Mouthpiece right size
- jaywalker
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Feb 20, 2024
I'm new to trombone (a former sax player learning a new instrument ).
I'm experimenting with mouthpieces.
I go it down to 24,7-25mm rim.
Currently on Curry 7S & 6M.
With 7S I can play 2 partials higher, with 6M the bottom is much more solid and smoother.
With 7S I feel like I'm "out of the mouthpiece" with 6M it's like a glove.
Should I stick with the 6M and work on the muscles to get the high tones, thus keeping the low?
Thanks
I'm experimenting with mouthpieces.
I go it down to 24,7-25mm rim.
Currently on Curry 7S & 6M.
With 7S I can play 2 partials higher, with 6M the bottom is much more solid and smoother.
With 7S I feel like I'm "out of the mouthpiece" with 6M it's like a glove.
Should I stick with the 6M and work on the muscles to get the high tones, thus keeping the low?
Thanks
- Kevbach33
- Posts: 295
- Joined: May 29, 2018
Welcome to trombone!
Curry's S cup is intended for lead playing, according to their site. The M cup seems to be more of an "all around" type.
Since you say the 6M fits your face better (like a glove, as you say) I'd say stick with that. It's a solid size (roughly a Bach 6½AL equivalent) for a new player, and will allow you access to all registers as you develop while keeping a solid low range (2nd and 3rd partials).
Do you have a lessons teacher yet?
Curry's S cup is intended for lead playing, according to their site. The M cup seems to be more of an "all around" type.
Since you say the 6M fits your face better (like a glove, as you say) I'd say stick with that. It's a solid size (roughly a Bach 6½AL equivalent) for a new player, and will allow you access to all registers as you develop while keeping a solid low range (2nd and 3rd partials).
Do you have a lessons teacher yet?
- harrisonreed
- Posts: 6479
- Joined: Aug 17, 2018
It's not really about building muscles. If you're new, stick with a 6 and work on controlling the direction of the air and the embouchure aperture. With a teach', of course!
- jaywalker
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Feb 20, 2024
I do have a teacher and I watch a lot of online trombone teachers, testing their different approaches to see what clicks. This is my 6th instrument over 40 years.
Piano ( Conservatory/Composition ), Guitar (rock band), Drums ( polka band ), Fujara ( large upright wooden flute / folklore & jazz ), Sax ( ska ), Trombone ( future Electronica Lounge ).
I like to experiment a lot, I'm not in a rush and overall going for sound quality more than fast up and down. I enjoy long tones.
Any other suggestions are welcomed :)
PS. I'm scheduling a session with Doug Elliot to help with this as well.
Piano ( Conservatory/Composition ), Guitar (rock band), Drums ( polka band ), Fujara ( large upright wooden flute / folklore & jazz ), Sax ( ska ), Trombone ( future Electronica Lounge ).
I like to experiment a lot, I'm not in a rush and overall going for sound quality more than fast up and down. I enjoy long tones.
Any other suggestions are welcomed :)
PS. I'm scheduling a session with Doug Elliot to help with this as well.
- jaywalker
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Feb 20, 2024
To arrive where I am now, I got:
Bach 12c, 11c, 6 1/2AL, Getzen 12c, DW 6BS, 7CS, 10C, 10C Heritage, Curry 11C, 7S, 7C, 7M, 6M
:)
I know ... I'm a data engineer, can't help it, have to acquire the data myself ...
With each, I learned more and more about what I wanted and what not so much.
Bach 12c, 11c, 6 1/2AL, Getzen 12c, DW 6BS, 7CS, 10C, 10C Heritage, Curry 11C, 7S, 7C, 7M, 6M
:)
I know ... I'm a data engineer, can't help it, have to acquire the data myself ...
With each, I learned more and more about what I wanted and what not so much.
- Reedman1
- Posts: 310
- Joined: Apr 14, 2018
The Curry 6M is a very nice mouthpiece. I agree that sticking with a comfortable mouthpiece and working on getting the most out of it is the best approach. The additional partials will come with time and study. You don’t want to force them, and if you try to have a mouthpiece do the work for you, that mouthpiece will probably take away from a full, resonant sound in the lower register.
- Reedman1
- Posts: 310
- Joined: Apr 14, 2018
The Curry 6M is a very nice mouthpiece. I agree that sticking with a comfortable mouthpiece and working on getting the most out of it is the best approach. The additional partials will come with time and study. You don’t want to force them, and if you try to have a mouthpiece do the work for you, that mouthpiece will probably take away from a full, resonant sound in the lower register.
- JeffBone44
- Posts: 367
- Joined: Oct 24, 2022
Great decision to schedule a lesson with Doug E, he will have you headed in the right direction, and you will learn a lot about how your embouchure works. Good luck!
What everyone else said - stick with the 6M if that feels comfortable. Personally, I've always found it easier to play a mouthpiece with a large rim. My low range is more secure and reliable, and I've been able to build my high range over time.
What everyone else said - stick with the 6M if that feels comfortable. Personally, I've always found it easier to play a mouthpiece with a large rim. My low range is more secure and reliable, and I've been able to build my high range over time.
- jaywalker
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Feb 20, 2024
Thanks @Reedman1 & @JeffBone44 , after the call with Doug I'm back at the beginning... starting from scratch :) ... I will keep posting here my progress ... right now back to simple buzzing :)
- iranzi
- Posts: 209
- Joined: Jan 30, 2024
[quote="harrisonreed"]It's not really about building muscles. If you're new, stick with a 6 and work on controlling the direction of the air and the embouchure aperture. With a teach', of course![/quote]
This is great advice, i'll take it! never seen these two things put together like that. This sort of focus - very useful. Most exercises i've seen also claim to focus on one or two issues, but there's always too much going on there. It would be possible to turn such exercises into 10 further exercises just to cover all the basics.
. . .
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[size=85] oh, hi! i'm also a saxophone player learning trombone. nice to meet you! :hi:
This is great advice, i'll take it! never seen these two things put together like that. This sort of focus - very useful. Most exercises i've seen also claim to focus on one or two issues, but there's always too much going on there. It would be possible to turn such exercises into 10 further exercises just to cover all the basics.
. . .
<ATTACHMENT filename="2 things_.jpg" index="0">
- Georg
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Mar 19, 2024
JayWalker, How is your quest for a mouthpiece going? Any new developments?
- jaywalker
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Feb 20, 2024
After trying Schilke at NAMM, I liked it, so in search for the right one I got 50,50C4,51,51C4,51B,51D.
50C4 is the easiest to play, but it's not very resonant with my setup. 51C4 I got has wide troat 0.29 instead of spected 0.277, so I got another 51C4 and that one doesn't sound the same .... ahhhhh
I was listening to @WilliamLang testing some mouthpieces on YouTube and I liked the sound of Hammond. So I got 12M, and 13ML to test. I really like the 12M, which is going to be my main piece for now.
50C4 is the easiest to play, but it's not very resonant with my setup. 51C4 I got has wide troat 0.29 instead of spected 0.277, so I got another 51C4 and that one doesn't sound the same .... ahhhhh
I was listening to @WilliamLang testing some mouthpieces on YouTube and I liked the sound of Hammond. So I got 12M, and 13ML to test. I really like the 12M, which is going to be my main piece for now.
- BrianJohnston
- Posts: 1165
- Joined: Jul 11, 2020
[quote="jaywalker"]I was listening to @WilliamLang testing some mouthpieces on YouTube and I liked the sound of Hammond. So I got 12M, and 13ML to test. I really like the 12M, which is going to be my main piece for now.[/quote]
Hammond is the way.
Hammond is the way.