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selecting mouthpieces

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 How to Select a Brass Mouthpiece by Renold O. Schilke  From the Schilke mouthpiece brochure The importance of a superior brass mouthpiece can scarcely be overstated. Many directors and teachers of brass, not to mention their students, have strong convictions about the brand name of the instrument used but tend to neglect the importance of the proper mouthpiece. One should bear in mind that the mouthpiece which comes with an instrument may nor may not be suitable for a particular player. (It is for this reason that Schilke instruments come without a mouthpiece.) In truth, every player should use a mouthpiece specifically adapted to him, his needs, and his instrument. Proper embouchure development, correct breath control, and a good instrument are all important, but let us not neglect a most important variable--the mouthpiece. In selecting the best mouthpiece one needs to consider the player's teeth, jaw, and shape of the lips (thickness and width), as well as the strength of the embouchure, the desired tone quality, ease of playing the upper and lower range, endurance, intonation, and the playing done most of the time. Though a medium width cup diameter, rim thickness, rim contour, backbore, cup depth, volume, and shape may  be recommended for the average player, as a general rule it is desired to encourage the use of larger sizes as the embouchure develops. A larger cup diameter and cup volume allows more of the lip to vibrate which in turn  produces a fuller and more resonant one. This also encourages more lip control and endurance. The location of the high point of the contour is another variable that should be kept in mind; this changes the feel of the width of the cup. The sharpness of the edge of the rim or the "bite" affects both the flexibility and precision of attack and is an important variable. A small or shallow cup produces the brightest sound and aids in playing high notes while a larger deep cup aids in producing the lower tones and produces a richer darker sound. The Schilke "C" cup is a good standard size  producing a good tone without unduly favoring either the very high or very low register. The high note c raze of some students, especially when high notes are forced or squeezed and often produced on too small a mouthpiece, is to be discouraged. The player with thick lips should choose a somewhat deeper or larger cup to compensate for the extra space his lips take up inside the cup. A player who needs some help in the upper range should experiment using a shallower first cup with a widened second cup. The shallow first cup facilitates the playing of the upper register while the widened second cup  promotes a fuller and richer tone. As the bottom of the c up becomes flatter one's attack improves but he quality of the tone becomes somewhat coarser. The more the cup shape becomes conical the better is the quality of sound but as this is accentuated the tone may become too dark. A round and narrow rim contour permits greater lip flexibility but tends to reduce endurance. (Obviously, the amount of pressure on the lips is an important consideration too.) A rather flat and wide rim contour feels the most comfortable but tends to hold the lips somewhat immobile, thereby reducing lip flexibility. For most  players a judicious compromise in rim contour is suggested using a mouthpiece which has a reasonable rim curvature to provide flexibility but with sufficient surface to improve endurance. An average size throat (the narrowest part of the mouthpiece opening) is also preferred for the average player. However with added embouchure development a somewhat larger throat should be tried. Many brass teachers, students, and mouthpiece manufacturers tend to neglect the importance of the backbore. It is not unusual to find mouthpieces which are superior in every respect except the backbore. Players frequently examine the mouthpiece with great care from the top but never really examine the backbore. Part of the trouble is the backbore is not so readily visible to the naked eye, but probably the more important reason is a lack of understanding of the importance of the shape of the backbore. The tighter the backbore, the more brilliant is the

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Selecting mouthpieces advice and handbook

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  • HowtoSelectaBrassMouthpiecebyRenoldO.Schilke

    FromtheSchilkemouthpiecebrochure

    Theimportanceofasuperiorbrassmouthpiececanscarcelybeoverstated.Manydirectorsandteachersofbrass,nottomentiontheirstudents,havestrongconvictionsaboutthebrandnameoftheinstrumentusedbuttendtoneglecttheimportanceofthepropermouthpiece.Oneshouldbearinmindthatthemouthpiecewhichcomeswithaninstrumentmaynormaynotbesuitableforaparticularplayer.(ItisforthisreasonthatSchilkeinstrumentscomewithoutamouthpiece.)Intruth,everyplayershoulduseamouthpiecespecificallyadaptedtohim,hisneeds,andhisinstrument.Properembouchuredevelopment,correctbreathcontrol,andagoodinstrumentareallimportant,butletusnotneglectamostimportantvariablethemouthpiece.

