Cutting mouthpiece into visualizer

[Jeff Keller]

I still like to be able to plug the mp into the horn to demonstrate different air streams and the effect on timbre and pitch. However, 99% of the time I use one with my younger students to show alignment.

[Greenbenches]

I don't know what it does but I'd just make it out of brass or stainless steel on a lathe.

[happyroman]

What is a visualizer?? Is that so you can buzz?? why not just use the mouthpiece?? Is it the weight?........BB

Arnold Jacobs was a huge advocate of using just a rim (in small doses). The idea is that we are trying to get the lips to vibrate, and then the cup of the mouthpiece and the instrument provide amplification. The stronger the vibration, the greater the resonance in the sound.

It is harder to get the lips to vibrate without the back pressure of having the mouthpiece in the instrument, so if we play on the mouthpiece alone, we will develop a stronger buzz. It is harder to get the lips to vibrate with just the rim than with the mouthpiece alone, so using the rim alone helps develop a stronger vibration.

It has to do with the strength of the signal we are sending to the lips from the brain. The lips are not wood, like a reed, and do not necessarily need to respond to simply blowing. There has to be a definite signal of the pitch vibration we want that is sent from the brain to the lips in order for them to respond. The stronger the signal that is sent from the brain to the lip, the quicker the neural pathway is formed. It is what Daniel Coyle talks about in The Talent Code as "Deep Practice."

If we can learn to get the lips to vibrate strongly while buzzing on the rim, it will be easier to do so on the mouthpiece alone, and much easier on the tuba.

The idea of cutting away the cup of the MP is a good one. Holding the tuba and fingering the valves enhance the development of the conditioned response we are trying to achieve, since we already have some neural associations established through our playing. Similarly, using a device like the BERP is good, because we can go quickly back and forth between the tuba and the MP when practicing.

IMO, being able to see what is happening with the lips while they are buzzing is of limited value because we are all different in structure. Just look at the "weird" embouchures of the CSO brass players that are in the Farkas book. They are all different, but work well for them. While certain generalities can be applied to MP placement, the most important thing is how it sounds, and striving to imitate the sounds of great players on our instrument. This is what develops the embouchure. The shape and movements of the muscles involved are the result of the subconscious motor signals that are sent to the lip.

[dwaskew]

+1

[Stipe]

I tried to make one yesterday from an old moutphpiece using a saw, file and some sandpaper.
It's not the prettiest one to see , but does the job really well.

What I also found important (comparing to using only a rim) is, that you can easily hear if the airstream direction is correct using it by itself or connected to your tuba.

visualizer.jpg

[swillafew]

I was very eager to get one, and bought the trombone/trumpet (way back when) as it was all I could find. Today I don't see the need; A clear Kellyberg did teach me that my chops don't work at all like I expected. I am not sure if that's good or bad. A poor presentation doesn't seem to correlate with the sound.