Brass Clinic

Critical Choices on

By Adrian D. Griffin

T rumpet players rarely have just comfort, ease of playing, and the onate. If the rim is too narrow, it can
one mouthpiece. Some players desired sound. Mouthpiece parts are push into the flesh of the lips and
have managed to collect hun- the rim, cup, throat, shank, and cause a lack of endurance as well as
dreds in search of the holy grail of backbore. Each component has a dif- possible bruising.
mouthpieces: one that offers physical ferent effect on the comfort and
sound of the mouthpiece. Cup
Cup Diameter The cup of the mouthpiece influ-
-Rim Rim ences the sound and responsiveness. A
Mouthpiece rims are measured by deep cup will produce a darker sound

I
diameter, width, contour, and edge. and easier playing in the low register,
The rim choice has the most influence but also slower response time because
on the player's comfort and endurance; of the additional volume of air needed.
a medium-wide rim is generally best A shallow cup will produce a bright
'Cup
and found on the most standard sound, easier playing in the high
Throat mouthpieces. A sharper inner edge range, and a rapid response time.
produces a cleaner attack, while a Shallow cups are best used for high
rounded inner rim creates a smoother, playing or small t r u m p e t (picco-
\ more rounded attack. lo/E>'/D) performance.
An edge that is too sharp it can The shape of the cup also affects the
I -I—Shank reduce endurance by pushing into the sound. The bowl shape of a trumpet
flesh of the lips. However, a sharper edge mouthpiece produces a brighter timbre
makes control easier hy allowing only than the cone shape found on a flugel-
the proper amount of flesh to vibrate. horn mouthpiece. Professionals may
In general, the more of the outside specially order a conical cup for a stan-
rim a player has in contact with the dard mouthpiece shank to get a dark,
flesh, the less free the lips are to res- warm, mellow sound on the trumpet.
34 THE INSTRUMENTALIST / FEBRUARY 200H
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859 Corporate Way
Fremont, CA 94539
info@[Link]
[Link] 1.877.CHORO4U (246.7648)
Trumpet mouthpieces (above)
are bowl-shaped, but flugel-
Denis Wick Mouthpieces & Mutes horn mouthpieces (below)
have a cone shape that helps
For the Best Prices and
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Discover a new and innovative Throat
The throat can best be described as
way to assemble a big band the hole in the center of the cup. A
bigger throat allows the core of the
library at a fraction of the sound will be warmer and richer and
cost of published music have a clear, pure focus.
The stock throat size is 27, which
refers to the size of the drill bit used to
create it. High-school students typical-
ly play a 27 or the slightly larger 26
Visit [Link] for details FREE Big Bond Chart just for visiting! throat size. Professionals more com-
monly use a 24 or 23, which allows
them to move more air through their
Your performance - our planning mouthpieces. Using a large throat
requires a well-established em-
bouchure and good endurance. An
We bring you to the world inexperienced player playing with a
throat that is too large will be flat.
Customized Performance Tours to
Shank
Europe, Asia, Africa, & the Americas The shank is the part of the mouth-
piece that is inserted into the receiver
Concept Tours
A bridge to the world
of the leadpipe. Brass players should
clean the mouthpiece with a brush
after each use to keep deposits from
155 West 72nd Street, Suite 302, New York, NY 10023 building up inside the shank.
Tel: 800-300-8841 I 212-580-0760 I Fax: 212-874-4554 For proper performance the mouth-
[Link] I info@[Link] piece must create a tight seal in the
36 THE INSTRUMENTALIST / FEBRUARY 2008
 mouthpiece receiver. If a student nounced funnel-shaped cup also gives
inserts his mouthpiece into the trum- the lips room to vibrate.
pet and hears a metallic hitting sound,
it probably means his mouthpiece Selecting a Mouthpiece
shank is too slender and has extended It is typical for students to get a new
past the mouthpiece receiver to hit the mouthpiece after the second year of
leadpipe itself. If the mouthpiece does playing and again as they advance
not seal well, the resulting air leak will into college playing. Although a
make the trumpet nearly unplayable or mouthpiece can complement what a
at best extremely flat. player is trying to do, it will not allow
him to do something he can't. Ideally,
Backbore the perfect mouthpiece should ease
The backbore is the interior cir- his high range, blow free and easy in
cumference of the shank and an the middle and low range, play in
important factor in the overall tone tune, have good endurance and be
Cempfeted h 2005, it is SbtdaOiiaking cores! color when the mouthpiece meets the physically comfortable.