    Inselectingthebestmouthpieceoneneedstoconsidertheplayer'steeth,jaw,andshapeofthelips(thicknessandwidth),aswellasthestrengthoftheembouchure,thedesiredtonequality,easeofplayingtheupperandlowerrange,endurance,intonation,andtheplayingdonemostofthetime.

    Thoughamediumwidthcupdiameter,rimthickness,rimcontour,backbore,cupdepth,volume,andshapemayberecommendedfortheaverageplayer,asageneralruleitisdesiredtoencouragetheuseoflargersizesastheembouchuredevelops.Alargercupdiameterandcupvolumeallowsmoreoftheliptovibratewhichinturnproducesafullerandmoreresonantone.Thisalsoencouragesmorelipcontrolandendurance.Thelocationofthehighpointofthecontourisanothervariablethatshouldbekeptinmindthischangesthefeelofthewidthofthecup.

    Thesharpnessoftheedgeoftherimorthe"bite"affectsboththeflexibilityandprecisionofattackandisanimportantvariable.

    Asmallorshallowcupproducesthebrightestsoundandaidsinplayinghighnoteswhilealargerdeepcupaidsinproducingthelowertonesandproducesaricherdarkersound.TheSchilke"C"cupisagoodstandardsizeproducingagoodtonewithoutundulyfavoringeithertheveryhighorverylowregister.Thehighnotecrazeofsomestudents,especiallywhenhighnotesareforcedorsqueezedandoftenproducedontoosmallamouthpiece,istobediscouraged.Theplayerwiththicklipsshouldchooseasomewhatdeeperorlargercuptocompensatefortheextraspacehislipstakeupinsidethecup.

    Aplayerwhoneedssomehelpintheupperrangeshouldexperimentusingashallowerfirstcupwithawidenedsecondcup.Theshallowfirstcupfacilitatestheplayingoftheupperregisterwhilethewidenedsecondcuppromotesafullerandrichertone.Asthebottomofthecupbecomesflatterone'sattackimprovesbuthequalityofthetonebecomessomewhatcoarser.Themorethecupshapebecomesconicalthebetteristhequalityofsoundbutasthisisaccentuatedthetonemaybecometoodark.

    Aroundandnarrowrimcontourpermitsgreaterlipflexibilitybuttendstoreduceendurance.(Obviously,theamountofpressureonthelipsisanimportantconsiderationtoo.)Aratherflatandwiderimcontourfeelsthemostcomfortablebuttendstoholdthelipssomewhatimmobile,therebyreducinglipflexibility.Formostplayersajudiciouscompromiseinrimcontourissuggestedusingamouthpiecewhichhasareasonablerimcurvaturetoprovideflexibilitybutwithsufficientsurfacetoimproveendurance.

    Anaveragesizethroat(thenarrowestpartofthemouthpieceopening)isalsopreferredfortheaverageplayer.Howeverwithaddedembouchuredevelopmentasomewhatlargerthroatshouldbetried.

    Manybrassteachers,students,andmouthpiecemanufacturerstendtoneglecttheimportanceofthebackbore.Itisnotunusualtofindmouthpieceswhicharesuperiorineveryrespectexceptthebackbore.Playersfrequentlyexaminethemouthpiecewithgreatcarefromthetopbutneverreallyexaminethebackbore.Partofthetroubleisthebackboreisnotsoreadilyvisibletothenakedeye,butprobablythemoreimportantreasonisalackofunderstandingoftheimportanceoftheshapeofthebackbore.Thetighterthebackbore,themorebrilliantisthe

  • soundthelargerthebackbore,themelloweristhesound.Occasionallyachangeisthebackborewillimprovetheinherentfaultyintonationofaninstrument.Thelargesttrumpet/cornetbackboreIuse,oftencalledtheSchmidtbackbore,givesthelargestvolumewithcontrol.However,shouldonewishmorecontrol,abackboretowardthe"a"rangewouldbedesirable.

