Brass Instrument Mouthpiece Advice - 'Mouthpiece Maniacs'

I refer to this posting series as 'Mouthpiece Maniacs' with some fondness as I have heard this term applied in admiration, frustration, sympathy and dismay to a wide variety of players who share an appreciation of musical performance and a curiosity about their equipment and how the right 'gear' can help their playing. I believe an element of this knowledge is absolutely vital for anyone in the position of advising other players, i.e. teachers, performers, music shop assistants, repairers, etc. In addition I believe that knowing something about the aspects of design, how equipment 'works' and what choices we have as players is both enlightening and empowering when we begin taking responsibility for our own performance. Thomas

Brass Mouthpiece Maniacs

Whether you have never tried anything but your original mouthpiece or you have own several already there is always something to learn about, something new to experience and very likely, something to improve your playing.

Brass Players –

Do you know the difference between an ‘all-rounder’, an orchestral cup or a jazz ‘screamer’? Do you want a ‘fat’ dark sound or an ’edgier’ tone to cut through a big band? Do you lips feel better with a wider rim or narrower? These things matter and you deserve the best.

Important features explained –

Cup – The depth and internal size of the cup are critical dimensions in the performance of mouthpieces. This is where the sound ‘develops’ after the lips have created the vibrating air stream. A deep cup will favour the lower range and lower partials in the sound where as a shallower cup will favour the higher range and upper partials. A shallower cup assists in the production of upper range notes with the trade off of reduced freedom in the production of lower tones.

Rim – This is a very important area for player comfort. Some mouthpieces are sharper edged than others though most strive to be comfortable on the ‘chops’. A wider rim will tend to relax the lips and facilitate middle and lower range production whereas a narrower rim tends to facilitate higher notes.

Bore – A narrower bore adds a ‘squeeze’ to the air and increases resistance that helps in the focus of higher notes. A larger bore allows for a greater airflow, demanding better support from the player to achieve the upper register but facilitating tone production in middle and lower registers.

Back-bore – Contributes to the ‘feel’ of the mouthpieces. This is the area of transition into the bore of the trumpet itself and is an extension of the dimensions and taper of the leadpipe. In combination with the leadpipe this area accounts for much of the resistance 'feel' of the set up.

Shank – The outside dimension of the mouthpiece as it is tapered to insert into the leadpipe. Though shanks are now largely standardised in size the fit to some leadpipes, particularly those of trombone and harmony brass instruments, may require use of a large or small shank mouthpiece to obtain an accurate fit.

Density/Mass – Most mouthpieces are of similar weight and mass though they may very tremendously in external shape. The advent of the ‘mega’ mouthpiece has introduced a new consideration for the discerning player. By building in added weight at the mouthpiece end many players feel that their sound and control benefits in both focus and consistency particularly players who might feel that the 'overblow' more conventinal mouthpieces.

Materials – The vast majority of mouthpieces are made of brass, brass alloy or stainless steel that is then plated. Recently some very successful plastic mouthpieces have been introduced which are both inexpensive, very lightweight and a joy to play in cold temperatures. No more aching lips!

Plating – Metal mouthpieces are usually finished in either silver plate or gold plate though some nickel silver mouthpieces are still available. Some individuals have skin or lip tissue that reacts badly to silver plate and for them the choice of gold plating may be necessary. For everyone else the choice is largely cosmetic – go with what you fancy!

It is not uncommon to have several mouthpieces with different internal shapes or designs that will assist in top performance of a wide range of musical styles. It is worth being careful to be sure that you are comfortable with the feel of such different mouthpieces on the lips as changes in rim shape and dimensions could be rather disturbing. 

My advice is try to not go 'mad' chasing the perfect mouthpiece is my advice - they all exist for a reason and players are all different - not only as our needs change but also as time passes and we tend to look for different aspects of performance from the mouthpiece.

The tips and comments above are the result of many years of providing help and advice, my personal interest and study, and the teaching that I have done during my career. I have many colleagues and teachers to thank for sharing their thoughts and suggestions on this and other topics. In addition I am indebted to Woodwind & Reed, Cambridge ( www.wwr.co.uk ) where, in the course of helping customers, many of these concepts have been refined and have proven helpful.

Thomas Dryer-Beers