1nL MCU1nI LCL

arts of the Mouthp|ece

! narrow rlm - greaLer flexlblllLy, less endurance
! Wlde rlm - greaLer endurance, less flexlblllLy
(layers wlLh sofL, fleshy llps flnd Lhls useful.
! llaL rlm - comforLable, buL holds Lhe llps, keeplng
Lhem lmmoblle
! Medlum-wlnd - greaLesL compromlse beLween
flexlblllLy and endurance


! Sharp blLe - greaLer accuracy, less flexlblllLy and
endurance
! 8ound blLe - greaLer flexlblllLy, greaLer endurance,
less accuracy

cup uiometer ! Wlde cup - lower reglsLer easler, upper reglsLer
more dlfflculL
! narrow cup - upper reglsLer easler, lower reglsLer
more dlfflculL
cup uepth ! ueep cup - darker sound, lower reglsLer more
responslve, upper reglsLer flaLLer and more dlfflculL
! Shallow cup - brlghLer sound, upper reglsLer more
responslve, lower reglsLer less responslve
1hroot 5hou/der or
dqe
! Sharp LhroaL shoulder - brlghLer sound helps aLLach
(more upper parLlals are presenL), someLlmes harsh
and sLrldenL
! 8ound LhroaL shoulder - mellow, darker sounds
! no LhroaL shoulder - lack of presence and
subsLance
1hroot ! Large LhroaL - greaLer volume, noL enough
reslsLance, conLrol more dlfflculL
! Small LhroaL - sofLer sound, easler Lo conLrol,
lnsufflclenL volume
8ock 8ore ! 8ack bore opens qulckly - greaLer volume, darker
sound
! 8ack bore opens gradually - beLLer conLrolled Lone,
more cenLred, less volume, brlghLer sound
Genera| Mouthp|ece Suggest|ons

! Choose a mouLhplece from a recognlzed manufacLurer: 8ach, ?amaha,
Clardlnelll, Schllke, uenls Wlck, PolLon, eLc.
! 8emember LhaL no slngle manufacLurer produces Lhe besL mouLhplece for all
brass lnsLrumenLs.
! keep ln mlnd LhaL, whlle Lhe upper range may suffer Lemporarlly afLer a
change Lo a larger mouLhplece, lL should soon reLurn.
! Avold shallow mouLhpleces
! When maklng a change, sLudenLs should LesL every mouLhplece lndlvldually.
ulfferenL examples of Lhe same mouLhplece may noL be ldenLlcal
! SLudy Lhe caLalogue descrlpLlons and dlmenslons, lf glven. Slnce mouLhplece
makers do noL use a conslsLenL sysLem of numberlng, Lhls ls Lhe only way Lo
deLermlne Lhe characLerlsLlcs of a parLlcular model.
! 1here ls no ldeal" mouLhplece. lL ls lmporLanL for Lhe sLudenL Lo Lry dlfferenL
models aL varlous polnLs ln hls/her developmenL Lo see lf Lhey offer any
lmprovemenL.


Mouthp|ece kecommendat|ons