haB in Budapest. Join us for the tnaugmai trumpet. A bigger backbore will pro- Before trying a new mouthpiece, stu-
i InternatidralMusic Festival duce a darker sound; a narrower back- dents should warm up on current
bore will produce a brighter sound. If equipment so there is a fair compari-
the backbore is too large the player son. The room should have good
will suffer from reduced endurance acoustics or be a place where they are
and flat intonation, but if the back- already familiar with the sound.
bore is too narrow it will be difficult Ideally, a teacher or another trumpet
One off» worlds
to make minor adjustments in the player should be present to give a sec-
pitch and sound. ond opinion and also mix up the stu-
Mouthpieces for Beginners dent's mouthpiece choices so he does
The 7C or 5C mouthpiece is the not know which one he is playing.
most common for beginners. Students This eliminates any preconceptions a
with larger lips will be more comfort- student may have. Students should rest
able on mouthpieces with wider inner frequently, keeping the chops fresh
Shanghai is the host city ofthe World Expo in 201 <JJ
rims (the open center of the mouth- and avoiding a biased result.
areJholdscufcuraltraditton through otd^nd modem!
piece). The larger inner rim gives the
tirnei. Please contact us for a China tourtttaeratyii
student's lips room to vibrate; a nar-
The Adjustment Period
rower inner rim will pinch into the Although a new mouthpiece is a
small investment in terms of price, it is
fleshy part of the lips, causing difficul-
ties producing good tone, flexibility,
and endurance.
Although students with thinner-
The New York Wind Battd Festival-(April 5-9,2009) than-average lips can play a standard
NewYork Bands, Orchestrafestival-(March28-Apdl 1,2009)
New York Band & Orchestra Festival - (June 13-17,2009)
7C mouthpiece, players with extreme-
ly thin lips should choose mouth-
pieces with narrower inner rims. A
Perform at The Kennedy Center!!!
WASHINGTON DC
standard mouthpiece would take more
pressure for such students to play than
they can muster, and beginners will
quickly tire.
I The Washington DC Sand & Orchestra Festival
I AprH,2009 involves outstanding faculty including j
Some students may have a teardrop
Dennis Johnson who is Artistic Director. lip, in which the front part of the top lip
comes down further than the rest. Since
this lip formation can lead to an unreli-
able fluttering in the sound, a down-
ward air stream, and poor aperture con-
trol, someone with a teardrop lip is gen-
AV\te;-'.".: landmaikandatrdy unique concert hal, |
erally not well-suited to the trumpet.
Gehrv^je^jnedDijney HjaHisiKorae ofthe Los ! If a student with a teardrop lip has
j AngetesBareJ&Orchestra Fesflvat held in the Summer. 1 his heart set on playing trumpet and
understands the difficulties associated Adrian D. Griffin is a graduate of the
World Prowls InifmMxmjl Musk Proteions
with his lip shape, private lessons may Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and
CST_2025S7440
help him develop a good sound and has three advanced degrees in music per-
embouchure strength. A student with formance and education. He was recent-
Please contact us for more information on World
3 performance
a teardrop lip should look for a ly named co-principal trumpet of the
mouthpiece with more rim surface Monterrey (Mexico) Symphony. Griffin
area and a slightly flatter rim, both of has taught at all levels and is a clinician
l-(800)-922-3976 which help to stabilize the teardrop and artist for Conn-Selmer and
[Link] portion of the lip. Its more pro- Dansr/Denis Wick.
38 THE INSTRUMENTALIST / FEBRUARY 200*
 high in terms of adjusting to the
embouchure change over the next
Just Revised! month. It is important that players Trumpet
take the time to make a good decision Mouthpiece
so they do not waste a month of study
adjusting to a mouthpiece that ulti- Manfacturers
mately does not work out.
