Nicely done. This is lovely content and I salute you for trying to keep your chops together while having a day job. Those of us who do it for a living have a hard enough time doing the same. Bravo.
Your comment is both kind and insightful; thank you. I will say the reverse is true in one way; if I have a chop problem - no biggie. But if full time players develop a problem it can be a huge calamity. :) Continued best wishes - and again - thank you for your kind comment.
@@JonathanMilam1 Injuries occur far more often than reported or commonly known. There lingers a culture of macho, tough it out make it work attitude. However, the realities of balancing work at this level requires a deep knowledge of the physicalities involved.
Nice demo and insights, Jonathan. It sure is a little annoying that “C” doesn’t mean the same thing across (a) different diameters and (b) different eras of manufacture in Bach’s lineup. What I heard from listening to your samples back to back (granted, somewhat subjective) was what I expected to-the “shallower” C cups (those being the 3 and 1-1/2) did indeed sound a bit bigger but had a bit more front to the notes and more concentration in the higher frequencies despite being “bigger.” You sound most at home on the 7C, but that is likely because I also tend to prefer the sound of deeper cups, as the 7C pretty clearly had in comparison to the others. I am an “A” guy myself-my main piece is a one-off Megatone 1-1/2A I found used six years ago and fell in love with. I’ve used it so much that I more or less can’t play anything else for long, although a GR 67M doesn’t hurt for lead. I’ve been in the process of trying Bach’s other more common “A” cups. The 5A does indeed feel reasonably like what 8mm used to, because as Gordon pointed out, Bach 1-1/2 and 5 diameters seem to share a certain closeness. Probably the rim shape of the 5 being a little sharper and lending itself to a wider-feeling ID even if nominally it should be a little smaller. With that said, however, the modern variant of the 7A, with Bach’s sharper new contour, is also quite the draw for me, as it is also quite a bit deeper than the other A’s. The corporation-era 7A, meanwhile, still has that depth I like, but the rim is too “comfy” and wide! The main issue is that the rim being less sharp really does affect the feel of the ID, and so older Bach 5 and 7 sizes tend to feel tighter for me.
Excellent comments, thank you, Samuel. I don't usually play Bach pieces much, probably because the 7 rim is not comfortable. I do have a straight 7 that I do like though, and a Bach Mt Vernon 7C that isn't bad. I like a bit shallower than a C, as I'm not a power player. Still - very, very good comments - thank you for posting. :)
I also mostly play with a practice mute so I don't disturb my neighbours. Going to band practice and playing without the mute always feels really nice. I spent most of this year playing a 1.25C 24/24, but I think it has done more harm than good so I have been trying other options. First I went to the Yamaha 16C4, then the Yamaha Shew Jazz, and now the Yamaha 11B4. It has been an educational journey as I have found myself playing better on a slightly shallower cup depth. I have a 3C coming in next week which I'm looking forward to trying as it might be what I'm currently looking for.
Interesting stuff. ^^ Mouthpieces; the more I think I know about them, the more surprised I can be. I've got a Monette BLM Prana that is probably about 10 years old. It's just what I used to think I could never use; it's quite shallow. It does have a pretty large throat though, and also a pretty open drill, about a 22. I think it sounds surprisingly well - but a bit unpleasant in the very low range, under low C to our lowest G. But from low C and up - it's impressive. Frankly, it sounds quite a bit like a GR64MX (medium cup, a bit extra depth) which has a standard 27 drill and a cup about as deep as a 3C but a bit more of a V'ish shape. The biggest difference is that the GR sounds more full in very low range. But it does shock me just how similar the two sound in most of their range. Also, I think the Monette is easier to tune in potentially problem notes, like the D and E in staff. Not sure why, but that's a claim of Monette and I think it's accurate. Anyway, good luck with the 3C; it's probably the most common piece in advanced play in the US. And thanks for commenting!
You're welcome Jonathan! Thanks for making these thoughtful and interesting videos for us to watch. I have a Schilke 14A4a and Yamaha 11A4. I could never really make the Schilke work but the Yamaha gives a pretty nice sound in my opinion, kinda sparkly and light and it needs a certain finesse to get the most out of it. Definitely not something for screaming lead lines, but it may be a good piccolo choice. Definitely looking forward to putting the 3C through its paces. I generally get along well with Bach pieces and wanted a nice dependable all-rounder.
