Hi, I'm a highschool tuba/sousa player. I've been begging to play tuba for 3 years and finally got my chance starting last August. (So I've had a semester of experience)
I marched a Jupiter 24AW mouthpiece all season and have all made parish and district honor bands on it. Now heading into concert season, I want to try a new mouthpiece.
Does anyone have experience with a megatone? Also, what size? I don't want to get another 24AW since I've already tried one. I was thinking 7 or 12, but I honestly don't know the difference?
these mouthpieces are not really for beginners and the few people i know who use them haven't been able to get a good sound out of them except one guy but he knew how to blow
btw the 12 and the 7 are huge, i tried them and i played better on my lm12
just try some out like the conn helleberg or pt50
i see megatones mostly as a marching band mouthpiece
I'm aware of all of this, and without being self-conceited, I by far am the best and loudest player in my section. I would not invest in something I could not use properly.
Allow me to make a point: the idea behind a megatone is that one can push more without the sound breaking up than a standard mouthpiece. How "loud" you are is really just a function of the wind.
My suggestion: if you are so fortunate to live somewhere where there is a store with a variety of mouthpieces, set aside a couple hours and go. Try out a bunch of different models and brands and find two or three that are comfortable and play easily. Then, pick the one you think sounds the best. Big, small, light, heavy, it just matters what feels right for you.
If you don't live near a good store, try to find a store or dealer which will send you a few different models on trial and return the ones you don't like. Sellmansberger (Bloke on here) does this.
Dude, the 24aw I'm pretty sure is better then what I got. And I basically have a shcidmt copy of the conn helleberg. I promise you it's player more then mouthpiece. And being that you started playing in August..a Bach megatone 7 will most likely be too much for you. You should get the megatone 12. It's big but not so big your embourchure will never get used to it.
Also...I know what you mean by sound breakup and all. Before you spend money on a mouthpiece... Spend time working on embourchure and throat and teeth opening. May not think you need to but I'm almost certain you'll notice a difference when you really open up and push that air. And the sound won't break up.
Also, you say your the loudest in your section. I'd like to playfully challenge that. Pretty sure I'd plaster you into the wall with my sound. Don't think I can? Private message me a video and I'll send one of me to you.
I have a Megatone 12, a Helleberg, and a PT50 (among others). I played the Megatone for years in my VMI 2103 and loved the SOUND that it gave me. Because the VMI has a darker sound, in my opinion, I was satisfied with the Megatone on those occasions when i needed more volume. I tried the Megatone in my 20J, and it was way too much. For my purposes, it was too loud and it was difficult to keep the tone under control. I bought a Marzan tuba a few years ago and, because that horn plays so easily, the Megatone 12 was too much on that horn, also. I was using the Helleberg in the Marzan and was very pleased with the overall volume and tone. A few months ago, I bought a PT50 to use with the Marzan. The PT50 works very will with the Marzan, also.
It is probably time for you to move away from the 24AW. Look, I'm nowhere near a professional, but I think if you play the Megatone in the wrong horn, you may be satisfied with the volume but not with the tone. Perhaps in a horn that is not free-blowing and has a darker sound, the Megatone may be acceptable for concert band. So you should try one in your main concert horn, along with other mouthpieces. My suspicion is that the Megatone won't be your choice.
Also, you say your the loudest in your section. I'd like to playfully challenge that. Pretty sure I'd plaster you into the wall with my sound. Don't think I can? Private message me a video and I'll send one of me to you.
Sure, but I warn you, I'm like 110 lbs and I can blow more air than those HBCU college bands.
And thank you everyone for your advice, I appreciate it and unfortunately the only music store by me stocks only what is in demand (aka conn hellebergs), so I am not able to try out all of your suggestions. Since this whole mouthpiece thing is meant as a Christmas present from the grandparents, there isn't much opportunity cost here. I yolo'd it and ordered a bach megatone 7. Sorry if this upsets anyone but I just really want to own one. Thanks again.
Hey, boys - I know you're probably going to get some suggestions from the older guys here that you should grow up and act like adults. Don't listen to them, you'll be grown up all too soon anyway. Enjoy these few precious last years of your childhood!
I used to play a regular 7, decades ago actually, it's large but not vastly larger than anything else that ever existed. The larger throat is what's going to make this mouthpiece hard to sound good on, without a lot of conscientious regular practice.
Bach Megatone 18 was the first mouthpiece I ever owned. Got it my freshman year of high school and used it both in outside and inside groups. It's a good mouthpiece that you won't ever need to switch (though you may choose to at some point). I've found it great for sousaphone playing.
Bach 18 vs Megatone, I think there might be some difference to the bore? Not sure which is better, but all I know is that the Megatone is much cooler looking.
Eaglesaurus wrote:I'm aware of all of this, and without being self-conceited, I by far am the best and loudest player in my section. I would not invest in something I could not use properly.
Tuboss2 wrote:Also, you say your the loudest in your section. I'd like to playfully challenge that. Pretty sure I'd plaster you into the wall with my sound. Don't think I can? Private message me a video and I'll send one of me to you.
Eaglesaurus wrote:Sure, but I warn you, I'm like 110 lbs and I can blow more air than those HBCU college bands.
-100
King 2341 (New Style)
B&S PT-600 (GR55) BBb
Blokepiece "Symphony"
Eaglesaurus wrote:I'm aware of all of this, and without being self-conceited, I by far am the best and loudest player in my section. I would not invest in something I could not use properly.
Tuboss2 wrote:Also, you say your the loudest in your section. I'd like to playfully challenge that. Pretty sure I'd plaster you into the wall with my sound. Don't think I can? Private message me a video and I'll send one of me to you.
Eaglesaurus wrote:Sure, but I warn you, I'm like 110 lbs and I can blow more air than those HBCU college bands.
don't have no megatone, but I've used the Warren Deck (9.65mm bore and 1lbs) and liked it
Ironically....To be able to play louder without playing edgy
Wasn't there a story about VB actually designing the std. MPs with a larger bore
but they somehow ended up smaller as many (most?) didn't welcome that large bore back then?
