Hendrick]

Go with the standards; gotta love the time-tested Bellaire BB-17.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Big-Clunky-Heav ... 0873253633

heavy
very wide rim
shallow bowl shaped cup
30 mm in diameter
art deco

Sounds like a well-disguised Bach 30E ...

[patricklugo]

The only way to play high with a good quality sound is to spend many hours in the practice room. you should get your self the best teacher available and follow his advice in order to keep you in the right direction.

playing high is skill that have to be master every day.

i dont have a problem playing low because that is what i practiced every day. now i took the same approach and i applied it to my high playing. and my high playing is much better. What a supprise!!!

to answer your question, find a good mouthpiece that works with your tuba and feels good on your mouth.

ask your teacher!! if are going to spend top dollar for your lesson. why not listen to he or she has to say.

[Sharp]

There's literally no reason to expect that you should be playing any less high with your standard setup unless that is fundamentally flawed.

I agree. When I pick up a euphonium, I only have a couple notes more in the upper range. It is the lot I was given, the lips I have, the strength I have in them, etc. Not everyone can bench press 450 no matter how hard they work. Not everyone can play high no matter how hard they work. All we can do is they best we can with what God gave us!

I tried typing up a serious reply to this, but I'm not so sure you would respond well to it, taken to your reactions to other posts not pertaining to you. But I think you quite missed Mr. Bertolet's point.

You may have to work harder at it but it can be done ... Considering that players keep improving, one would be wise to continue to work at that which we cannot do yet with every intention of mastering it soon. What is the point of practicing, after all?

vs.

Not everyone can play high no matter how hard they work. All we can do is they best we can with what God gave us!

I hope this not an attitude you take to your classrooms. Music should train discipline, and continuous development through effort, not the acceptance of mediocrity. Maybe not everyone will be a professional musician, but they should damn well leave with the skills to continually strive to better themselves and not accept something inadequate for the way it is. If you work hard and something doesn't work, find a new way to approach it, don't quit.

[Sharp]

Not at all. I understand and respect Jay's point. I am just talking from personal experience after 45 years of playing and 35 years of teaching. I never had a range above F and at 56 years old, I do not see it developing. I work on it daily, it is just not there - yet.

I'm glad it was just a misinterpretation of the posts then. Apologies if I was brash. Cheers.

[tubajazzo]

I like the PT50 on a contrabass tuba for the sound in the low and middle range, but definitely not for playing high.
For "high only" you could try an F-Tuba MP like PT64 or 65, if you like the PT rims. The Jim Self yamaha is my favourite "do-it-all". For me it is easier to make the Self MP sound good enough down low, than to play high stuff on the PT50.
well, I am talking as an amateur...

Gerd

[Donn]

I'm wondering what model and brand of mouthpiece would be best for easily playing in the high-very high register.

Another way to think about it might be, what do you want to sound like when playing this high stuff you're looking at? Anyone can guess that among the makes you mention, the smaller ones will tend to be more manageable up high, but ... they're all "best." Add your face, your tuba, the sound you want, to the proposition and maybe there's something for you in there, or maybe not. (NB, "small" may more or less mean volume, as opposed to strictly width. And of course there's the rim, throat, backbore ... who knows.)