I think you should add the 10.5C to the list. This beautifully playing mp is just right for many people, with a very nice comfy rim, a hair smaller diameter and a timbre that fits just about any music, but they'll never know because the horn comes with a 7C and then you are supposed to progress to bigger sizes.
You are quite right. I have a few 10.5 C's laying around. The only thing is, these days (for whatever reason), I can go larger for mouthpieces (I use the equivalent of a 7 rim) but I really have problems going smaller. And there's no way I can go smaller AND larger in one vid. My lips just won't work that way. :) But I do agree; Mendez essentially used a 10.5 - and what a gorgeous sound! Great comment - thanks for posting.
A very interesting video Jonathan. Interestingly if you take a Bach 5B or 5C and cut it for screw rims it interfaces perfectly with a 1.5C rim. This is a popular mouthpiece with some American orchestral players, especially with a bigger throat. I have the misfortune to have massive lips so I tend to be on very large mouthpieces just to get them to vibrate, but when I am warmed up I can play on anything for a short period. I used to use a JetTone MF mouthpiece for lead playing but I recently switched to a Wick 4X, which is much more conventional. The smallest regular size I have used was the 18 months I played on the Horn Trader mouthpieces. They are about .640 but feel bigger because of the rim. I used them when I was going through multiple dental implant procedures and they allowed me to get back to playing quicker after the 4-6 weeks off the horn. I am considering going back to them because I am retiring in the summer and will be spending a lot of time in the US and Canada visiting family.
Gordon, thanks (as always) for contributing great info. :) If you are anywhere near Charleston, South Carolina, when you visit the US - please do let me know. It would be great to get together, and Charleston is a lovely place to visit. We're within 15 miles of the ocean and there is great history here. We even have an extra bedroom for special visitors (and you would certainly qualify!). Do keep in touch!
I have to say, the search for a good mouthpiece that plays well, fits our chops, and is comfortable is NOT an easy search at all. Good luck!!! :) I will say that I've bought a lot of used mouthpieces at Ebay and Trumpetherald.com. It's much easier at less than new prices. :)
@@TKO67 The 7 rim is my size, but the rim is way too sharp and the cup is way too deep. Otherwise, it's fine (little sarcasm). I usually play GR pieces, and the GR64MS is hard to beat. I'm also working on a Monette Prana; these are, to me, much more enjoyable than the Bach's. Mouthpieces: always informative and interesting. :)
Weird question here... I got a Shofar (an animal horn used to announce certain Jewish holidays) I can't get a decent tone out of it. Do you think sticking a trumpet mouthpiece in the aperture would help me out? It opens up about 10mm or so which looks like about the size of most of the trumpet mouthpieces I see for sale.
Not weird at all. :) I think I've seen Phil Driscoll play a shofar with a mouthpiece. I think it would DEFINITELY make playing it easier. I'd go into a local music store with your shofar, see what fits (trumpet and cornet and flugelhorn mouthpieces are all similar but the shank is sized differently. Where a trumpet mouthpiece might not be a great fit - a cornet mouthpiece (smaller) may work well. You'll also be able to tell right away if the difference is positive. :) Good luck - and report back, please! :)
@@JonathanMilam1 Thanks for the advice! I found a video that shows you how to do it and I got a tone out of it. It's harder than it looks and needs a bit of technique. You horn players make it look easy! Looking at my well made shofar, I can see the aperture looks a lot like horn mouth pieces I was considering, just not as circular.
Nicely done. This is lovely content and I salute you for trying to keep your chops together while having a day job. Those of us who do it for a living have a hard enough time doing the same. Bravo.
Your comment is both kind and insightful; thank you. I will say the reverse is true in one way; if I have a chop problem - no biggie. But if full time players develop a problem it can be a huge calamity. :) Continued best wishes - and again - thank you for your kind comment.
@@JonathanMilam1 Injuries occur far more often than reported or commonly known. There lingers a culture of macho, tough it out make it work attitude. However, the realities of balancing work at this level requires a deep knowledge of the physicalities involved.
