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I did my more-or-less-once-a-year euphonium playing when we went out and did our Brass Caroling on people's front porches last Sunday. Somehow we always end up minus a trombone player at the last minute and I end up playing euphonium; this year it was brass christmas carol trios that I downloaded at the 11th hour.

I have a King 2280, and I like to use my Kelly 51D copy in it. However, using the small shank, and even having ground it down so that it goes ALL the way in the receiver, the instrument is flat with the tuning slide pushed all the way in. For this venue, my two cohorts were willing to pull out their slides to match my pitch, but I can't use this cup for any other venue, for example when I sub in the brass band.

I can't figure out why a middle-range euph like this one won't come up to pitch with a standard piece like a 51D. Commentary?

On another "note" we were rooting around in a local huge music store last week, and found a brand-new 3+1 noncomp euph labled Nirschl. (if I spelled that right.) Now, the price was around $2300 on the tag....and I wondered are these being made in China now? I can't imagine a euph with that name on it being that cheap. Anybody know?

MA

It may be because of the depth of cup and/or throat. On my Besson, the Wick 1 small shank plays perfectly in tune, and of course, a Wick 1 has about the deepest funnel cup made, with the possible exception of a couple others. When I played outdoors for the SA kettle, I used my Kelly 18. Even though it has a standard shank, so only went in the receiver just a little bit, it was still in tune without adjustment of the main tuning slide, even though you'd think you'd have to push it in because the standard shank effectively lengthens the leadpipe. I believe it's because the Kelly is a rounded shallower cup, and has a little bit smaller throat than the Wick 1.

Have you tried one of the other Kelly models with a shallower cup?

MaryAnn wrote:On another "note" we were rooting around in a local huge music store last week, and found a brand-new 3+1 noncomp euph labled Nirschl. (if I spelled that right.) Now, the price was around $2300 on the tag....and I wondered are these being made in China now? I can't imagine a euph with that name on it being that cheap. Anybody know?

MA

Gemstone (Gemeinhardt) is now marketing W. Nirschl brass instruments. Trumpets, trombones, marching baritones, and euphonia are currently on the market, with tubas and a wider array of the other brasses to follow. These instruments are, in fact, of Indian origin, but were developed by Dick Barth (a tubist) and Herr Nirschl.

http://gemstonemusical.com/wnirschl/index.html

We've sold a handful of the 3+1 euphs, as well as some of the bones and trumpets.

I have had a similar situation on almost every euph I have ever played, using a Schilke 52D (1/2 cm wider). I have come to attribute it mainly to the more relaxed, open tuba embouchure. It can be remedied in any of several ways, or by combining:

• A shallower cup (even if the cup volume is the same or larger)
  Lots of work firming up the embouchure (probably only appropriate if you plan to increase your euphing percentage)
  Trim the tuning slide (especially if you really like everything else about the horn)
  Go euph shopping (This being the most fun, but potentially expensive option).

The 51D is a standard euph mouthpiece for good reason. However, most players who use it play trombone and/or euph full time. It has taken a lot of work to get my tuba face to sync up, but it can be done.

BTW, was it cold out?

gregsundt wrote:I have had a similar situation on almost every euph I have ever played, using a Schilke 52D (1/2 cm wider). I have come to attribute it mainly to the more relaxed, open tuba embouchure.

Interesting - I'm a euph player and when I play tuba (eg. 2 months this summer) I have to pull out quite a bit.

--paul;

That is also not uncommon, as the oral cavity has a lot to do with overall intonation.

gregsundt wrote:I have had a similar situation on almost every euph I have ever played, using a Schilke 52D (1/2 cm wider). I have come to attribute it mainly to the more relaxed, open tuba embouchure. It can be remedied in any of several ways, or by combining:

• A shallower cup (even if the cup volume is the same or larger)
  Lots of work firming up the embouchure (probably only appropriate if you plan to increase your euphing percentage)
  Trim the tuning slide (especially if you really like everything else about the horn)
  Go euph shopping (This being the most fun, but potentially expensive option).

The 51D is a standard euph mouthpiece for good reason. However, most players who use it play trombone and/or euph full time. It has taken a lot of work to get my tuba face to sync up, but it can be done.

BTW, was it cold out?

Well....the reason why I use the 51D is because I like it. We tuned up inside my house, which is cool but not cold. I'm a horn player so embouchure "firmness" should not be an issue...although I'm sure I use more of my tuba embouchure on the euph than I do my horn embouchure. I'm also of the school that thinks pitch should be gotten with air and not pinching, and try to play in the most resonant position in a given pitch slot. In this case, I could have pinched it up to pitch, but I would have been at the top of the slots.

I was primarily interested to find out if anyone else has played this particular combination of euph+mpc, and if they encountered the same result. It sounds like you have encountered that result, with the 52D. Thanks for the feedback.

MA