If you're new to the cimbasso, just use your normal f tuba mouthpiece for a while. Something not too big, perhaps a 9. This way you can just get used to making a nice sound on the thing. Cimbasso plays different than a tuba, and it's nice to have something familiar to keep you feeling at home while you learn to make music on the new instrument. As you start to adapt to it, you'll figure out if you want something smaller or not.
What are you using the instrument for? Do you want to blend with a trombone section for some Verdi? Do you want to crush low notes for a film soundtrack? Are you playing in a brass ensemble? Jazz ensemble? Solos? Being that there is no standard cimbasso "sound", you may even find yourself switching for different applications.
cimbasso/contra-bone mpc recommendations?
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Bove
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pjv
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Re: cimbasso/contra-bone mpc recommendations?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLAPQUHu9SQ" target="_blank" target="_blank
is what I use it for (its a long sample, so maybe listen starting at 4 minutes). I've had the horn for a year, but only used it sporadically in a show which wasn't too demanding, using my Bloke Solo + #1 rim.
Now I'm playing it in a show on YouTube, which takes me from E above middle C to C a second above pedal Bb. In the sample above I'm almost covering that range (middle C to D a third above the pedal).
The horn plays real open downstairs and upstairs but it can be a bit dodgy in the staff. This is in part due to the fact that I don't practice the horn enough! The 5th partial being very flat requires the constant usage of adult fingerings (d, db, c, b) and this really challenges my precision on the horn.
What I can't say is how much of the "dodgyness" is due to an improper mpc match and/or horn imperfections. The mpc sound is real nice and clean but the times right to test blow another to see if I can clean up my precision in the staff.
I'm thankful for the responses and who knows; if I ever buy a F cimbasso I might be doing this all over again!
-Cheers, Patrick
is what I use it for (its a long sample, so maybe listen starting at 4 minutes). I've had the horn for a year, but only used it sporadically in a show which wasn't too demanding, using my Bloke Solo + #1 rim.
Now I'm playing it in a show on YouTube, which takes me from E above middle C to C a second above pedal Bb. In the sample above I'm almost covering that range (middle C to D a third above the pedal).
The horn plays real open downstairs and upstairs but it can be a bit dodgy in the staff. This is in part due to the fact that I don't practice the horn enough! The 5th partial being very flat requires the constant usage of adult fingerings (d, db, c, b) and this really challenges my precision on the horn.
What I can't say is how much of the "dodgyness" is due to an improper mpc match and/or horn imperfections. The mpc sound is real nice and clean but the times right to test blow another to see if I can clean up my precision in the staff.
I'm thankful for the responses and who knows; if I ever buy a F cimbasso I might be doing this all over again!
-Cheers, Patrick