Guide to Brass Mouthpieces
Have you ever found yourself confused by all the different numbers and letters used to size mouthpieces? Overwhelmed by all the different options?
Hey, I just want a mouthpiece that lets me play high and loud - what gives?
Here's our attempt at dispelling a bit of the mystery surrounding all those mouthpieces available today.
Contents:
All brass mouthpieces, from cornet to tuba, have a few basic traits that can be measured and compared. Once you understand these characteristics and how they relate to the sound and feel of a mouthpiece, you can begin to zero in on the correct size for you.
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Brass Mouthpiece Anatomy
A - Cup Diameter
B - Cup Depth and Shape
C - Rim Width and Shape
D - Backbore |
A - Cup Diameter
This is the single most commonly measured characteristic of a mouthpiece. In general, a large diameter cup allows a very full sound, especially in the lower registers; a smaller diameter cup may make higher notes easier to play while sacrificing tone quality. Young players are often steered towards mouthpieces with small cups because they produce a sound easier. However, beginners that start on larger mouthpieces tend to develop more strength in their embouchure - a definite plus down the road!
B - Cup Depth and Shape
The depth of the cup goes hand in hand with its diameter - a deep cup produces a large, dark sound, while a shallow cup makes it easier to play in the high register. The exact shape of the cup can also have a dramatic effect on the sound and feel of the mouthpiece - some custom mouthpiece designs have a nearly 'V' shaped cup which allows a tremendous volume of air without losing focus.
C - Rim Width and Shape
The cut of the rim affects the player's flexibility and endurance. A narrow, sharp rim will allow quick note changes and clear attacks, but may cause the musician to tire very quickly. A wide, rounded rim will help endurance, but clarity and flexibility will suffer.
D - Backbore
The backbore of a mouthpiece controls both the resistance and tone of a mouthpiece. A tight, narrow backbore will produce a brilliant, cutting sound with a large amount of resistance; a large, open backbore will be more mellow and free-blowing. In some circumstances, the backbore can alter the entire instrument's intonation - a possible fix for a problem horn.
These, of course, are just general ideas of what the different parts of a mouthpiece do. There is NO substitution for actually playing the different sizes and options available - there is no universally perfect mouthpiece!
3C . . . . 14A4a . . . . 5GW
Just what the heck to all those numbers and letters mean? To answer that question, you first have to know what brand of mouthpiece you have. Different manufacturers have completely different methods of sizing their mouthpieces; this can make things extremely complicated. To help avoid confusion, we'll only go in depth on the two most common methods of sizing mouthpieces today.
This is probably the most widely used measuring system today. Besides Bach, this method is used by Blessing, Conn, King, Getzen, and many others. The Bach system has three separate components - a number representing the cup diameter, a letter designating the cup depth, and an optional letter for rim shape.
The number designating cup diameter starts large and gets small - in other words, smaller numbers mean larger diameters while larger numbers mean smaller diameters. For example, a standard Bach 3C trumpet mouthpiece has an approximate cup diameter of 16.3mm, while the smaller 7C is only 16.2mm. One tenth of a millimeter may not seem like much, but it can mean a world of difference to your lips!
The letter for cup depth also starts large and gets small - an 'A' cup is extremely deep, while an 'E' cup is very shallow. A mouthpiece with no letter, such as a trombone 12, has a standard cup sized somewhere between an 'A' and a 'B'.
Bach mouthpieces occasionally will have an additional 'W' at the end to designate an extra-wide cushion rim. A trumpet 10½EW has a very small, shallow cup with a wide rim - a good mouthpiece for a lead player with weak lips that tire easily.
So to recap, a Bach trumpet mouthpiece 1C has a large cup with a medium depth, while a 7A is narrower but deeper. All Bach and Bach-style mouthpieces follow this same basic method, whether for Tuba, Trombone, French Horn, or Cornet.(One note - the numbers recycle for Trombone and Tuba mouthpieces. A Bass Trombone 1G does NOT have the same diameter cup as a trumpet 1!)
The other most commonly used numbering system was developed by Renold Schilke, and is found on both Schilke and Yamaha mouthpieces today. It has 4 components - a number for cup diameter, a letter for cup depth, another number for rim shape, and another letter for backbore.
The Schilke system measures the diameter of the cup in exactly the opposite fashion of the Bach system. In other words, for Schilke mouthpieces, a 22 is much larger than, say, a 5. Although Schilke's numbers do not overlap between the different instruments, they also do not necessarily stay in exact order. For instance, a French Horn 27 is narrower than a Trumpet 11.