    Thereisnosubstituteforthecarefulanalysisofaplayer'sneeds,bothphysicalandmusical.Someexperimentationintestingisencouraged.Butthecontinuousseekingofthe"perfect"mouthpieceiscertaintoproduceonlyfrustration.

    Allteachersandplayersofbrassinstruments,bothprofessionalandamateurwillbenefitmuchbyunderstandingthevariouspartsorsurfacesofabrassmouthpieceandwhatfunctionseachhas.Onlythencanonemakeintelligentandpracticalrecommendationsastowhichmouthpiecewillproducethedesiredresultswithaparticularplayer.

    Lackofcontrolsinthemanufactureofmouthpieceshasbeenfoundthroughextensivetestingofmouthpieces.Somemanufacturesdonotholdtolerancesverywell.Itisforthisreasonthatmarkeddifferencescanbefoundwithinthesamemouthpiececategoryofthesamemanufacturer,somuchsothatoftentwomouthpieceslabeleddifferentlyaremorealikethantwowhicharelabeledthesame.Thisvarianceisoftenparticularlynoticeablewhencomparingthesamemouthpiecemadeindifferentyears.(Shapersaresharpened,andtosharpenthemsomemetalhastoberemoved.This,achangeindimensions.ShapersattheSchilkefactoryarereplacednotsharpened.)Itshouldbementionedthatsmalldifferencesindimensions,toosmalltobediscernedbythenakedeye,canbediscernedbyadiscriminatingplayeraswellaswithspecialmeasuringtools.

    Whenaplayerwishesabettermouthpiece,Iusuallyaskhimseveralquestions.Whatmouthpieceareyouusingnow?Whatdifficulty,ifany,doyouhavewiththatmouthpiece?Inwhatdirectiondoyouwanttogo?Achangeoftonecolor?Increasedrange?Betterintonation?Increasedendurance?Theanswerstothesequestionsdeterminewhatnewmouthpiecesshouldbeused.Forexample:

    Nowplays: Bach7CObjective: MorebrillianceSolution: Schilke#12

    Nowplays: Bach3CObjective: MoreenduranceSolution: Schilke#15

    Nowplays: Bach3CObjective: MorevolumeandflexibilitySolution: Schilke#18

    Nowplays: Bach1CObjective: MoretoneandflexibilitySolution: Schilke#20

    Nowplays: Olds3Objective: MorecuproomandlipfreedomSolution: Schilke#11

    Thesearebutafewexamplesofthemanyproblemsoftrumpetplayersandthesuggestedsolutions.

    Itisnotunusualforaperformertobecompletelysatisfiedwithaparticularrimandcupheisusingbutwishesadifferenttonequality.Inthiscaseitisasimplemattertoduplicatethedesiredrimandcupexactly(regardlessofmake)andadjustthethroatorbackboreandprovidehimwithacustommouthpiece.

    Attimesaplayermayhaveairescapingatthesideofthemouthpiece.Usuallythisisnotthefaultoftoolittlepressure,butstretchingthelips(insteadofcontractingthem):perhapshisteethandjawformationistooirregular.Mouthpiecepressurereducesendurancebecausethebloodcirculationinthelipsiscutoffandlip

  • swellingresults.Ontheotherhand,wideningandflatteningthemouthpiecerimcontourwillcompensateonlyinpartforaddedpressure.Carryingthistypeofmouthpiecetoofarreduceslipflexibilityandthedesiredexactpointwherethelipscannotandshouldnotvibrate.Pinchingthelipsusingtoomuchmouthpiecepressure,andusingtoosmallamouthpiece(unlessabsolutelyessential)arenosubstituteforembouchuredevelopment.

