Euphonium Question, oh no!

[TubaZac2012]

The title was more or less a joke, but I do have a question. I assume Tom will send me a mouthpiece, but from playing Euph in the past I have noticed I really like a big mouthpiece. I think my favorite is like a Schilke 51D, but I could be way off on the numbers, I'm not a tuba player. Anyway, my question for all you doublers, which is what I am slowly leaning towards becoming, what's a good mouthpiece setup? I'll be purchasing my Mack Brass next week, that is if the tuba sale goes as according to planned tomorrow, and I am just wondering what would be good. I really like a big piece, but don't wanna spend an arm and a leg on a mouthpiece.

Thanks in advance,
Zac

[Three Valves]

As a tuba player I thought I'd like a large mouthpiece on a euph.

But the low range was not a problem with a smaller one and I STILL had problems with the upper range!!

So it's back to tuba.

[thevillagetuba]

I do a lot of doubling, or tripling, between Tuba, Bass Trombone, and Euph/Tenor Tuba and am a fan of big pieces. I really love the LOUD brand and use the following:

LM-4 (not made anymore but is essentially the new LM-12, but with a cup that is about 2" deep) for tuba
LM-30 (again, not made anymore, but is essentially the LM-31)

The old LM-4 had a detachable rim, not sure if the new ones do, which was very round, so I switched it with the No. 1 Semi-Flat rim from the Houser Symphony series.

I have tried a plethora of big mouthpieces and these have been the best ones I have found that are just the right size; I don't feel like I will fall in and drown or that it is a small piece trying a to be a big one.

I can try to find the my piece's specs somewhere if you are interested, not that they are for sale. I know that the old LOUD mouthpieces are part of the Mouthpiece Ordinance, that are now sold through Houser, so you might be able to find some of them.

[TubaZac2012]

As a tuba player I thought I'd like a large mouthpiece on a euph.

But the low range was not a problem with a smaller one and I STILL had problems with the upper range!!

So it's back to tuba.

It's funny you mention that, I can play EXTREMELY low on Euph, but past a the Bb above the one on top of the staff, my range is gone, but on tuba I can usually hit the F above that everyday.

MAKES NO SENSE.

[TubaZac2012]

I do a lot of doubling, or tripling, between Tuba, Bass Trombone, and Euph/Tenor Tuba and am a fan of big pieces. I really love the LOUD brand and use the following:

LM-4 (not made anymore but is essentially the new LM-12, but with a cup that is about 2" deep) for tuba
LM-30 (again, not made anymore, but is essentially the LM-31)

The old LM-4 had a detachable rim, not sure if the new ones do, which was very round, so I switched it with the No. 1 Semi-Flat rim from the Houser Symphony series.

I have tried a plethora of big mouthpieces and these have been the best ones I have found that are just the right size; I don't feel like I will fall in and drown or that it is a small piece trying a to be a big one.

I can try to find the my piece's specs somewhere if you are interested, not that they are for sale. I know that the old LOUD mouthpieces are part of the Mouthpiece Ordinance, that are now sold through Houser, so you might be able to find some of them.

It's funny you mention trippling, because after I really get a grip on Euph, the next purchase is going to be a bass trombone, because I've always wanted to be able to really play all three, Euph is relatively easy, after I remember it's in BBb, but Trombone has always been more of a love hate relationship.

Stupid question, do they make C Euphoniums?

[thevillagetuba]

Not that I have really seen, they tend to stick to the more Bb route. But, I use a Jinbao Tenor Tuba, the same horn as Schiller's Big Mini Tuba, and it would be easy to have that made into a C, plus it plays more like a tuba than a euph, but still sounds like a euph.

http://www.schillerinstruments.com/tuba ... ni-bb-tuba" target="_blank

And I highly recommend a Jupiter 740 for a bass trombone. Huge bore, free blowing. It again feels like a tuba to play and makes going back and forth a breeze.

http://www.jupitermusic.com/jbi_instrum ... =1&pId=136" target="_blank

Both of these horns are relatively cheap, durable, and I have to sometimes switch between them and my tuba every half an hour when I am teaching.

[tbn.al]

I like a 51D for Euph but have gone up as much as a 58. Depends on what I am reading.

