Mouthpieces small and big...
SOP players are always having a difficult time finding the right mpc.
Some say play a large diameter / some say small. Many say get a shallow mpc but not at the expense of tone. Here's some more thoughts.. :lol:
Bottoming out...
Basically the resistance in a smaller / shallower mpc is greater than a bigger / deeper mpc, thereby allowing a level of soundwave feedback to the lip, closing the aperture a little, and enabling the higher harmonics to speak. With a mpc that is deeper, the cup is further away from the lip and therefore there is less feedback.
Small mpc players generally use large bore horns to compensate for the initial blow resistance.
Large mpc players use medium bore horns to compensate for the lack of initial blow resistance.
So often your mpc choice dictates what type of SOP you will end up going for.
eg. if you use a deeper mpc than most then you can use the schilke sop without sounding too thin...and vice versa. You get the idea? :wink:
Continually arguing about whether a Besson is better than a Schilke [please insert your favourites here] is pointless and irrelevant, as often style/mpc/delivery of air/breakfast items have'nt been considered or taken into the equation so as to make an 'accurate' comparison!
As that great icon of the trumpet world "7 of 9" once stated: "Resistance is futile!"
I'm afraid I beg to differ - "Resisting resistance is futile!" would be more accurate.
"Resistance" - we all use/need it, it's just where you decide to introduce it into your game.
At the lips / mpc / leadpipe or INST. bore etc..
People often complain of bottoming out on a shallow mpc, this is where a lip curl plays it's part, and, for the high range player who has a suitable lip curl [in conjunction with other aspects] bottoming out happens a lot less and hopefully not at all when the corner muscles become strong enough that they allow the soft lip centre to do it's [their] job of riding the airstream unhindered by mpc pressure. When experimenting with mpc's, make little changes after long periods of time for maximum results!!
You may notice as your range increases through efficient practice [increased lip vibrations] that you feel the need for smaller and smaller mpc diameters. Using smaller diameters also helps in using less corner tension than a bigger mpc, as the smaller diameter provides more support for the corners. People do worry about losing sound quality and of course it is encumbent upon the player NOT to sacrifice tone, however as you become more and more profficient at producing a very focussed airstream plus a really focussed buzz for the upper register the lip vibrating in the mouthpiece needs different mpc requirements.
Some people when making the transition from a big mpc to a smaller one find the notes cutting off as they go higher. The mistake they make is that normally on their big mpc they are used to going higher by making the aperture smaller by degrees as they ascend, of course on a smaller mpc they do the same thing and end up closing to aperture too soon, cutting off the air and shutting down the aperture totally.
In reality the most efficient way to change your pitch is by increased air speed. To play an octave higher our lip vibrations have to double in speed to the starting point of vibration. For our lips to vibrate at double the speed we have to move the air twice as fast. Not the amount or mass though.
This is where the blowing the candle trick comes in...or out as may be applicable : ) -- Hold a candle out in front of you and blow it out, [Jacoby] now move it farther and farther away.
You will need to blow faster air to blow the candle out each time. Not more, but faster.
The airstream becomes more focussed like a laser beam and this should be done by rolling the tongue slightly forward and raising it, making the oral cavity slightly smaller.
This is how you need to project the air for your higher notes. They are not higher up but farther away from the end of the bell of the horn. When on the horn the slight raising of the tongue should be only used as your concealed secret weapon as you reach the topmost part of your range. You need to use the syllable AAAAA [as opposed to the usual EEEEE] for as long [high] in your register as possible. The tongue is only a little boost for the air, kind of like a skateboard going at speed on the level but when it hits that ramp - Woweee!!. Remember the air and your projection of it using the abs is still ALL important. Increase that abdominal strength to enable you to blow out candles miles away!
REMEMBER - If you are using a shallow mpc for SOP playing make sure that you can also control it in the lower registers too...not all SOP parts just scream out high notes so finding one which will only allow you to play really high is pointless.
You should be able to play ALL of your range, both high and low on ALL of your mpc's. THIS DOES'NT MEAN YOU SHOULD SOUND EXACTLY THE SAME ON ALL YOUR MPC'S! although it is possible to blow a mpc against the style to which it was designed for but what's the point in that?
It's like driving an ecomomy car at full whack up the freeway at 95mph!!! --it'll do it for a while but it was'nt designed for it. It's also like playing screaming high solos on Flugel - stupid!
YOUR HIGH NOTES ON A DEEP MPC SHOULD BE FULLSOME NOT SQUEAKY, .....THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT IF YOU PLAY SOP ON A DEEP MPC, DON'T EXPECT TO PEEL PAINT AND STAY UP THERE ALL DAY !!! USE SOME COMMON SENSE!!!
IF YOU CAN PLAY SOME GOOD TONED 'MEZZOFORTE' high notes ON YOUR DEEP MPC YOU KNOW THAT YOU AREN'T USING YOUR SHALLOW MPC AS A CRUTCH TO GET HIGH NOTES USING EXCESSIVE PRESSURE.
If your going to make a change either way, proceed with small incremental changes and try to avoid making big changes to equipment which can lead directly to bad habits forming! The correct mpc will help you to gain the right sound for the style in which you are playing, however try to avoid [using as your norm] extreme mpc's. This will help you avoid extreme lip problems! And just in case anyone still wonders about this "old chestnut" - mpc placement, put it where it's most comfortable and sounds good, but always be aware that the more you stray away from 50/50 center the more POSSIBLE problems you MAY encounter.
Did he say to place the mpc 50/50 center? ---NO! .. put it where it's most comfortable and sounds good, but always be aware...
......your physiology may preclude the use of extreme sizes of mpc's as also may the quality [vibratory] of the lip tissue that 'your' God gave 'you'! :lol:
