Cornet Mouthpiece Advice needed

brassneck

brassneck

Active Member
stephenmrry

stephenmrry

Member
brassneck said:
Ideally, if you can find a supplier who has makes of mouthpieces with screw rims and shanks a custom job is the best solution. This way you can try various sized rims, cups, throats and backbores. I'm not too sure how many U.K. based retailers offer this facility.

Here's an example of what's offered though ... http://www.gregblackmouthpieces.com/prices.htm
http://accessories.conn-selmer.com/pdf/bachmouth.pdf
http://www.dougelliottmouthpieces.com/prices.html
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Thats really great help i only wish i lived in the uk. Screw top mouthpieces are like a decade away from been in Ireland!!!;)
 
brassneck

brassneck

Active Member
stephenmrry said:
Thats really great help i only wish i lived in the uk. Screw top mouthpieces are like a decade away from been in Ireland!!!;)
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- Wish we lived in the U.S.ofA. ... all these deals seem to be over there for brass instruments with the exception of french horns, for which you can easily get screw rim/cup combinations here in the U.K. .
 
Cornet Nev.

Cornet Nev.

Member
I was given some advice from a player in another band, who had in his pocket a large assortment of cornet mouthpieces that he always carried with him. He played flugel at the time but reckoned he knew about as much as any one about cornet mouthpieces.
His basic advice was, that if you can learn to manage the larger rim, the better off you will eventually be. Also the depth of cup is important for the depth of sound, the deeper the cup and the more mellow the sound, a shallow cup will give a brighter and nearly a trumpet style sound.
Consequently I bought the Dennis wick RW 4B which is not that deep but does give a superb mellow tone. For the sharper notes, when I used to play in a band consisting mainly of saxophones, I used to like the Bach one and a half C.
 
brassneck

brassneck

Active Member
I might be in the minority here when it comes to mouthpieces but I would recommend starting with a mouthpiece that is midway from one extreme to another. Yes, the design of the mouthpiece and instrument do carry sometimes a significant change in sound and range but that usually is the case if a player is rigid in the way that he/she plays. We have to adapt to various different environments to maintain what we think is good performance and a lot of that us achieved by being pro-active rather than chopping and changing the tools we use. A lot of this happens at the sub-conscious level with amazing results ... try using an old battered instrument with it's own mouthpiece. You might still achieve a good sound and range.

What I would recommend looking at is a mouthpiece that is (1) comfortable and (2) enables you to do most things with the least amount of effort. The 'Bigger is Better' brigade might be shocked knowing that the likes of Sheona White plays (or did play) on the smallest Wick horn mouthpiece. Doesn't Derrick Kane use a smaller euph. mouthpiece as well (compared to others)? Sometimes it is correct practice that gives the best long term results. This is only my opinion, remember!
 
Leyfy

Leyfy

Active Member
brassneck said:
What I would recommend looking at is a mouthpiece that is (1) comfortable and (2) enables you to do most things with the least amount of effort. The 'Bigger is Better' brigade might be shocked knowing that the likes of Sheona White plays (or did play) on the smallest Wick horn mouthpiece. Doesn't Derrick Kane use a smaller euph. mouthpiece as well (compared to others)? Sometimes it is correct practice that gives the best long term results. This is only my opinion, remember!
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Exactly! I think I could still make a nice sound on a smaller mouthpiece, which will enable me to play higher easier. I have no problems playing for hours on my trumpet in the school jazz band, and reach top notes so much easier and more securely, which frustrates me that I can't on cornet.
 
Richard_Brigg

Richard_Brigg

Member
you shouldn't be looking to play 'high' at the expense of your sound. If you put enough air and support through ANY mouthpiece, all shapes and sizes, you will be able to play in the top register. Look at Roger Websters book, 'PPP' i think it's called. It's very good for this sort of thing.
 
F

Flugelmahorn

Member
brassneck said:
What I would recommend looking at is a mouthpiece that is (1) comfortable and (2) enables you to do most things with the least amount of effort. The 'Bigger is Better' brigade might be shocked knowing that the likes of Sheona White plays (or did play) on the smallest Wick horn mouthpiece. Doesn't Derrick Kane use a smaller euph. mouthpiece as well (compared to others)? Sometimes it is correct practice that gives the best long term results. This is only my opinion, remember!
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Good points though. Everyone is different - different mouthshapes, different dentistry, different ideas of what they want to sound like etc etc. It's a question of what works best for the individual. If a bigger mouthpiece rim or cup works better then great, if it's a smaller one then that's great too. Try out as many different mouthpiece combinations as you can to find out what works best for you.

Incidentally I use a Warburton 2FLX on my flugel and a Wick2BW on my cornet but that's just what feels comfortable and works for me - it's taken me years to realise it!
 
S

sale

Member
i was in exactly the same position. I changed from a 4b Denis wick to a Mccann Mouthpiece which is slightly bigger, i get a better sound out of it but for high notes i struggled up untill a few months ago when its all down to practice to be honest! I was told so sit down for 10 mins and play long low notes (the arben - pg.12 is good for this) and it works. i can now get the high notes and the sound. also i was told that as you get higher make you belly tighter that helps to - my teacher got me to put a belt around my belly so that i could feel myself getting tighter and pushing against the belt, i know it sounds daft but seriously it works. I wont mention the teachers name he was a little embarased about using his technique!lol sos mate
 
S

Sir_Threepwood

Member
I personally know many people (including myself) that simply do not like the Denis Wick mouthpiece and it doesn't suit them well. Personally i could reach a good cornet sound even when changing to a no.3 and even a no.2.

Changing to a Yamaha mouthpiece 16E improved my playing and especially my sound no end, although it was in fact easier to play high notes on that one compared to the DW.

Now, I'm happy with the new "David King" version of that standard Yamaha mouthpiece, but if that's to hard for you to play, I can strongly recommend the 16E or even the 14E.

Many people have reached good results by swapping mouthpiece, so it is definitely not a bad idea to find a mouthpiece you really like, although I agree with other people herein the point out that there are many factors that have an influence on your playing (breathing, and so on)...
 
Leyfy

Leyfy

Active Member
Well, I finally bought a new mouthpiece:

A Denis Wick 5b.

First impressions are that its more in tune on the higher register than the yamaha mouthpiece I was using.

We shall see how I get on at band tonight!
 
Ipswich trom

Ipswich trom

Member
Leyfy said:
Well, I finally bought a new mouthpiece:

A Denis Wick 5b.

First impressions are that its more in tune on the higher register than the yamaha mouthpiece I was using.

We shall see how I get on at band tonight!
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But will it be in tune with the rest of us, or at least some of us lol!
Only joking Kimmi. :biggrin:
 
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