Nice demo and insights, Jonathan. It sure is a little annoying that “C” doesn’t mean the same thing across (a) different diameters and (b) different eras of manufacture in Bach’s lineup. What I heard from listening to your samples back to back (granted, somewhat subjective) was what I expected to-the “shallower” C cups (those being the 3 and 1-1/2) did indeed sound a bit bigger but had a bit more front to the notes and more concentration in the higher frequencies despite being “bigger.” You sound most at home on the 7C, but that is likely because I also tend to prefer the sound of deeper cups, as the 7C pretty clearly had in comparison to the others.
I am an “A” guy myself-my main piece is a one-off Megatone 1-1/2A I found used six years ago and fell in love with. I’ve used it so much that I more or less can’t play anything else for long, although a GR 67M doesn’t hurt for lead. I’ve been in the process of trying Bach’s other more common “A” cups. The 5A does indeed feel reasonably like what 8mm used to, because as Gordon pointed out, Bach 1-1/2 and 5 diameters seem to share a certain closeness. Probably the rim shape of the 5 being a little sharper and lending itself to a wider-feeling ID even if nominally it should be a little smaller. With that said, however, the modern variant of the 7A, with Bach’s sharper new contour, is also quite the draw for me, as it is also quite a bit deeper than the other A’s. The corporation-era 7A, meanwhile, still has that depth I like, but the rim is too “comfy” and wide! The main issue is that the rim being less sharp really does affect the feel of the ID, and so older Bach 5 and 7 sizes tend to feel tighter for me.
Excellent comments, thank you, Samuel. I don't usually play Bach pieces much, probably because the 7 rim is not comfortable. I do have a straight 7 that I do like though, and a Bach Mt Vernon 7C that isn't bad. I like a bit shallower than a C, as I'm not a power player. Still - very, very good comments - thank you for posting. :)
I also mostly play with a practice mute so I don't disturb my neighbours. Going to band practice and playing without the mute always feels really nice.
I spent most of this year playing a 1.25C 24/24, but I think it has done more harm than good so I have been trying other options. First I went to the Yamaha 16C4, then the Yamaha Shew Jazz, and now the Yamaha 11B4. It has been an educational journey as I have found myself playing better on a slightly shallower cup depth. I have a 3C coming in next week which I'm looking forward to trying as it might be what I'm currently looking for.
Interesting stuff. ^^ Mouthpieces; the more I think I know about them, the more surprised I can be. I've got a Monette BLM Prana that is probably about 10 years old. It's just what I used to think I could never use; it's quite shallow. It does have a pretty large throat though, and also a pretty open drill, about a 22. I think it sounds surprisingly well - but a bit unpleasant in the very low range, under low C to our lowest G. But from low C and up - it's impressive. Frankly, it sounds quite a bit like a GR64MX (medium cup, a bit extra depth) which has a standard 27 drill and a cup about as deep as a 3C but a bit more of a V'ish shape. The biggest difference is that the GR sounds more full in very low range. But it does shock me just how similar the two sound in most of their range. Also, I think the Monette is easier to tune in potentially problem notes, like the D and E in staff. Not sure why, but that's a claim of Monette and I think it's accurate. Anyway, good luck with the 3C; it's probably the most common piece in advanced play in the US. And thanks for commenting!
You're welcome Jonathan! Thanks for making these thoughtful and interesting videos for us to watch.
I have a Schilke 14A4a and Yamaha 11A4. I could never really make the Schilke work but the Yamaha gives a pretty nice sound in my opinion, kinda sparkly and light and it needs a certain finesse to get the most out of it. Definitely not something for screaming lead lines, but it may be a good piccolo choice.
Definitely looking forward to putting the 3C through its paces. I generally get along well with Bach pieces and wanted a nice dependable all-rounder.
I think you should add the 10.5C to the list. This beautifully playing mp is just right for many people, with a very nice comfy rim, a hair smaller diameter and a timbre that fits just about any music, but they'll never know because the horn comes with a 7C and then you are supposed to progress to bigger sizes.
