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Jeff’s
guide to brass mouthpieces
Or: what do all those numbers and letters mean?
Cup size: This refers to the profile of the cup.
In Bach mouthpieces, the same cup (designated with a letter) with
a larger number will give a “shallower” cup (i.e. the
depth) with a smaller rim diameter. Eg: 1½C will be deeper
than 7C and have a larger inner rim diameter. 12C will be very shallow
with a small inner rim diameter. The B, D & V cups have a different
profile for different tonal qualities and ease of note production.
Deep for classical and a rich low register, shallow for clarity
and screaming high lead notes in a big band, most people use something
in between.
Rim diameter: This determines how much of the
lips are free to vibrate and thus produce the sound, hence a larger
inner diameter uses more of the lips.
Rim thickness: the thickness of the area of the
mouthpiece in contact with the lips. Comfort, tone and ease of tone
production are affected by this. The wider rim gives greater comfort
and endurance, but less flexibility, making larger intervals a little
more difficult to play. A very narrow rim gives the feeling of “cutting”
into the lips, so less pressure can be applied. Again, most players
use something in between.
Bore: The hole leading from the cup to the shank
of the mouthpiece, the size of which gives greater or lesser feeling
of resistance to the air being blown into the instrument. A larger
bore hole gives the player a “big” sound but less endurance.
(More air going through per second tires the lips more.)
Backbore: The interior dimensions of the shank,
usually a conical shape getting larger as it nears the main body
of the trumpet. Again this affects the tone and the feeling of resistance.
Gap: Basically, how far the mouthpiece sticks
into the lead pipe. Each instrument will have an optimum gap size
for which it has been designed to play the most in tune and with
the best tone. Often overlooked but usually the most vital dimensions
on the mouthpiece are the external diameter and taper of the shank,
which determine the gap size on a particular horn.
With all these variables, not to mention the variety of lip, tooth
and other physiological features of musicians, it is vital to match
the mouthpiece to not only the player, but also to the instrument
and the style of music being played. Get something that works well
for you, without worrying too much about which mouthpiece Dizzy
or Dokschidzer used.
To enquire about anything on this page please
feel free to
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