Mouthpiece Library for local High School
- noordinaryjoe
- Posts: 101
- Joined: Jul 06, 2020
I have a soft spot for our local high school's music program which I attended for several years before having to move out of the area. Since then I have moved back and my step daughter graduated from this school and took advantage of their music offerings, which are disproportionately outstanding given this rural school's small size. My partner and I continue to volunteer even though the nest is now empty.
Wanting to give something more back, I was surveying my collection of mouthpieces - most of which I no longer play having gone on a 'mouthpiece safari' years ago I have settled on my size and favorites. By making a few cheap Ebay purchases to fill in the gaps from what I already had sitting around, unused, I have put together this 'library' which I intend to give to the band director to help his students settle on the best options for themselves.
<IMGUR id="do1RwKB">https://imgur.com/do1RwKB</IMGUR>
<IMGUR id="7OMIOyL">https://imgur.com/7OMIOyL</IMGUR>
Though probably splitting hairs for high school students, I will try to round up a 7c to sit between the 12c and 47. I hope this will be as comprehensive as a high school band director would want. FYI - the band director is a great guy, but he is primarily a woodwind player.
Having much respect for the wisdom and experience of this great chat group, I am curious to hear your thoughts, ideas and suggestions.
Thank you in advance for you time and feedback!
-Joe
Wanting to give something more back, I was surveying my collection of mouthpieces - most of which I no longer play having gone on a 'mouthpiece safari' years ago I have settled on my size and favorites. By making a few cheap Ebay purchases to fill in the gaps from what I already had sitting around, unused, I have put together this 'library' which I intend to give to the band director to help his students settle on the best options for themselves.
<IMGUR id="do1RwKB">https://imgur.com/do1RwKB</IMGUR>
<IMGUR id="7OMIOyL">https://imgur.com/7OMIOyL</IMGUR>
Though probably splitting hairs for high school students, I will try to round up a 7c to sit between the 12c and 47. I hope this will be as comprehensive as a high school band director would want. FYI - the band director is a great guy, but he is primarily a woodwind player.
Having much respect for the wisdom and experience of this great chat group, I am curious to hear your thoughts, ideas and suggestions.
Thank you in advance for you time and feedback!
-Joe
- Soulbrass
- Posts: 143
- Joined: Mar 08, 2023
What a great idea! Kudos! I may try to replicate your efforts in my area.
(Question: how did you form the mouthpiece shapes in the foam?)
(Question: how did you form the mouthpiece shapes in the foam?)
- noordinaryjoe
- Posts: 101
- Joined: Jul 06, 2020
[quote="Soulbrass"]What a great idea! Kudos! I may try to replicate your efforts in my area.
(Question: how did you form the mouthpiece shapes in the foam?)[/quote]
Commercially available trombone mouthpiece case:
<LINK_TEXT text="https://pickettblackburn.com/products/a ... 4279408745">https://pickettblackburn.com/products/accessories-hard-shell-trombone-mouthpiece-case-1-piece-mouthpieces?variant=42664279408745</LINK_TEXT>
There were a couple of different ones out there when I was searching.
-Joe
(Question: how did you form the mouthpiece shapes in the foam?)[/quote]
Commercially available trombone mouthpiece case:
<LINK_TEXT text="https://pickettblackburn.com/products/a ... 4279408745">https://pickettblackburn.com/products/accessories-hard-shell-trombone-mouthpiece-case-1-piece-mouthpieces?variant=42664279408745</LINK_TEXT>
There were a couple of different ones out there when I was searching.
-Joe
- noordinaryjoe
- Posts: 101
- Joined: Jul 06, 2020
Top row, large shank: Yamaha 60 (labeled for BASS) Faxx 4g, Faxx 5g, Bach 6.5A, Benge 6.5Al-L, Faxx 6.5AL-L
Bottom row, small shank: a sm-lg adaptor, Bach 5GS, Yamaha 48, Faxx 6.5AL, Yamaha 47, (future 7c) , King 12c
I stuck a Kelly lexan 51D in the top since there was room, but labeled it for euphonium.
Keeping in mind this is for high school students, any gaps or omissions that you see? Other thoughts or ideas for this concept?
-Joe
Bottom row, small shank: a sm-lg adaptor, Bach 5GS, Yamaha 48, Faxx 6.5AL, Yamaha 47, (future 7c) , King 12c
I stuck a Kelly lexan 51D in the top since there was room, but labeled it for euphonium.
Keeping in mind this is for high school students, any gaps or omissions that you see? Other thoughts or ideas for this concept?
