Pedal notes mouthpiece

[Dylan King]

The G&W Bayamo is a monster on the pedal tones. Not so shabby on it's way up either.

[Bandmaster]

The G&W Bayamo is a monster on the pedal tones. Not so shabby on it's way up either.

I totally agree! But I also find, at least with me, the horn makes more difference. Some horns produce pedals notes easier than others. I have fooled around with the same mouthpieces on many different horns and the the mouthpiece is not the most important factor. But with my Bayamo (and the others too ) I can get down to double pedal F quite easily ( I am a BBb horn kind of guy). Since the original poster talked about the notes in terms of ledger lines, that would be 5 spaces below low Bb, or 7 ledger lines plus a space below the staff.

[Anterux]

When I first came to this forum I couldnt play pedal tones.

Very much with your help I can now play a great extention for my needs.

In a BBb I can play from the pedal G (GGG?) to an octave higher then Bb above the staf.

And I can do this with any mouthpiece I have. From the Bayamo to Denis Wick 5L

The Bayamo is a bit easier in low range. but I cant go lower with it. Its just easier and better deeper sound down there.

I find the tuba to be more important then the moutpiece.

And with pratice you will do it on any mouthpiece or in any good tuba.

My 2cents

Antero

[imperialbari]

I don't think one shall select mouthppieces for special ranges. The mouthpieces allowing me to go very low are the same, which allow me to go very high, if I practise responsibly.

I need wide and deep mouthpieces for everything I play, but I once heard a flugelhorn player displaying a downright amazing pedal register. Huge sound, in tune, well controlled.

I asked about his mouthpiece: Bach 10C, which is a fairly narrow and shallow piece.

Some can do everything on small mouthpieces, some need larger ones.

It is all a matter of lips, lungs, tradition, and schooling.

Yes tradition is a factor. For years I had struggled with doing true lip trills under the guidance of good teachers. But I didn't get it right until I joined a new band. The cornet soloist did a warm up with lip trills. Hearing that just once made me understand how-to immediately.

Klaus

[corbasse]

I can do a pretty good job of "demonstrating" all of the brass instruments. I am weakest on French horn. In order to play a C below middle C on the French horn, I "need" a mouthpiece with a wide embouchure - minimum (as an example) Schilke #31 rim...

...but good French horn players do not require extra-wide embouchure mouthpieces to play this C - nor even the C below that, and I believe this is the point.

Haha! Indeed, I've got exactly the opposite I can get down to, and well below, a pedal C (=sounding low F) on french horn with a 16.2 mm Farkas MDC, but on tuba I'm struggling for the same notes on a 32.5 Helleberg The embouchure mechanics are very different..

[MaryAnn]

You're right, corbasse! I can play below a pedal C on my Lawson cup too, but the tuba range is now lower by quite a bit. Give yourself about six months on tuba and you should have the pedals. It's all about loosening up. Then, of course, you'll find your high horn range in the doldrums, and will have to find the way to switch back and forth so they both work.
I've realized, however, that I'll never be able to play both loud and low on a tuba....I just don't have the lung size. I sound pretty damn good above middle C, though!
MA

[poomshanka]

The one I played was designed by Ellis Wean. It was metal not acrylic though.

Had you played one of Ellis' mouthpieces in acrylic as well? If so, how would compare the acoustical properties of the two materials?

...Dave

[poomshanka]

I have played one of Ellis' tru-vu mouthpieces though it was quite a different design from the undercut mouthpiece as I remember. I didn't pay much attention to the difference as there was such a large amount of time between the two. Ellis gave me the tru-vu to try in combination with a strobe light and mirrors so that I could see how my lips vibrate as I play. It's difficult to watch and not laugh/keep playing.

Yes, it *is* quite a horrific sight! Some things just weren't meant to be seen.



The design of his "Tru-Vu" mouthpieces was quite different from the custom pieces he actually used. When did he turn one for you in metal?

...Dave

[GC]

I get pretty good results with a Rudy Meinl 10.