    Everyteacherandplayershouldrecognizethatamouthpieceonaninstrumentwillnotsoundthesametothepayerastoonestandingdistanceaway.Agoodtaperecorderisveryhelpful.Furthermore,thesamemouthpieceandinstrumentcanactuallysounddifferentwhenplayedbytwodifferentpeople,differencesintheformationoflips,teeth,jaws,nottomentionbreathcontrolandexperience.allcontributetodifferencesinthesound.Again,there'snosubstituteforadaptingthebestpossiblemouthpiecetotheplayer'sneeds.Thismustbeconsideredtoowhentryingtohaveaperfectlyblendedbrasssectiontoproducetheultimateinuniformtonequality.

    Twoseriousshortcomingsareoftenoverlookedbybothteachersandplayersofbrassinstruments.Thefirstiswhenamouthpieceisabittoolarge:agapwillexistbetweentheendofthemouthpieceandtheinsideofthetubing,themouthpipeasillustratedhere.

    Whenanodalpointofavibration(sound)hitsthisgapordepressiontheresultisthesameasifthemouthpipehadasuddenbulge.Sincethemostcrucialpartofanybrassinstrumentisthemouthpiecefollowedbythemouthpipe,onecanseetheseriousnesswhenthemouthpiecedoesnotbuttagainsttheendofthemouthpipe.Thisshortcomingcanbecorrectedbyturningdowntheshankabitonalathe.Oneshouldrememberthatwhenamouthpieceisfartherinthemouthpipethatthepitchoftheinstrumentisraised,thisrequirespullingthetuningslideabit.

    Equallyseriousistheoppositeoftheforegoing,namelywhentheendofthemouthpieceistoosmallandgoesinsideofthemouthpipe.Thiscanhappeniftheforegoingfaultisovercorrectedbyturningdowntheshanktoomuch.Bothfaultsjustmentionedareseriousandoccurfrequentlyonallbrassinstruments.Ifyouareadiscriminatingteacher,player,ormusicmerchant,itismostdesirablethataparticularmouthpiecefittheinstrumentexactly.

    Sinceitisimpossibletodeepdirtfromcoagulatinginamouthpiece,andsinceanydirtespeciallyinthethroatandbackboreinterfereswithintonationandplayingease,itisimperativetokeepthemouthpiececlean.Amouthpiecebrushshouldbeusedeveryweek.

    Whenamouthpiecehasthesilverplatingwornorgroundoff,itcanbereplated.PleasesenditdirectlytotheSchilkeCompany.However,ifthemouthpiecehasbecomenickedorbadlycorroded,itisbesttoreplaceitentirely.

    BesuretowritedownormemorizetheexactnumberofyourSchilkemouthpiecesothatifyoushouldloseit,youcanorderanexactduplicate.

    Aseveryknowledgeablepersoninthebrassworldknows,itisundesirabletousetoomuchmouthpiecepressuretohitthehightones.Instead,oneneedstodeveloptheembouchuremuscles.Thistakestime.Also,ittakestimetogetusedtoanewmouthpiece,especiallyifthecupdiameterislargerthanthepreviousoneaplayerused.Howeverthehighregisterwillneedtosufferonlytemporarily.

    Inselectingabrassmouthpieceoneshouldstriveforoptimumtonequalityandaccurateintonationratherthaneaseofhittingthehighnotes,unlessthelatterisanabsolute"must."Oftenthebestpossiblemouthpieceisanintelligentcompromise.Everyteacherandplayershouldstrivefortheoptimumcombinationofthemajorvariables.Aswithmanythingsinlife,there'smoretoafinebrassmouthpiecethanwhatmeetstheeye.

    TheSchilkeLoyalist


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