(Part 1 of a Two-Part Article)
The purpose of this article is to provide help in choosing trumpet mouthpieces for various applications, including use for music of all styles, classical music, lead trumpet playing, jazz and pop, and piccolo trumpet. Because there are so many brands, sizes, and options available when choosing trumpet mouthpieces, it helps to be familiar with the various mouthpiece component features and to know what effect these features have on trumpet performance. The mouthpiece is definitely the most important part of the instrument, and a well-chosen, good quality mouthpiece can make a poor quality trumpet sound good, and can make a good quality trumpet sound fantastic.
PICCOLO TRUMPET AND LEAD TRUMPET MOUTHPIECES:
As stated in my previous article “Piccolo Trumpet Answers”, if you wish to play the piccolo trumpet, you will need to get some type of a generally “smaller” high-note specialty mouthpiece, such as a Schilke 14A4a or Yamaha 14A4a (approximately the same rim diameter as a Bach 3C) or 13A4a (approximately the same rim diameter as a Bach 7C). These mouthpieces are very popular with many piccolo trumpet players as well as lead trumpet players. (The Schilke 14a4a was the first piccolo and lead trumpet mouthpiece that I ever used, and I played on it for many years.) The “A4a” mouthpieces made by Schilke and Yamaha (who uses Schike’s mouthpiece numbering system) have shallow cups and tight backbores which facilitate upper-register playing. Bob Reeves also makes some excellent mouthpieces that are similar to these types of mouthpieces, but with a different numbering system. You can go to the Bob Reeves website for more information, but basically, for piccolo or lead trumpet, you would want one of their mouthpieces that has an ES cup (Extra Shallow) with a 692sL backbore (standard trumpet mouthpiece length) or perhaps a 692s backbore (short trumpet shank model). You can add a Bob Reeves Rim to this mouthpiece configuration that is similar in size to your regular all-around/classical Bb trumpet mouthpiece rim (Their website gives the equivalent rim sizes for both Bach and Schilke/Yamaha mouthpiece rim sizes.)
Parduba double-cup mouthpieces are also excellent for piccolo trumpet and lead trumpet playing. I like these mouthpieces a lot because they sound like larger mouthpieces, with a fat, rich, powerful sound, yet are relatively easy to play in the upper register (this effect is achieved by the unusual double cup configuration—a shallow first cup, and a deeper, funnel-like, V-shaped second cup.) I especially like the Parduba 4 & 1/2 mouthpiece. I played on this mouthpiece for many years until finally deciding to improve upon it slightly by adding onto it the same rim that I use on my bigger, all-around trumpet mouthpiece (see below). Almost all trumpet mouthpiece manufacturers make some mouthpieces that are well-suited for the piccolo trumpet. Refer to the manufacturers’ trumpet mouthpiece catalogs or websites for more information, and try out any of these that sound promising to you.
ABOUT PLAYING AND PRACTICING ON LEAD AND PICCOLO TRUMPET MOUTHPIECES:
If you get a high note specialty mouthpiece, make sure that you only use it for extended or prolonged upper-register playing—like lead trumpet in a jazz band, "screech" trumpet solos, demanding 1st trumpet marching band arrangements, piccolo trumpet playing, etc. NEVER use such a mouthpiece for playing "classical" Bb or C trumpet music (including various concert band and orchestra trumpet auditions and performances, chamber music and solo & ensemble contests, concert & sight-reading band and orchestra contests, etc.) Also do not use the smaller specialty mouthpiece to play your warm-ups, practice routines, or other general practicing on. These tiny little "pea-shooter" mouthpieces generally don't have a rich enough sound in the middle and lower registers for this kind of music, and do not encourage the development and maintenance of a strong embouchure and playing endurance. They might sound good for certain special uses in the extreme upper register, but sound they tend to sound "thin" and "edgy" in the other registers, especially when used to play classical music, where a full, rich tone quality is always important.
Also, make sure to do most of your practicing on your bigger "classical trumpet" mouthpiece. You will enjoy the more beautiful tone quality and this will help you to build both high-range and endurance. Only practice on the smaller upper register "specialty" mouthpiece when you are practicing music that you will actually perform with it (such as lead trumpet parts, high jazz solos, piccolo trumpet, high first trumpet marching band or drum corps music, etc.) If the only mouthpiece you ever play on is the smaller "specialty" mouthpiece, then you will probably lose endurance & range, as well as lose your beautiful tone quality. (I know from personal experience, having tried this myself many years ago.) NEVER SPEND MORE THAN HALF OF YOUR PLAYING TIME (MAXIMUM) EACH DAY PLAYING ON THE SMALLER MOUTHPIECE!