[TubaZac2012]

Not that I have really seen, they tend to stick to the more Bb route. But, I use a Jinbao Tenor Tuba, the same horn as Schiller's Big Mini Tuba, and it would be easy to have that made into a C, plus it plays more like a tuba than a euph, but still sounds like a euph.

http://www.schillerinstruments.com/tuba ... ni-bb-tuba" target="_blank" target="_blank

And I highly recommend a Jupiter 740 for a bass trombone. Huge bore, free blowing. It again feels like a tuba to play and makes going back and forth a breeze.

http://www.jupitermusic.com/jbi_instrum ... =1&pId=136" target="_blank" target="_blank

Both of these horns are relatively cheap, durable, and I have to sometimes switch between them and my tuba every half an hour when I am teaching.

That's what I figured. I don't mind reading the step lower, I really don't even consider the same anyways, so it shouldn't be a problem.

I've played a Jupiter, they're nice.

[jsmn4vu]

I'm going to subject myself to ridicule here, but speaking as a life-long euph player who appreciates a good mouthpiece, I was surprised to find that the 'piece that comes with the Mack euph works the best for me (compared with Bach 6-1/2AL, Conn 5, Bach 4).

[TubaZac2012]

Good to know.

[TubaZac2012]

"We doublers" generally don't cover high Eb's or perform theme/variations or screamin' 21st C. euphonium solos (yes?)...

Typically, we're covering bass trombone parts at church gigs (are we not?)

A Schilke 59 bass trombone mouthpiece makes a nice sound on euphonium, and (though much mo' money) an Elliott contrabass trombone mouthpiece offers a quite "tuba-like" sound with a euphonium YET offers unaffected (i.e. "good") intonation all the up to high Bb/C, etc.

The plethora of knowledge is limitless whenever it comes to Bloke. What's the difference between the 59 and 51? I want whatever is bigger, mellow, and will let me get around easily on the horn. Some of these community bands I play in have been begging me to play Euph.

[michael_glenn]

I really liked the Roger Bobo tenor tuba mouthpiece when playing bass bone and euph... I know it's cheating, but the sound was a whole lot better, and it was easier to switch back and forth.

[TubaZac2012]

That's an interesting idea, I've never heard of one of those, I'm sure they'd be relatively hard to find, I would think.

[bighonkintuba]

http://www.schilkemusic.com/products/mo ... euphonium/" target="_blank

What's the difference between the 59 and 51?

[bighonkintuba]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yamaha-Bobo-TT- ... 43d9323f4d" target="_blank

That's an interesting idea, I've never heard of one of those, I'm sure they'd be relatively hard to find, I would think.

[Tom]

That's an interesting idea, I've never heard of one of those, I'm sure they'd be relatively hard to find, I would think.

Readily available...about $75 brand new at the big box outlets. Tuba-ish rim and cup width on a euphonium-ish cup and shank.

Maybe they work good on the Alexander 151 tenor tuba when played by a tuba player (exactly what it was designed for) but for everything else, it just kinda works-ish and that there are better options - such as "real" euphonium mouthpieces.

At one time I owned the three (or was it four?) prototypes of the Bobo Tenor tuba mouthpiece and have also had a production version. As I mentioned, I quickly learned that far better results were obtained from playing euphonium with a real euphonium mouthpiece rather than the scaled down tuba mouthpiece, so I sold them all (on tubenet, I think) to someone else. No idea where they are these days.

Tom "noting that is a lot of "-ish" B.

[TubaZac2012]

I like the idea of the expensive one, it sounds the best.

[Bob Kolada]

I like big mouthpieces on non comp euphs but they absolutely do not work for me on compensating euphoniums- the low range gets way too chunky and awkward.

[TubaZac2012]

I like big mouthpieces on non comp euphs but they absolutely do not work for me on compensating euphoniums- the low range gets way too chunky and awkward.

What works well? The horn I'll be getting is a compensating Mack Brass.

[mceuph]

Hey Zac,

I've got a mint condition Alliance DC2 (David Childs model) that I'm looking to sell. Was a little big for me, might work really well for you. It's basically the equivalent of a Bach 3 in size. If you're interested in trying it shoot me an email.