Aug 28 • General discussion
Mouthpieces
Hi everyone,
This week's topic will be controversial… mouthpieces. How important is a mouthpiece, and how do you know you have found something that is a good fit for you?
*Equipment is a highly debated topic in the trumpet community, and I am not claiming I know what is best for everyone, but just to give people some tips of things to look for when they are choosing a mouthpiece of their own. People have their own opinions, and I am presenting mine*
Having the right equipment can be very helpful for playing efficiently, especially when you are using the right tool for the right job, but there are a few things that I would like to discuss first.
There is a myth that we are often taught growing up that we “grow” into a bigger mouthpiece the better we get. For some, this may be true, but for others it can be more harmful than helpful. There is a point where a mouthpiece gets too big, and someone can really begin to struggle with efficiency if they force their body to adapt to a mouthpiece that does not work for them.
Another myth is that people with big or small lips need to play with a mouthpiece that reflects the size of their lips. While it can be a hint of what direction to go in, what is more important is how the lips protrude into the cup of the mouthpiece. There are people with large lips that play well on small, shallow equipment, and there are people with thin lips that can play well on large and/or deep equipment.
Before we get into knowing if a mouthpiece is a good fit for you, one other thing many people do is to try to play equipment that their favorite players play, and there is nothing wrong with this, especially if the equipment works well for you, but if it doesn’t, that is ok too. We can’t force our anatomy to be that of another person. Also keep in mind that there are great players in every genre that play something out of the “norm”, so at the end of the day, you have to play what sounds and feels good for you, and not what may work well for your favorite player, or your fellow musicians sitting next to you.
Two rules of thumb I have heard are: play the biggest mouthpiece you can, or play the smallest mouthpiece you can. They come from different schools of thought, but both have validity.
When you’re playing on the biggest mouthpiece you can (this seems to be more common in the classical side of trumpet playing), in my eyes, this aims for maximumizing tone production before range, endurance and response are negatively affected. Keep in mind this will be different for everyone. While a 1 1/2C is generally considered a large mouthpiece, it will feel different for everyone, depending on their dental structure and how their lips protrude into the mouthpiece. For others, a medium large mouthpiece such as a 3C will feel very large, and can feel like there is no room in the cup for the lips to vibrate for others.
How do you know you went too large?
-Range diminishes
-Endurance is more challenging
-Intonation in the upper register is exceedingly challenging, particularly falling flat and feeling like you need to lip everything up.
-A spread sound that lacks focus and clarity in attacks
While there can be an adjustment period when shifting to larger equipment, if these tendencies do not resolve themselves, you may have went too large with your mouthpiece. It can be good to try smaller jumps in rim diameter to see how you respond to more subtle changes, rather than jumping all the way to a Bach 1X or a Schilke 22 and seeing if you can play on it. A lot of people try to play large equipment cause players they look up to play large equipment.
While rim and cup changes are the first place people often look in terms of a bigger mouthpiece, the throat and backbore are other areas that can change the resistance of the mouthpiece and make it feel bigger/more free blowing. I find the symptoms of a throat/backbore that are too large mostly manifest themselves in a lack of clarity in the sound, and response and sustain are difficult above the staff.
Now for playing the smallest mouthpiece you can: I believe this aims to go for a more efficient route of playing. I typically see this more in the jazz/commercial style of trumpet playing. The demands of a commercial player are very different from that of someone who plays in a symphony. While sound and style always come first, commercial trumpet players need to play above the staff much more often and with a brighter sound concept than a symphonic player does. When these are your goals, you want to be looking for equipment that helps you above the staff for long periods of time with your best sound. A shallower cup, smaller rim, and a tighter backbore tend to aid the upper register and the sound quality many lead/commercial players go for.
How do you know a mouthpiece is too small?