You are quite right. I have a few 10.5 C's laying around. The only thing is, these days (for whatever reason), I can go larger for mouthpieces (I use the equivalent of a 7 rim) but I really have problems going smaller. And there's no way I can go smaller AND larger in one vid. My lips just won't work that way. :) But I do agree; Mendez essentially used a 10.5 - and what a gorgeous sound! Great comment - thanks for posting.
Jack Sheldon and Carl Saunders played 10.5Cs.
@@JonathanMilam1 Yeah, you have to warm up on the smallest of the bunch. Generally how that works.
another great video. very interesting
This was a struggle. :) I haven't played anything larger than a Bach 5 in many years. But it turned out ok! :) Thank you for commenting.
A very interesting video Jonathan.
Interestingly if you take a Bach 5B or 5C and cut it for screw rims it interfaces perfectly with a 1.5C rim. This is a popular mouthpiece with some American orchestral players, especially with a bigger throat.
I have the misfortune to have massive lips so I tend to be on very large mouthpieces just to get them to vibrate, but when I am warmed up I can play on anything for a short period. I used to use a JetTone MF mouthpiece for lead playing but I recently switched to a Wick 4X, which is much more conventional. The smallest regular size I have used was the 18 months I played on the Horn Trader mouthpieces. They are about .640 but feel bigger because of the rim. I used them when I was going through multiple dental implant procedures and they allowed me to get back to playing quicker after the 4-6 weeks off the horn. I am considering going back to them because I am retiring in the summer and will be spending a lot of time in the US and Canada visiting family.
Gordon, thanks (as always) for contributing great info. :) If you are anywhere near Charleston, South Carolina, when you visit the US - please do let me know. It would be great to get together, and Charleston is a lovely place to visit. We're within 15 miles of the ocean and there is great history here. We even have an extra bedroom for special visitors (and you would certainly qualify!). Do keep in touch!
@@JonathanMilam1 I will let you know! We do need to go to New Orleans after San Antonio so we may decide to keep going north and do more of a tour.
I wish I had run into this video earlier, earlier as in yesterday but before buying 5 mouthpieces in this exact objectif....
I have to say, the search for a good mouthpiece that plays well, fits our chops, and is comfortable is NOT an easy search at all. Good luck!!! :) I will say that I've bought a lot of used mouthpieces at Ebay and Trumpetherald.com. It's much easier at less than new prices. :)
Which one worked best for you ?
@@TKO67 The 7 rim is my size, but the rim is way too sharp and the cup is way too deep. Otherwise, it's fine (little sarcasm). I usually play GR pieces, and the GR64MS is hard to beat. I'm also working on a Monette Prana; these are, to me, much more enjoyable than the Bach's. Mouthpieces: always informative and interesting. :)
Jonathan have you tried a Bach E series?
Hey, Chris. I never have. I've played a ton of C's, B's, and No Letter (just the 7, 1, etc.) I've never held an A, D or E of any size.
I play an old MV 6C. Its rim is the best Bach rim I've ever played.
A 6 is a bit big for me, but the 7 Mt. Vernon I have is MUCH more comfortable than the more recent 7 rims. Thanks for commenting, Allin!
Weird question here... I got a Shofar (an animal horn used to announce certain Jewish holidays) I can't get a decent tone out of it. Do you think sticking a trumpet mouthpiece in the aperture would help me out? It opens up about 10mm or so which looks like about the size of most of the trumpet mouthpieces I see for sale.
Not weird at all. :) I think I've seen Phil Driscoll play a shofar with a mouthpiece. I think it would DEFINITELY make playing it easier. I'd go into a local music store with your shofar, see what fits (trumpet and cornet and flugelhorn mouthpieces are all similar but the shank is sized differently. Where a trumpet mouthpiece might not be a great fit - a cornet mouthpiece (smaller) may work well. You'll also be able to tell right away if the difference is positive. :) Good luck - and report back, please! :)
@@JonathanMilam1 Thanks for the advice! I found a video that shows you how to do it and I got a tone out of it. It's harder than it looks and needs a bit of technique. You horn players make it look easy! Looking at my well made shofar, I can see the aperture looks a lot like horn mouth pieces I was considering, just not as circular.