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Re: [OM] IMG: 80-Year-Old Trumpet Returns

Subject: Re: [OM] IMG: 80-Year-Old Trumpet Returns
From: "Jim Nichols" <jhnichols@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:00:21 -0600
Hi Ken,

I went through a similar process with the woodwinds.  I started with the 
alto sax, a used "Silvertone" from Sears. During the WWII years, instruments 
were hard to get. I finally got a slightly better one, also used.  Then I 
started looking at mouthpieces.  I went to the Brilhart line, where you had 
to choose the lay and opening desired.  I found that the more open 
mouthpieces gave more volume and tone, but were harder to control. For 
students, I found that the mid-range designs were much better until the lip 
is well developed.

In college, I bought a Bob Dukof "pro" mouthpiece for the alto. Great tone 
and volume, but, again difficult to control.

When the college band needed a bassoon for concert season, I was recruited 
to fill that role.  That was a real challenge.  Versatility has its place, 
but I was never outstanding on any instrument.

Did I mention the oboe..........

Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ken Norton" <ken@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Olympus Camera Discussion" <olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, November 25, 2009 11:44 AM
Subject: Re: [OM] IMG: 80-Year-Old Trumpet Returns


> Speaking of...
>
> Back years ago when I played the french horn, I bought a custom mouthpiece
> by Neil Sanders.  It's a customized wide-rim 17M for the french horn. Most
> wonderful.  Expensive at the time, that's for sure. I delivered a lot of
> newspapers to buy that thing. My older sister plays french horn
> professionally and she also has a couple of them which are slightly
> customized for different purposes.
>
> Well, one of my daughters is playing the french horn now and occasionally
> she forgets to bring her standard-fare mouthpiece home from school. (the
> school has horns for use at school and she has one at home so she doesn't
> need to tote the thing back and forth every day).
>
> Well, it doesn't happen often that she leaves her mouthpiece at school, 
> but
> when she does, she borrows my old mouthpiece.
>
> I was simply amazed and reminded why I bought the thing.
>
> 1. High notes. You can play over an entire octave higher without ripping
> your lips open. Low notes are more difficult to get, but altogether, my
> range increased by 1.5 octaves with the mouthpiece. Not an insignificant
> improvement!
>
> 2. Purer tone. It's much easier to hold a note without drift and all notes
> within your range have similar sound with less variability
>
> 3. Slight increase in backpressure. Reduces air flow. I set a school 
> record
> by holding a single note for over two and a half minutes.
>
> 4. Less fatiguing. It's easier to practice much longer.
>
> The problem with the mouthpiece is that it is nearly impossible to march
> with--besides, it's probably smarter to go to the plastic mouthpieces 
> anyway
> so you do break teeth or freeze your lips off when it's cold.
>
> I'm wondering how long should she wait until she converts over to using my
> mouthpiece?  I bought mine four years after starting playing and never had 
> a
> single regret about it. She's in her second year of playing now. When we
> hear her practice with the mouthpiece, every advantage listed above is
> instantly revealed. The difference is night and day. She enjoys using it, 
> I
> know. But I'm also aware of the years it takes to build a strong 
> embouchure
> and I don't want to shortchange that process by going to a high-end,
> hot-rodded mouthpiece instead of forcing the lip development on the junk
> mouthpiece.
>
> I have not spoken to her band teacher/director yet--I know I need to, but
> I'm not sure when to broach the subject.
>
> AG
> -- 
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> 


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