-Joe
- harrisonreed
- Posts: 6479
- Joined: Aug 17, 2018
[quote="noordinaryjoe"]
Keeping in mind this is for high school students, any gaps or omissions that you see? Other thoughts or ideas for this concept?
-Joe[/quote]
Yeah, but first, kudos for even thinking of and implementing this idea. I didn't get to try anything like this until I was willing to buy my own mouthpieces as a senior in high school, and I really had to stick with my purchases because I couldn't afford a safari. This is so great to have for the kids.
I think that these mouthpieces you've selected might fall into the trap of wider = deeper. There are probably plenty of high school players who would do well on a 4G or even wider mouthpiece rim, but those pieces you have are otherwise too deep for the kind of band playing you do in high school. Granted, it looks like that is a small shank 4G, but isn't that also monsterously deep?
What I wish had been available for me would have been a set of DE rims and a C+ cup with small shank, and a set of rims and an F cup and a large shank and a set of rims to try. Take the rest of the variables out of the equation and figure out what size diameter worked for me. That would have saved me years of trying stuff out, I think.
Keeping in mind this is for high school students, any gaps or omissions that you see? Other thoughts or ideas for this concept?
-Joe[/quote]
Yeah, but first, kudos for even thinking of and implementing this idea. I didn't get to try anything like this until I was willing to buy my own mouthpieces as a senior in high school, and I really had to stick with my purchases because I couldn't afford a safari. This is so great to have for the kids.
I think that these mouthpieces you've selected might fall into the trap of wider = deeper. There are probably plenty of high school players who would do well on a 4G or even wider mouthpiece rim, but those pieces you have are otherwise too deep for the kind of band playing you do in high school. Granted, it looks like that is a small shank 4G, but isn't that also monsterously deep?
What I wish had been available for me would have been a set of DE rims and a C+ cup with small shank, and a set of rims and an F cup and a large shank and a set of rims to try. Take the rest of the variables out of the equation and figure out what size diameter worked for me. That would have saved me years of trying stuff out, I think.
- JohnL
- Posts: 2529
- Joined: Mar 23, 2018
[quote="noordinaryjoe"]Keeping in mind this is for high school students, any gaps or omissions that you see? Other thoughts or ideas for this concept?[/quote]
My thinking with bass trombone mouthpieces is that the kid will most likely start out on something in the 1½G range and may want to experiment with something a little bigger, but also that a Yamaha 60 is quite a jump up in size. Maybe a Yamaha 59 or Bach 1¼G?
My thinking with bass trombone mouthpieces is that the kid will most likely start out on something in the 1½G range and may want to experiment with something a little bigger, but also that a Yamaha 60 is quite a jump up in size. Maybe a Yamaha 59 or Bach 1¼G?
- hyperbolica
- Posts: 3990
- Joined: Mar 23, 2018
I'd probably add a 2g and 1 1/2g
- noordinaryjoe
- Posts: 101
- Joined: Jul 06, 2020
Good points, thank you!
I wasn't going to include any bass pieces, but I already had the Yamaha 60. I'll probably add a Faxx 1 1/2 (maybe a 59/1.25 too if I can find a good deal) so there is at least a small sampling of larger/smaller.
I told the band director to let me play the role of 'mouthpiece fairy' if he has a student that needs something but isn't in a position to purchase it for themselves. We play in local ensembles together, so I hope to get more real world feedback once this goes live.
To Harrison's point - I sure wish I had the budget for a Doug Elliott sample kit - the modular concept would be perfect for this sort of fitting! I looked first, but no manufacturer appears to offer a 'sample kit' though Schmitt Music eludes to them for their local area:
<LINK_TEXT text="https://www.schmittmusic.com/collection ... iCWYY9E1Xp">https://www.schmittmusic.com/collections/mouthpiece-kit?srsltid=AfmBOopDw6aKcphy9UqoQrO8H06HR3d_wGkX9dVEiFgF99iCWYY9E1Xp</LINK_TEXT>
I wasn't going to include any bass pieces, but I already had the Yamaha 60. I'll probably add a Faxx 1 1/2 (maybe a 59/1.25 too if I can find a good deal) so there is at least a small sampling of larger/smaller.
I told the band director to let me play the role of 'mouthpiece fairy' if he has a student that needs something but isn't in a position to purchase it for themselves. We play in local ensembles together, so I hope to get more real world feedback once this goes live.
