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I am about to start my second year of college and I really enjoy playing in the concert band on campus. At the beginning of this past semester, I started playing in a brass quintet with some of my friends in the band. I am currently playing a school provided instrument (I really wish I knew what kind...) and using a PT-50 mouthpiece. One of my professors mentioned something about having a different mouthpiece for the quintet for a brighter and crisper sound as compared to a darker sound for concert band. I really like my PT-50, but I have no idea what to get for this other mouthpiece. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Mouthpieces are a very personal thing, so you just have to test 'em yourself. Maybe give a Bach 18 (and it's clones) a try, a Blokepiece 'solo', a PT-68 or 65? Just throwing some out there....

In general, a shallower cup will brighten the sound. Your PT-50, which is basically a Helleberg type, has the following specs (all info from http://www.tubaforum.it/Perantucci/Pera ... pieces.pdf" target="_blank ):

Rim inner diameter- 33.0 mm
Rim width/type- 7.5 mm, flat with a sharp inner edge
Bore- 8.3 mm
Cup- deep, funnel-shaped

Since you're playing a Perantucci, you might want to stay within that line and rim diameter, and try playing a PT-38:

Rim I.D. 33.0 mm
Rim width/type - 7.5 mm, rounded inner and outer edges
Bore: 8.3 mm
Cup- moderately deep, funnel-shaped, moderately round at bottom

or a PT-44:

Rim I.D. 33.0 mm
Rim width/type - 7.5 mm, rounded inner and sharp outer edges
Bore: 8.4 mm
Cup- moderately deep, funnel-shaped

Good luck!

Try a Yamaha C4, those are very good moderate sized mouthpieces that will definitely offer a brighter tone than a pt-50 and they are very easy to play on in most cases and usually work well with most all horns.

since your professor made the recommendation ask him what he would suggest.

Or, ignore that advice and play the dadgum tuba. If you don't know what the instrument is, you must not have it with you. No mouthpiece will work in that situation.

Really? Really??

An opportunity to educate a student obviously in need and that's all you have to offer? Sarcasm?????

Not what this site is about.

Thanks for the great answers! I will certainly be looking into this before the school year starts. I"ll probably stick to the Perantucci line, for consistency's sake, but this gives me a solid starting point! Thanks for the help!

Disclaimer: my opinion is far from "expert" *see signature

The "small ensemble" mouthpiece is a murky topic. While, as your teacher stated, a "brighter", or more brilliant tone is desirable, a penetrating laser-like solo voice is out of place. The tuba plays a supporting bass role in these ensembles (and, IMO, the tuba should ALWAYS play this role. A tuba player trying to showcase the agility of a fiddler usually sounds comical) ; it is a foundation, and is not competing with other instruments to be on top of a sound pyramid. Taking this load of crap into consideration, a mouthpiece somewhere in between those marketed as solo mouthpieces and, well. . . big mouthpieces should fit the bill well. My advice is to find a beater "solo" mouthpiece which has a rim that you are comfortable with (and maybe?:help you play with the agility of a fiddler) and bore out the throat of it to give it a little more frijoles.

Take the preceding words with a grain of salt. I've never actually thought of any of that when I look for a new mouthpiece. I just try stuff and use what sounds good.

I've got a PT-32 that I'm selling that may fit your bill. Although the rim is different, it may be worth considering. I like the sound it gives, being a little on the lighter brighter side, but it wasn't the all around fit I needed. My only complaint was that it didn't play high volumes as controlled as my Helleberg, but that may be a personal issue, especially as I'm not the experienced tuba player yet. I'm primarily a Euphonium player but picking Tuba as my serious double. Range is good as far as I used it, lows to highs.

Cup: 32.5 mm diameter / Medium-large. Funnel-shaped.

Rim: 8 mm / Rounded inner and outer edges.

Bore: 8.3 mm.

Model PT-32 is similar to Model PT-30 while slightly larger. It provides substantial middle and low register volume with easy high range accessibility. For contrabass tubas.