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Hello all
I'm a non brass player, and I got myself a Sousaphone about a year ago.
It came with a Denis Wick 3SL mouthpiece, and I was wondering... how bad a mouthpiece is this for a beginner?!

I mean... it makes Sousaphone type noises when I blow into it (I just got my ABRSM grade 4 ) so it obviously works... just wondering if I could make my life easier with a bigger/smaller/better/different option?

I have real trouble getting up to a high C (first leger line above bass clef) - could this be alleviated with a different mouthpiece?

I'm in the UK, so my options are a bit more limited than in the US.

I understand there isn't a single magic mouthpiece that'll instantly make me sound awesome, any and all advice welcomed.
Like I say, not a brass player so in language a String Bass player would understand please!

If it makes a difference, my Sousa is a BBb fibreglass by Wessex.

Thanks in advance

First, welcome to the tubenet and the tuba community. For right now, you likely have an acceptable mouthpiece. It is a bit shallow, but acceptable. You might try to contact Jonathan at Wessex. He is always willing to help, especially since you are playing one of his horns. He is the best to give guidance. I suspect your range issue my have to do with your newness to tuba. It takes a bit of time and practice to expand your range.

I'm pretty sure it's as good as anything we could recommend from here, given what we know, but that's just because we don't have a prayer of a chance.

I'm just writing to possibly clear up a point about tuba notation -- tuba music is written at concert pitch (or in the UK, also in transposed like a trumpet, but I think that doesn't matter here.) String bass on the other hand is written an octave higher than it sounds. I'm guessing that the note you mention is really in the middle of the bass clef, so it's well within the range you'd care about as first year tuba player. You'll get to where that's easy, but it's skill more than equipment. You have to be blowing the note, and it's very much about air.

That looks like a nice mouthpiece to me (on the advertisement for it), and it's a reputable maker. The C above the staff requires some practice, I consider it extended range on the horn. Playing the note that's new to you can be made easier by first playing it in the familiar octave and then going straight to the unfamiliar octave. Playing a scale with octave jumps will get you there in one step increments, and the alternating low notes help navigate the tones.

Thanks for the input, chaps.

Swillafew, a scale with octave jumps is a killer exercise- thanks for the suggestion!

The octave jump scale is a good idea. That note is usually fingered 1, but you might also try open or 1+3.

The 3SL is a relatively small mouthpiece, and the S means that it's a shallow cup. It will have a brighter, less full-bodied tone bur should be a fairly easy player. You might do well to try a larger mouthpiece with a deeper cup. There are tons of them out there.

I wouldn't try switching to a huge mouthpiece all at once. Work your way up to larger ones if you can.