-You bottom out in the cup (particularly for a shallow mouthpiece)
-Flexibility suffers
-Your playing feels stuffy
-Hard to center notes
-Minor lip swelling greatly affects your playing
Like larger equipment, there can also be an adjustment period, especially with shallow equipment. But if these tendencies persist even with patient practice, the mouthpiece may be too small for you. When you’re going for a shallow mouthpiece, go as shallow as you can before bottoming out is an issue. For those who like the rim and backbore and struggle with bottoming out, a medium shallow mouthpiece can be a nice middle ground in aiding in upper register support, but not restricting the vibration of the lips.
Now that I’ve talked about how we can know when a mouthpiece does not work for us, now I’d like to talk about how we know a mouthpiece works for us:
-First and foremost, it sounds good. We don’t have to work very hard to get the sound we desire in the genre we are playing in.
-The mouthpiece feels comfortable, and your lips can vibrate freely.
-The mouthpiece doesn’t shut down on you when your lips get tired or a little swollen at the end of gig.
-You have a good balance across ranges, you don’t greatly sacrifice tone quality in different ranges.
-Flexibility is achieved without excess effort.
Mouthpieces to consider for different horns and playing situations:
Bb trumpet classical: Medium/medium deep cups usually tend to help the most in creating a classical sound on a Bb trumpet. Many classical players seem to prefer larger rims, most frequently 1 ½, 1 ¼, and 3. A larger mouthpiece usually does make it easier to hit the “center” or the resonant part of the note, so some players find they have better projection on larger equipment. Don’t feel limited to this, as there are plenty of great classical players who play smaller rims and as 5 and 7. Many classical players like to play large mouthpieces because players like Bud Herseth and Phil Smith played on very large mouthpieces throughout their careers. But it is important to note that Bud played a bored out 1B and 1C partially due to the fact that he had excess scar tissue on his lip from a car accident. Because Bb trumpets are typically more free blowing than C trumpets, sometimes people don’t feel they need a mouthpiece with as open of a throat and backbore as they would play on C trumpet.
Bb trumpet jazz: As I am not a jazz trumpet player primarily, I can only provide limited suggestions here. In my experience, jazz players generally do not tend to play equipment as large as symphonic players, but there are many jazz players who sound great on larger equipment such as a 1 1/2c or a 1 1/4c. But generally, Jazz players need a mouthpiece that is going to allow their sound to be very versatile, as jazz players will need to switch between jazz combos, big bands and more. Some players switch between mouthpieces when they need to play in different styles, but plenty of people play a mouthpiece that is a good all around mouthpiece. Usually something middle of the road with the rim and cup tend to allow the sound to be more versatile than equipment extremes. Rim diameters between 3-7 tend to be very common, with medium cup depth such as a Bach C cup. And also something to consider is that jazz players tend to be more individualistic with their sounds, so it is hard to say there is just one “jazz sound” to go for. Plenty of people with very different sound concepts all sound great. Play the mouthpiece that allows you to play efficiently and get the sound you want.
Bb trumpet commercial: Generally, a commercial sound needs to have a little more “zip” in the sound in comparison to a symphonic sound. A shallower cup, tighter backbore and a smaller rim can all help achieve this. If you struggle with smaller rims, but like a shallow cup, you can always try a wider rim with a shallow cup. In my experience, it is easier for my chops to bottom out in a wider rim with a shallow cup, but everyone is different. If you really struggle with shallow cups (as do I), try a medium shallow cup like a Bach D cup, or go smaller with your rim diameter to also aid in upper register support, and add some brightness to the sound. One thing to note is how important your internal sound concept is, as there are people who play lead trumpet on a 3C and bigger. While getting the right sound is typically easier on smaller equipment, if larger equipment still works for you, by all means use it. It wouldn’t be my choice, but mouthpieces are like shoes, one size does not fit all (A paraphrase of a quote I saw on trumpetherald.com).