Bach
After picking a new mouthpiece,
[Link]
players will probably notice a tempo-
Greg Black
rary drop in endurance and range,
[Link]
which is completely normal. With a
Curry
new mouthpiece, a trumpet player will
[Link]
use the embouchure muscles slightly
Jet-Tone
differently, and the initial excitement
[Link]
of discovering what a seemingly per-
Kelly
fect mouthpiece is often followed by
[Link]
frustration as the muscles become
Marcinkiewicz
fatigued over the first week or two. A
[Link]
player's chops return once the muscles
Monette
have rebuilt their endurance.
[Link]
After getting the new mouthpiece,
Reeves
trumpeters should take a day or two off
[Link]
from playing to give the muscles time
Schilke
to rest. After this rest period, start
Marching Band playing on the new mouthpiece with a
[Link]
Stork
slow, easy warmup that takes little
Techniques pressure or movement.
Following the warmup, students
[Link]
Warburton
[Link]
should ease into the practice routine,
By Patrick Dunnigan Denis Wick
paying special attention to the
[Link]
embouchure. Daily practice should last
Yamaha
Practical ideas no more than 45-60 minutes for the
[Link]
first two weeks of the mouthpiece
from one of the change, so the embouchure muscles
leading authorities can be strengthened but not depleted.
Exhausting the muscles will leave responds somewhat faster because of its
on marching them too tired to build endurance. narrower backbore and shorter shank.
in this revised After two weeks the embouchure mus-
edition. cles should be acclimated to the new From Gold to Plastic
mouthpiece and the muscles should have Mouthpieces are made from raw
built up enough strength and endurance brass and then plated. Because of the
for a regular practice routine. Put away risk of brass poisoning it is illegal for a
Both new directors and manufacturer to sell a mouthpiece to a
the old equipment, otherwise the temp-
seasoned veterans will find tation to use it will be too strong. If the customer without plating.
valuable advice in this new mouthpiece is not performing as Silver plating is standard and tends
desired after one mouth, it may be a good to grip the lips better than gold. A
book. 134 pages, hardcover, player who likes a firm set for his
idea to begin the search again.
$18. For college classes, 5 or mouthpiece will be most comfortable
more copies are $10.80 Different Trumpets with silvet plating. Gold plating warms
Although trumpets come in various up faster than silver and is also a little
each. (Prepayment required
pitches (beyond the most familiar BI> heavier, adding some weight to the
except on school purchase and C), all trumpets use a standard mouthpiece. It allows the lips to move
orders. $5 shipping.) trumpet mouthpiece. However, cornet a little more freely.
mouthpieces have a shorter and nar- Plastic mouthpieces are most often
rower shank; traditional cornet used for outside playing in cold tem-
mouthpieces are funnel-shaped like peratures or for casual buzzing in the
that of a flugelhorn, but modern cor- car. They are inexpensive and quite
To order call durable but lack the sound quality of a
net mouthpieces are cup-shaped like a
888-446-6888 trumpet mouthpiece. standard metal mouthpiece.
Most piccolo trumpet performers use Plastic or lucite rims are useful for
or for more information a trumpet mouthpiece with a shallow players who have an allergy to silver or
cup and a narrower inner and outer gold plating and can work well for cold
[Link] rim. The receiver of the piccolo trum- temperatures. These rims must be cus-
[Link] pet may be designed for either a trum- tom ordered because they are made per
per or cornet shank. The cornet fitting
is preferred by most professionals: it Continued on page 60
THE INSTRUMENTALIST / FEBRUARY 2008
What do you do outside of school? ence in January, 1 preside over several 1 was fortunate to have many great
In addition to being District 8 presi- events. I enjoy it. mentors and examples of good teach-
dent of the Michigan School Band and ing, including my father and mother,
Orchestra Association, I play in the How does playing in the Jackson who were both music educators.
Jackson Symphony, teach trumpet in Symphony Orchestra help your The first time you feel brave enough
the Jackson Symphony Orchestra teaching? to seek an outside opinion from a vet-
Community Music School, and am an I use my instrument to demonstrate eran director, it is so fantastic. The key
M.S.B.O.A. adjudicator for marching all the time. Rather than say some- to feeling confident in the first year of
band, solo and ensemble festivals, and thing, I will demonstrate by playing or teaching is to get help. There are many
band and orchestra festivals. I am also singing. During warm-ups we do echo state and national organizations that
an adjunct professor at Albion Col- exercises so playing regularly keeps my can offer assistance. Local colleges are
lege, Spring Arbor University, and chops in good enough shape to lead by also a fertile source for assistance.