The first letter designates cup depth, and again is exactly the opposite of the Bach system. An 'A' is shallow, while an 'E' is deep. Note that if no letter is specified, the standard 'C' cup is used.
The second number refers to the rim contour, with a '1' being very rounded and a '5' being very flat. Again, if no number is specified the number '3' standard rim is used.
The last letter (in lowercase) refers to the shape of the backbore. An 'a' bore is quite tight and narrow, while an 'e' is large and open. As usual, no letter means the standard 'c' bore was used.
Got all that? It's really not as bad as it sounds. For example, a trumpet 14A4a has a moderately wide diameter (14), a very shallow cup (A), a semi-flat rim (4), and a tight backbore (a); a 22 has a large diameter, a standard 'C' depth, a standard '3' rim, and a standard 'c' backbore.
Several other manufacturers have added their own personal numbering systems to the mix, making things very confusing for the un-initiated. Notable brands include Monette, Marcinkiewicz, and Dennis Wick, to name a few.
Luckily, most mouthpiece makers provide some form of reference literature giving approximate size comparisons to either the Bach or Schilke system, or at the very least a guide to specific measurements of cup diameter, cup depth, backbore taper, and so on. As you can tell, there currently is no industry standard for mouthpiece measurements, and there isn't likely to be one any time soon. However, with a little knowledge and a lot of patience, you too can figure out just what all those numbers and letters really mean!
I have a Bach trumpet - do I have to use a Bach mouthpiece?
No! Very few things about musical instruments can be considered industry standards, but luckily mouthpiece receivers are pretty universal. Every now and then we'll run across a unique case, but 99% of the instruments out there today will take any standard mouthpiece by any manufacturer.
The one place to be cautious is with certain trombones and baritones. There are two different types of trombone/baritone mouthpieces - small bore and large bore (or tenor shank and bass shank). Typically, baritones and straight tenor trombones will take the small shank mouthpiece, while euphoniums and bass trombones take the large, but there is some overlap with large bore tenor trombones. If in doubt, be sure to take the instrument you're buying the mouthpiece for along with you - just in case...
My mouthpiece looks like a 'U', but my friend's looks like a 'V'. Which one is better?
Neither one is better or worse. Different manufacturers cut the outside of the mouthpiece to identify themselves differently. It's the cut on the INSIDE that really counts!
If I get my mouthpiece gold plated, will it sound different?
Probably not. Gold plating leaves an extremely thin layer of gold on top of the silver - this is usually far too little material to have any effect on the way the mouthpiece plays. Gold plating is usually done either for purely cosmetic reasons, or for those unlucky souls who are allergic to silver.
My mouthpiece is stuck. How do I get it out?
If your mouthpiece does not come out with moderate force by hand, our best advice is to either use a mouthpiece puller specifically designed to free stuck mouthpieces or to take the instrument to a qualified repair technician. Under NO circumstances should you use pliers, wrenches, hammers, or the like - you run the risk of doing extremely serious damage to both your mouthpiece and your horn!
If you don't have a puller or a repair shop handy, here are two tricks that might work (not guaranteed, but give 'em a shot)
- Dip the stuck mouthpiece and the first inch or so of the leadpipe under icy water for several seconds. The cold may make the metal contract and loosen up enough to free the mouthpiece.
- Put a drop or two of valve oil at the point where the mouthpiece enters the instrument, then GENTLY tap the mouthpiece from the side for several minutes. The vibrations from tapping may allow the oil to work its way deeply enough to loosen the joint.
If neither of these tricks works for you, please have a technician pull the mouthpiece. We'd hate to see your leadpipe twisted into a corkscrew - it's not a pretty sight!
I want something that lets me play high and loud - any suggestions?
Yes - Practice! A shallow mouthpiece with a narrow neck and backbore may make it easier to squeak out those high notes, but the only way to really sound good in the upper register is to build your chops. Some of the greatest players that ever lived used extremely large, deep mouthpieces; their only secret was having practiced so often for so long that their lips could do anything they asked of them. There's no magic mouthpiece that can ever replace months and years of hard work.
We hope we've been able to dispell at least
some of the mysteries about brass mouthpieces.
For more detalied information, see your local music dealer
or find a copy of the Bach Mouthpiece Guide or Schilke
mouthpiece catalog. Of course, you're always
welcome to send us your questions!