C trumpet: Many people feel that a C trumpet feels tight and stuffy in comparison to a Bb when they first learn to play it. It does take time to get used to the different resistance. However, many people find that a more open throat and back bore can help this, and also help with volume when needing to project over an orchestra. For many, a 24/24 throat and backbore is too big, so trying smaller throats can help balance the openness of the backbore. Some people also find that deeper cups can help a C trumpet feel less resistant. Plenty of people also use the same mouthpiece as they do on Bb once they learn the resistance of the horn.
Piccolo- Generally a smaller rim and a shallower cup than you play on your big horns. A wider backbore also assists intonation and helps the horn feel more free blowing. One of the most common mouthpieces is a 7E cornet shank. The shallowness of the cup helps with the upper register, and the 117 backbore is great for intonation and response. If you do not like shallow mouthpieces, try going smaller with the rim size. Some people like using a 10 1/2C on piccolo, as it still assists with the upper register being a fairly narrow rim, but your lips won't bottom out. If you choose to use a larger mouthpiece, be careful of your intonation, especially in the upper register. Piccolo is an instrument where balance and focus of the sound is far more important than creating a “big sound.” While a bigger mouthpiece may feel fine in the lower and middle registers of the piccolo, it is worth attempting to get used to the instrument with smaller equipment for efficiency and correct sound concept. The piccolo naturally projects very well, and can have a very bright sound. You want a mouthpiece that allows you to play lightly and above the staff well. Something that is too big will often lack focus and make the upper register fall flat. Something too small or shallow could make the sound shrill and sharp. Mouthpiece choice on piccolo is important for these reasons.
Eb/D trumpet: A lot of people use the same or similar mouthpiece in terms of rim and cup to what they use on C trumpet. Generally, a more open backbore helps the intonation and blow of these horns. For some, the mouthpiece they use on Bb/C can feel a little too big, so some players go with a smaller rim size, and sometimes a shallower cup depending on the repertoire, and the color of sound that you are going for. Sometimes you will play Eb in a more chamber-like context, a solo context, or an orchestral concept. Each style can warrant different equipment.
Flugelhorn: One very important thing to consider when choosing a flugelhorn mouthpiece is the taper of the mouthpiece relative to the shank of the flugelhorn. There are three kinds: large Morse taper, small Morse taper, and the French taper. If you are experiencing unusually poor intonation and response, this could be why! I used to really not like playing flugelhorn until I ironed this out, as it felt like the response was always an uphill battle for me. Also, with the added depth of the cup, sometimes a slightly smaller rim size can help if your chops feel too spread out. But it is important to note that it is rare to need to frequently play above the staff while playing flugelhorn. Many players like to have a similar/the same rim diameter on flugelhorn to help with quick switching, particularly when you have to pick it up cold in a pit orchestra setting. But at the end of the day, you need to do what sounds and feels best for you!
Cornet: Mouthpiece choice is important on cornet if you want to have the right sound for the right context. Generally, people tend to play deep cups when they play cornet in order to get a more velvetly, smooth tone when aiming for the British brass band style of sound. When playing cornet in a Dixieland jazz context, it may be helpful to play a medium depth cup to have a little more brightness in the sound. This also would work well in a concert band context. Many players like to stay in a similar rim size to what they play on trumpet. Like on flugelhorn, there are also different tapers, so also consider this when choosing a mouthpiece for a cornet.
Rotary trumpet: It is usually best to use a mouthpiece specifically designed for rotary trumpet, as a piston mouthpiece will not get the right sound, and the response will likely feel strange. People often use a deeper mouthpiece with a more open backbore than they would use on piston. The sound concept on rotary is usually a little darker, so these choices in mouthpiece can help with that. I must admit that i am not an experience rotary trumpet player, so my knowledge is limited here, so I have decided to not go into too much depth here.
This all being said- there is no substitute for patient and proper practice. While a mouthpiece can help things feel easier, it is the player, and not the mouthpiece! But I hope this helps if you are new to a certain kind of horn and need some advice on how to go about choosing different equipment.
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Mouthpieces
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