Yes I know that "it's the player" not the mouthpeice that makes the artist, however there are those that are most effecicent...at my reigon competition, i saw some really funky looking mouthpeices...others that were more common (hellenbergs, conns, yamahas) anywas, interesting enough, those that advanced to area were the ones who played on variations of the hellenberg, thought the #1 chair player in the top band had a parantuchi?(yes i kno i butchered the name) mouthpeice.
is this situation relevant to the main tuba world? essentially my question is what mouthpieces generally are viewed as the most effective and effecient ?
Mouthpeices...
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passion4tuba
- bugler
- Posts: 137
- Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2005 12:50 pm
- Location: Houston, TX
Mouthpeices...
BB flat Mira 186
Sidey Helleberg
U. of H Cougar Band
Sidey Helleberg
U. of H Cougar Band
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SplatterTone
- 5 valves
- Posts: 1906
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- Location: Tulsa, OK
- Contact:
One hears that those thin rims, like on the hellenburg, are supposed to offer more something. Which might be true. But they aren't as cushy and comfortable as though fat rimmed mouthpieces. So ... while I realize that one should sit up straight and observe good posture, one is more likely to find me comfortably slouched enjoying bad posture.
But, I have been known to play on those thin rimmed things ... when nobody was looking.
But, I have been known to play on those thin rimmed things ... when nobody was looking.
Good signature lines: http://tinyurl.com/a47spm
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iiipopes
- Utility Infielder
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- Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2005 1:10 am
The conventional wisdom is that a narrower and/or flatter rim help with flexibility. I know I prefer a rather narrow rim with a tighter, but not sharp, bite, like on my Wick 1 and Bach 18, rather than a really wide one like a 24AW, as I feel I can get a better "seal" to my embouchure with it. But a really flat rim like a traditional Helleberg or Helleberg style with a sharp inner "bite" is very uncomfortable to me. But that's why there are literally thousands of mouthpieces out there, because there are thousands of different people with different embouchures, styles, playing requirements, ensembles, etc., playing them.
Jupiter JTU1110
"Real" Conn 36K
"Real" Conn 36K
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dopey
- 3 valves
- Posts: 312
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 7:39 pm
play what you like! don't get a mouthpiece cuz someone 'good' has it!
I bought a helleberg for this reason when I had a college student comegive me a lesson while i was in highschool and his words were "All all staters play on this ____ mouthpiece.." so ofcourse I was sold. I got one shortly after and was convince this was the right thing to do! don't get me wrong a helleberg is a great mouthpice but I defiantly got it for the WRONG reason! With that said when I settled on my current mouthpiece I looked for something like the helleberg because I liked its design alot.
The way I got my next mouthpiece was at a convention that had a good assortment to try, I settled on a pt-48 that became my main mp for the later part of highschool and first year or so in college!
by then I felt I was to the point I had a good idea of what I -wanted- in a mouthpiece, the rim stile, bowl/funnel, how large, all that good stuff! and after having used the PT48 on the marching field for a couple years it was to the point I either needed to replace it or find something else for concert ONLY use! long story short I got a GW MMVI and could not be happier, no this is not per say the mouthpiece for you, but for me it is. I did my own research talked to many people and decided on this mouthpiece not because the guy above me play on it but because I knew what I wanted!
so ya bottom line, don't get something cuz everyone else has it! try several make your own mind up. The reason those kids beat you was not the mouthpiece..unless you mouthpiece is so mangled and beaten that it affects playing..
/end soap box
I bought a helleberg for this reason when I had a college student comegive me a lesson while i was in highschool and his words were "All all staters play on this ____ mouthpiece.." so ofcourse I was sold. I got one shortly after and was convince this was the right thing to do! don't get me wrong a helleberg is a great mouthpice but I defiantly got it for the WRONG reason! With that said when I settled on my current mouthpiece I looked for something like the helleberg because I liked its design alot.
The way I got my next mouthpiece was at a convention that had a good assortment to try, I settled on a pt-48 that became my main mp for the later part of highschool and first year or so in college!
by then I felt I was to the point I had a good idea of what I -wanted- in a mouthpiece, the rim stile, bowl/funnel, how large, all that good stuff! and after having used the PT48 on the marching field for a couple years it was to the point I either needed to replace it or find something else for concert ONLY use! long story short I got a GW MMVI and could not be happier, no this is not per say the mouthpiece for you, but for me it is. I did my own research talked to many people and decided on this mouthpiece not because the guy above me play on it but because I knew what I wanted!
so ya bottom line, don't get something cuz everyone else has it! try several make your own mind up. The reason those kids beat you was not the mouthpiece..unless you mouthpiece is so mangled and beaten that it affects playing..
