help.

[quinterbourne]

I use a Denis Wick 4AY mouthpiece on my YEP-321. I have a Bach 7C mouthpiece that I toot on every once and a while. I do this to remind myself of the positive results of using a fairly wide mouthpiece with a nice deep cup. Deep cups help you develop a strong embouchure and a very thick, dark tone (as opposed to thin and bright).

As soon as I play on my 7C, which has an unreasonably shallow cup, my tone becomes very thin and... as you say, restrained. Your mouthpiece, if it is similar to the Bach 5G is quite average and may not be the problem. You may want to consider something a little larger though, maybe a 4G. Your teacher says the 5G is a good mouthpiece and I understand that... but the 4G might be BETTER!

I find that a larger mouthpiece compensates for the small shank. Try out some different mouthpieces - don't forget the Schilke 51D or the Steven Mead models (a la Denis Wick).

I do feel that there is a limit as to how loud I can play without getting that trombone growl on my YEP-321. Euphoniums are not necessarily meant to be played very loud. They are very melodic and beautiful sounding... like a french horn (conical like euphonium) and not like a trombone (cylindrical). If you are also a trombone player (or even a tuba player) then you might have the wrong concept in your head. Your throat and mouth cavity should be very wide open.

My best best advice is to give your euphonium for your instructor, or people at a higher level of playing than you, to try out. If they are finding the same problems as you have been, it might be the mouthpiece or the instrument. If you can get your hands on a large bore euphonium, like a Yamaha YEP-642, then you could see if it is the instrument giving you the problem. Try different mouthpieces!.

I found that investing an extra $70 in a good mouthpiece was the equivalent of spending an extra $2000 to get a better large bore compensating euphonium.

Good luck!

[prototypedenNIS]

As soon as I play on my 7C, which has an unreasonably shallow cup, my tone becomes very thin and... as you say, restrained. Your mouthpiece, if it is similar to the Bach 5G is quite average and may not be the problem. You may want to consider something a little larger though, maybe a 4G. Your teacher says the 5G is a good mouthpiece and I understand that... but the 4G might be BETTER!

The 7c is a slightly smaller rim than a 6.5 AL (comparable to Schilke 51D), much shallower cup and smaller backbore. The modern 7c is basicly a stock jazz mouthpiece and resembles the original Mt. Vernon Bach 11c.

A 5g is bugger than a 6.5AL but doesn't have quite as deep a cup on it. The 5g is a standard and probably most common mouthpiece size for a large bore tenor tbone. It would be a little brighter than a DW4A but shallower cups allow for better control in high range as well as more accessable high range.

A 5g shouldn't sound stuffy.

[Kevin Hendrick]

A 5g is bugger than a 6.5AL ...

Crikey!