Jackson Community College. I usually example. Last fall the Symphony Our band motto is "Building on
teach methods courses or private les- played Pines of Rome and I felt the fear Tradition" and that's what drives the
sons. I have taught brass methods, a that some of my students feel in a con- program. Everything we do builds on
marching band course, and band cert. It's a killer piece and I was really what happened last year. I put up
methods, and have also coached vari- struggling to make sure we could play quotes in my office and the most
ous chamber groups. I did not have any it appropriately. Playing in the orches- recent one came out of a Reader's
courses in the fall and only help out tra makes me sympathetic to what the Digest article about the married couple
when needed. students try to accomplish. Also, I love that founded the Panda Express restau-
not being in charge sometimes. rant chain. They advised readers to
What are your responsibilities as dis- "focus on being a good human being
trict president of the Michigan School What advice would you offer to and the rest will take care of itself."
Band and Orchestra Association? someone just starting out as a That's what I think we do as music
The biggest job is to keep everybody music teacher? teachers. We get to know students par-
happy in the district. I help maintain Find a mentor you trust and admire ticularly-well over several years and
the organization, which organizes festi- and do not be afraid to ask for help. watch them grow and improve.
vals and advocates for the importance Many of us stay in our rehearsal rooms
of music programs. Like any manager, 1 and think our ensembles are so bad that Dan Biaufuss is managing editor of The
try to keep the organization running we are embarrassed to bring someone in Instrumentalist. He earned degrees in
smoothly. At times there is consider- to listen. We do not want an outsider to music education and media studies from
able paperwork and during our confer- find out that we are not good teachers. Northern Illinois University.

Trumpet, cont. from page 40 mouthpiece is a more economical choice passages or lyrical solos.
for the occasional outdoor performance. Bent mouthpieces are useful for play-
request from the manufacturer as a part ers who have such a severe under- or
of screwrim mouthpieces. Screwrim Specialty Mouthpieces overbite that it cannot be corrected by
mouthpieces generally cost slightly more Screwrim mouthpieces were devel- pushing or pulling the bottom jaw.
than standard mouthpieces and take a oped for players who use one rim but These players play with an acutely
month or two to make, so a plastic wish to change to different backbores downward or upward slant to their
and throats in different playing situa- trumpets. A manufacturer can bend the
tions. A large cup and backbore mouthpiece as much as 8-12 degrees to
maybe more appropriate for symphonic correct the trumpet's position without
playing; a player can use the same rim adversely affecting the pitch.
with a more shallow cup and tighter
backbore for jazz or lead work. Players Mouthpiece Repair Tools
should put a drop of valve oil on the Although major repairs should be
threads every other week or so to keep referred to a shop, a director can make
the rim from locking to the cup. life easier by having a few simple tools
A megatone mouthpiece is much on hand. For the occasional situation
like a standard mouthpiece but with a when a student gets his mouthpiece
substantial amount of weight added to stuck in the receiver, a mouthpiece
the body of the mouthpiece. The addi- puller is essential and makes quick
tional mass allows for louder volume work of the situation. Do not ever use
with less distortion and adds warmth a wrench: both the mouthpiece and
and darkness to the sound in all regis- the leadpipe can be damaged, escalat-
ters. A megatone mouthpiece is stan- ing an easy repair into an expensive
dardized with a larger throat. soldering job.
The fluffy mouthpiece is a hybrid A mouthpiece trueing tool is a
If a mouthpiece is dropped combining the cup of a flugelhorn must-have in case of a dropped
mouthpiece with the rim and shank of mouthpiece. If the shank is dented,
and the shank dented, a true-
a trumpet mouthpiece. This mouth- the trueing tool is inserted into the
ing tool can be used to restore piece makes it easy to play with a shank and twisted, returning the
the shank's cylindrical shape. warm, velvety sound perfect for quiet shank to its cylindrical shape.
60 THE INSTRUMENTALIST / FEBRUARY 2008