Tuba mouthpiece for bass player
- bassbone1993
- Posts: 435
- Joined: Feb 10, 2023
Hey all,
Looking for some advice for a tuba mouthpiece as a bass trombonist. I've joined a quintet (2 trumpets, horn, trombone, tuba) and will be playing the tuba part on bass. There's a possibility that I can buy a used tuba, but I'm not quite sure what to do on the mouthpiece front. I usually play the Markey 85 and the Ult brass 375. I have a yamaha 66 tuba mouthpiece, but the rim is so wide that I'm having trouble playing on it.
Any suggestions?
Looking for some advice for a tuba mouthpiece as a bass trombonist. I've joined a quintet (2 trumpets, horn, trombone, tuba) and will be playing the tuba part on bass. There's a possibility that I can buy a used tuba, but I'm not quite sure what to do on the mouthpiece front. I usually play the Markey 85 and the Ult brass 375. I have a yamaha 66 tuba mouthpiece, but the rim is so wide that I'm having trouble playing on it.
Any suggestions?
- spencercarran
- Posts: 689
- Joined: Oct 17, 2020
There's basically no overlap between remotely reasonable bass trombone and tuba mouthpieces; you just have to get used to the tuba mouthpiece being much bigger. I use a Wick 3 on tuba, which is in the same general ballpark as the Yamaha 66. The 66 is likely to be a good starting point for quintet playing once you adjust to it.
- bassclef
- Posts: 337
- Joined: Mar 23, 2018
I also started with a Faxx 7B and a couple of the "smaller" Yamaha tuba mouthpieces (65 & 66). The have similar rims which do seem a bit wide. I had some trouble with that not really with executing anything while playing but having enough room under my nose to get my face on it where I felt like it needed to be.
I am currently using a Josef Klier which all have slightly thinner rims than the Bach-style ones listed above. They are also fairly inexpensive and you can get them in a wide variety of cup and throat sizes. Check them out, if you can.
I am currently using a Josef Klier which all have slightly thinner rims than the Bach-style ones listed above. They are also fairly inexpensive and you can get them in a wide variety of cup and throat sizes. Check them out, if you can.
- BGuttman
- Posts: 7368
- Joined: Mar 22, 2018
As someone who doubled bass trombone and tuba I found the Helleberg shape mouthpieces worked best for me. I have 3: a Mirafone Rose, a Schilke 66 and a Perantucci S25. The Mirafone is the smallest and the Perantucci is the largest. When I haven't been playing tuba for a while, the Mirafone is my go-to. As my chops come back I switch to the Schilke. When I'm really back I move to the Perantucci.
- ghmerrill
- Posts: 2193
- Joined: Apr 02, 2018
The 7B size is good. I favor the Schilke 66 as my all-time go-to. Otherwise, I'd suggest you start with a Faxx or Kelly version of the Bach 25. Then go from there with more experience.
- Doug_Elliott
- Posts: 4155
- Joined: Mar 22, 2018
[quote="spencercarran"]There's basically no overlap between remotely reasonable bass trombone and tuba mouthpieces[/quote]
My CB series is totally between bass trombone and tuba sizes. Maybe not "remotely reasonable?"
It's not that hard to get used to a real tuba sized mouthpiece; the Conn 7B is a reasonable place to start.
My CB series is totally between bass trombone and tuba sizes. Maybe not "remotely reasonable?"
It's not that hard to get used to a real tuba sized mouthpiece; the Conn 7B is a reasonable place to start.