To Harrison's point - I sure wish I had the budget for a Doug Elliott sample kit - the modular concept would be perfect for this sort of fitting! I looked first, but no manufacturer appears to offer a 'sample kit' though Schmitt Music eludes to them for their local area:
<LINK_TEXT text="https://www.schmittmusic.com/collection ... iCWYY9E1Xp">https://www.schmittmusic.com/collections/mouthpiece-kit?srsltid=AfmBOopDw6aKcphy9UqoQrO8H06HR3d_wGkX9dVEiFgF99iCWYY9E1Xp</LINK_TEXT>
- noordinaryjoe
- Posts: 101
- Joined: Jul 06, 2020
[quote="harrisonreed"]<QUOTE author="noordinaryjoe" post_id="292310" time="1768142833" user_id="9642">
Keeping in mind this is for high school students, any gaps or omissions that you see? Other thoughts or ideas for this concept?
-Joe[/quote]
What I wish had been available for me would have been a set of DE rims and a C+ cup with small shank, and a set of rims and an F cup and a large shank and a set of rims to try. Take the rest of the variables out of the equation and figure out what size diameter worked for me. That would have saved me years of trying stuff out, I think.
</QUOTE>
Thanks Harrison! Since I didn't start this thread to brag about my cobbled together kit, but rather with the hope to initiate a discussion on this concept and inspire others to do the same if they see value in it, let me try to expand the discussion:
Would anyone care to offer an alternative, or ideal world slate of mouthpieces for students to use to help them find the best fit?
Since these are high school students, should we stick to the mantra, "stuff a 6 1/2AL mouthpiece in the receiver and PRACTICE!" ??
Doug Elliott - What would it cost for Harrison's ideal sample kit? (Early brand loyalty IS a thing!)
-Joe
Keeping in mind this is for high school students, any gaps or omissions that you see? Other thoughts or ideas for this concept?
-Joe[/quote]
What I wish had been available for me would have been a set of DE rims and a C+ cup with small shank, and a set of rims and an F cup and a large shank and a set of rims to try. Take the rest of the variables out of the equation and figure out what size diameter worked for me. That would have saved me years of trying stuff out, I think.
</QUOTE>
Thanks Harrison! Since I didn't start this thread to brag about my cobbled together kit, but rather with the hope to initiate a discussion on this concept and inspire others to do the same if they see value in it, let me try to expand the discussion:
Would anyone care to offer an alternative, or ideal world slate of mouthpieces for students to use to help them find the best fit?
Since these are high school students, should we stick to the mantra, "stuff a 6 1/2AL mouthpiece in the receiver and PRACTICE!" ??
Doug Elliott - What would it cost for Harrison's ideal sample kit? (Early brand loyalty IS a thing!)
-Joe
- harrisonreed
- Posts: 6479
- Joined: Aug 17, 2018
[quote="noordinaryjoe"]
Since these are high school students, should we stick to the mantra, "stuff a 6 1/2AL mouthpiece in the receiver and PRACTICE!" ??
[/quote]
See, that's what I'm saying. The 6 1/2AL <I>is</I> a good mouthpiece. One of my large bore mouthpieces I play shares a lot in common with the 6 1/2 AL cup. But the original rim ID is too narrow for me -- in both cases, my large piece and the original small shank piece, the rim needed to be a 2G size. Then it's fantastic.
Too many great designs are limited to one ID, so a lot of people, even high schoolers, think they are terrible. But they are just the wrong size ID for that player.
Nobody bats an eye at a high schooler wanting to have the right size baseball glove. That is why the interchangeable rims would make it so useful to kids. You take all the other variables out of the equation, and in this case it's a given that the base cup shank are good to begin with. It's just the ID variable.
Since these are high school students, should we stick to the mantra, "stuff a 6 1/2AL mouthpiece in the receiver and PRACTICE!" ??
[/quote]
See, that's what I'm saying. The 6 1/2AL <I>is</I> a good mouthpiece. One of my large bore mouthpieces I play shares a lot in common with the 6 1/2 AL cup. But the original rim ID is too narrow for me -- in both cases, my large piece and the original small shank piece, the rim needed to be a 2G size. Then it's fantastic.
Too many great designs are limited to one ID, so a lot of people, even high schoolers, think they are terrible. But they are just the wrong size ID for that player.
Nobody bats an eye at a high schooler wanting to have the right size baseball glove. That is why the interchangeable rims would make it so useful to kids. You take all the other variables out of the equation, and in this case it's a given that the base cup shank are good to begin with. It's just the ID variable.