/end soap box
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djwesp
- 5 valves
- Posts: 1166
- Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2004 11:01 pm
Jacob Morgan wrote: I bought a helleberg for this reason when I had a college student comegive me a lesson while i was in highschool and his words were "All all staters play on this ____ mouthpiece.." so ofcourse I was sold. I got one shortly after and was convince this was the right thing to do! don't get me wrong a helleberg is a great mouthpice but I defiantly got it for the WRONG reason! With that said when I settled on my current mouthpiece I looked for something like the helleberg because I liked its design alot.
/end soap box
Explains why he became an Auto Mechanic huh?
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tubeast
- 4 valves
- Posts: 819
- Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2005 3:59 pm
- Location: Buers, Austria
I´ve become a believer in good, better, but not "perfect" mouthpieces over the past two years. I would even say MPs play an important role in your overall playing.
My line of thought goes like this:
- make sure you´re in good (great) shape before you worry about MPs.
- get yourself an idea of what you like in MPs based on your OWN experience. Try to write a list of criteria that, in short words, defines that idea of YOUR mouthpiece.
- try out mouthpieces, but not too many at a time. See if you can rank them according to that list of yours.
- have your instructor listen to you play on the ones you pre-selected.
- when in doubt, stick to your old MP.
- if you find a better mouthpiece, don´t throw away the old one.
To support my introductory point:
- I own a total of 6 MPs, acquired over the last 16 years.
3 of them are in use, the otheres are lent out to kids learning to play.
- There is one I sound crappy on (so I lent it out), the others actually do good things for me.
- I used to sound "bad" on one. I kept it as a paper weight, but find myself using it all the time these days for real loud and low playing. I´d guess it took some preliminary training to put it to an efficient use.
- One I´m using only infrequently today is the PT 50+ with extra weight on the cup that I used to be so fond of, and which I chose upon buying my first CC.
My line of thought goes like this:
- make sure you´re in good (great) shape before you worry about MPs.
- get yourself an idea of what you like in MPs based on your OWN experience. Try to write a list of criteria that, in short words, defines that idea of YOUR mouthpiece.
- try out mouthpieces, but not too many at a time. See if you can rank them according to that list of yours.
- have your instructor listen to you play on the ones you pre-selected.
- when in doubt, stick to your old MP.
- if you find a better mouthpiece, don´t throw away the old one.
To support my introductory point:
- I own a total of 6 MPs, acquired over the last 16 years.
3 of them are in use, the otheres are lent out to kids learning to play.
- There is one I sound crappy on (so I lent it out), the others actually do good things for me.
- I used to sound "bad" on one. I kept it as a paper weight, but find myself using it all the time these days for real loud and low playing. I´d guess it took some preliminary training to put it to an efficient use.
- One I´m using only infrequently today is the PT 50+ with extra weight on the cup that I used to be so fond of, and which I chose upon buying my first CC.
Hans
Melton 46 S
1903 or earlier GLIER Helicon, customized Hermuth MP
2009 WILLSON 6400 RZ5, customized GEWA 52 + Wessex "Chief"
MW HoJo 2011 FA, Wessex "Chief"
Melton 46 S
1903 or earlier GLIER Helicon, customized Hermuth MP
2009 WILLSON 6400 RZ5, customized GEWA 52 + Wessex "Chief"
MW HoJo 2011 FA, Wessex "Chief"
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XtremeEuph
- 4 valves
- Posts: 598
- Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2006 5:02 pm
wut does the extra weight do anyway?..........These topics make me squirm because yes, there ARE a ton of mouthpieces out there and most dealers around me dont have a huge assortment. How do you come across those strange Brand names that just suit YOU (thought they maybe arent strange, I just havent heard of some of them)
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iiipopes
- Utility Infielder
- Posts: 8580
- Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2005 1:10 am
Basic physics: added mass damps vibration and changes characteristic. In other words, generally, it makes for a lower resonant frequency and lower amplitude of resonance of the mouthpiece. People who want more "core" to the sound tend to like heavier, larger (overall size and mass, not just cup diameter) or denser mouthpieces for this reason.
The flip side of this is decreased responsiveness: more mass equals more inertia. Neither is good nor bad. It's just one more variable to factor into your personal equation.
For example, for me for outdoors, a Kelly 18 was breaking up at high dynamic levels. A ring of golfer's lead tape around the shank at the bowl damped the vibration of the mouthpiece at this area and cured the breakup at dynamic. So I tried another thin ring just under the exterior rim at the top of the bowl. Too much. I lost responsiveness. The added mass prevented the top of the cup from doing its job. So I took that one off.
The flip side of this is decreased responsiveness: more mass equals more inertia. Neither is good nor bad. It's just one more variable to factor into your personal equation.
For example, for me for outdoors, a Kelly 18 was breaking up at high dynamic levels. A ring of golfer's lead tape around the shank at the bowl damped the vibration of the mouthpiece at this area and cured the breakup at dynamic. So I tried another thin ring just under the exterior rim at the top of the bowl. Too much. I lost responsiveness. The added mass prevented the top of the cup from doing its job. So I took that one off.
Jupiter JTU1110
"Real" Conn 36K
"Real" Conn 36K
