Mouthpieces and contrabass/bass tubas

[TubaRay]

I believe you are both right, up to a point. Indeed, some mouthpieces were designed to be played on certain horns. On the other hand, some mouthpieces were designed(more or less) with specific purposes.

[Rick Denney]

Alright, this is not another "what mouthpiece should I use" thread. My professor and I got into a discussion about mouthpieces in my lesson Wednesday.

TRVTH:

What matters is what comes out of the bell. If you require the use of toilet plunger glued to a soda straw, and using it gives you the musical sound you need, then your approach is correct.

If your professor is arguing with your methods, it may be because your results are not proving them.

I once watched (on PBS) a master class for advanced piano students given by Gorge Bolet. After complimenting one student on his beautiful playing, he complained that the student played a section too slowly, and warned that doing so might given the impression of a technical limitation. The student smiled humbly, and then played it again, at exactly the same tempo, even more beatifully than before. Bolet said, "You make such a strong case for the tempo you have chosen that I can only say, Bravo."

He complained that another student's flow was not smooth, and the student pressed him (pushing the line of being combative) for a technical explanation of "not smooth". It was obvious that he had heard that complaint before. And after several attempts by Bolet to explain, it was also obvious that the student didn't get it and never would. Bolet listened for a while longer, thanked the student, and moved on--no need to waste his time there.

It was one of the most instructive displays of good teaching I ever saw.

The lesson is (and here is that TRVTH again) that a teacher making a technical point may be trying an alternative way to make an artistic point for a student who isn't getting it.

If this doesn't apply to you, then please ignore it.

Rick "not seeing any consensus among high-end pros about mouthpiece strategies" Denney