Re: shallow m.p./large tuba?


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Posted by Jay Bertolet on March 10, 2003 at 18:26:32:

In Reply to: shallow m.p./large tuba? posted by tubagrow on March 10, 2003 at 14:43:17:

When I first received my Nirschl 6/4, I started trying a large number of mouthpieces with it. Among them was a wonderful 69C4 that Joe S. sent me (thanks Joe!). For me and my horn, the 69C4 didn't really work. My experience in this matter has kind of gravitated to a simple conclusion: use as small a mouthpiece as you can on the big tuba. By small, I mean one that still produces the sound you want (in all registers) without going over or under the top in any one register (especially the low range). I found that larger mouthpieces make the 6/4 tubas sound really great (generally) but also yield some pretty awful intonation as well as making technical and high range playing next to impossible. For me and my Nirschl, the opposite line was crossed with the 69C4. Also the Conn 7B. Both of those mouthpieces were too small for my setup, especially hampering the low range. I currently use a Laskey 30H and this is a really nice match for me and my horn. I have also fooled around with the smaller 30F (which I regularly use with my Willson Eb) and that works very nicely as well, without producing the really large volume of sound I get with the 30H.

I think all of this springs from a truism about the 6/4 type horns. Everything is about control. The great players I've heard using these horns are the ones who know how to put an absolutely clean, pure signal into the mouthpiece (without forcing) and then let the big tubing do the rest of the work. Using this approach, combined with a mouthpiece that is efficient and allows for good sound production, can be a very effective combination for large ensemble playing. Surprisingly, it isn't much work to produce some pretty loud sounds. I know that Jacobs used a large variety of mouthpieces with his Yorks (or so I've been told) and it obviously worked for him. My approach has been more to find a really good mouthpiece match for each horn I use, to get the best sound from each tuba. Where he tended to switch mouthpieces for different sounds, I tend to switch instruments. Obviously, his way was a lot cheaper!

I can tell you that most of the bowl shaped mouthpieces I've tried with my 6/4 horn didn't work very well. For some reason, the Helleberg style mouthpieces (funnel shaped) seem to work better with the big front action, 6/4 horns. My guess is that this has something to do with the very short leadpipe you usually have on those horns but that is sheer speculation on my part. I will tell you that you shouldn't be afraid to try different mouthpieces out to find the combination that works best for you. I ended up with the Laskey only because Warren Deck guessed it might be a nice match. He hadn't even tried one himself when he suggested it to me.

Good luck to you!

My opinion for what it's worth...


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