TRUMPET MOUTHPIECES FOR GENERAL USE ON LARGER INSTRUMENTS:
And now for a few comments about the joys of a beautiful, rich trumpet tone achieved by a "larger, classical-legit" trumpet mouthpiece and a brief synopsis of some of my personal thoughts on these "larger/richer" mouthpieces:
1. In general, I think that Bach makes some of the best ones, with a lot of choices in features. The Vincent Bach set the standard for these types of mouthpieces rather early on, so most other mouthpiece brands often compare their mouthpieces to those made by Bach, even if they use a different mouthpiece numbering system. There are some other manufacturers that also make some excellent general use and classical trumpet mouthpieces, including Bob Reeves, Schilke, and Yamaha (among many others.)
2. No matter what size rim, throat, and backbore you prefer, size C cups seem to get the best, richest sound for classical/legit music on Bb or C (soprano) trumpets. (e.g., 7C, 3C, 1C, 1/2C, 5C, 6C, 10C, 10 &1/2C, 10 & 3/4 C etc.) [NOTE: These rim sizes and cups refer to those used by Bach and other companies that use a similar numbering system for their mouthpieces. For other brands, refer to the mouthpiece catalogs for size equivalencies.] Shallower cups (such as D and E cups) don’t emphasize the fundamentals and the lower overtones of the pitches enough, and therefore sound rather thin. Deeper cups (such as B & A cups) don’t emphasize the higher overtones enough, and therefore sound too dark. A mouthpiece cup that is either too shallow or too deep will not produce the rich, well-balanced, full-bodied tone that is most desirable for classical trumpet music.
3. For my big/general trumpet playing mouthpiece that I use on my larger trumpets such as the Bb or C trumpet, instead of the standard Bach backbore, I personally prefer the Bach #24 backbore (so do many outstanding orchestral/classical/legit trumpet players that I know.) The #24 backbore is more open than the standard size backbore and has a different shape that will make your tone quality richer and more beautiful. Probably the best thing you can do to improve your tone (even if it is pretty good already) is to get a Bach mouthpiece with a custom #24 backbore. The #24 backbore works best with a custom, enlarged throat size also (See the next item).
4. For my big/general trumpet playing mouthpiece that I use on my larger trumpets such as the Bb or C trumpet, I prefer a #25 throat (hole), which is 3 sizes larger than the standard throat size (#28), and 2 sizes larger than the standard Bach Megatone mouthpiece throat size (#27). This (#25) also happens to be the same throat size preferred (for many years) by Lew Soloff, jazz trumpet star, formerly with Blood, Sweat, and Tears. I have tried several different throat sizes, and this one seems perfect for me. Some very fine players prefer even larger throat sizes. Some examples of this: Phillip Smith (New York Philharmonic principal trumpeter) plays on a 1C with a #22 throat with a #24 backbore. Jazz trumpet great Arturo Sandoval plays on a 3C with a #22 throat with a #24 backbore. A larger throat makes it easier to blow (less resistance), which can improve tone and ease of playing in all registers and also seems to help with accuracy and clean articulation. HOWEVER, if you make the throat too large (for you personally), then there is not enough resistance, and you will get tired very fast, and it becomes more difficult to play notes in the extreme upper-register.
5. I also have (in recent years) come to prefer the Bach wide-rim "W" mouthpieces. (e.g., 7CW, 3CW, 1CW, 5CW, 10 & 3/4 CW, etc. I got the idea to try these mouthpieces from Ronald Romm (former trumpet with The Canadian Brass), who said that the wide-rim mouthpieces help his endurance and keep his lips from getting beat up. (I have always admired Ron’s incredible endurance.) I now totally agree with him—these mouthpieces have the same benefits for me. The wider rim spreads the mouthpiece pressure over a larger surface area (same effect as snowshoes on the snow, only with a mouthpiece on your lips) and actually encourages you to use less pressure when playing, which is always a good thing (helps both endurance and tone quality.) Some people have said that the wider rims hinder flexibility, but the Bach W rims have a nice shape that does not produce this negative effect with me (nor with Ron Romm.) I can do lip-trills, lip glisses, lipslurs, etc. just as easily and accurately on these rims as I can on any other rim.
I once heard the great jazz trumpeters Allen Vizutti and Bobby Shew discussing what size mouthpiece that trumpet players should play on for best results. Vizutti expressed his belief that “Anyone who plays on a mouthpiece that is either too small or too large is a fool.” Shew agreed with him. Their point was (and I agree), that you generally don’t want to play on a mouthpiece that is so big that you have to sacrifice high range and endurance. On the other hand, you don’t want to play on a mouthpiece that is so small that you have to: sacrifice beauty, fullness, and richness of tone quality; or accept a stuffy (not open sounding) lower register; or be unable to achieve louder dynamic levels (especially important when trying to achieve ensemble balance in large symphony orchestras or big bands).
In part 2 of this article, I will discuss my own personal mouthpiece preferences, suggest some good mouthpieces for beginners and students, and will discuss the importance of practicing once you have found the perfect mouthpiece.
Randy
Randy Dunn
Professional Trumpet Soloist
Website: http://www.dunn2music.com
Music Video Demos: http://www.youtube.com/HoustonTrumpet
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