Trumpet Mouthpieces

College Trumpet/Horn Methods

Kenny Piatt

Trumpet mouthpieces come in many shapes and sizes

A mouthpiece will help you to play very beautifully….

Or to play very HIGH!

There are many mouthpiece makers

• Bach• Schilke• Yamaha• Monette• Bob Reeves• Jet-Tone• Blessing

to name a few

There are many parts to a mouthpiece

Inner Rim Diameter• The inner rim

diameter is one of the most important parts of a mouthpiece

• A smaller diameter allows for easier upper register playing, while with a larger diameter volume and darkness of tone increases

Rim Contour• Because the rim is

where the lips contact the mouthpiece the most, rim contour is very important

• Contour can be flat or curved, but most players prefer flat because it allows for a clearer attack and easier flexibility

Rim Thickness• Rim thickness can

be wide or narrow

• A thick rim is used for players with thicker lips, but it reduces flexibilty

• A thin rim offers greater flexibility, but decreases endurance

Rim Bite• Rim bite can be

sharp or soft

• A sharp bite can offer cleaner attack, but if it is too sharp can limit flexibility

• A soft bite will be more comfortable at expense of a clean attack

Cup depth• Cup depth is very

important, and preference depends on the player

• A shallow cup allows for ease of upper register, but the player can “ bottom out” and tire quickly

• A deep cup offers a big, dark tone, but upper register is more difficult

Throat Diameter• The throat diameter

can be long and narrow, or short and wide

• A long, narrow throat provides high resistance, fast response, and easy high register

• A short, wide throat requires a lot of air, but results in a large open tone

Backbore• The backbore

follows the throat, and affects pitch, timbre, and resistance

• Like the throat, a narrow backbore results in bright tone, more resistance, and upper register ease, and a larger backbore increases darkness of tone

Weight• Some

manufacturers add more weight, or mass to the mouthpiece. This is supposed to darken and stabilize the sound

Get out a sheet of paper and label the

mouthpiece parts!