Brass Mouthpieces - An Introduction
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About this Guide
The choice of mouthpiece is critical for any brass player, as it can have a huge impact on their playing. There are a range of factors to take into consideration when choosing a mouthpiece, such as how experienced the player is, the size and shape of their mouth, and the styles of music they like to play.
Correspondingly, there is a wide range of mouthpieces available to choose from, with variations in cup depth, rim diameter, shank size and material all affecting the tone and playability in different ways. This short guide is designed to help you understand the important features of brass mouthpieces – and hopefully to find the perfect one for your needs!
Mouthpieces for Beginners
Most new student instruments will be supplied with the manufacturer’s own mouthpiece. However, the mouthpiece supplied with the instrument may not always be the best option for a beginner, in which case – if you are having lessons – your teacher may advise you to buy a more suitable one.
Generally, a good student mouthpiece will be designed to produce a full tone easily in the lower and middle registers; a popular example for the trumpet is the Vincent Bach 7C and for the cornet, the Denis Wick 4B, both of which feature a medium depth cup, making them a good all-round choice for the beginner.
As players become more experienced, they will want to use more of the instrument's range, and may choose a mouthpiece which helps produce a better tone in the middle and upper registers, as they no longer need help to produce a good tone in the lower register.
Features of Brass Mouthpieces
The numbering system for brass mouthpieces varies slightly between the different manufacturers – for example a Denis Wick 4BS trombone mouthpiece would be equivalent to a Vincent Bach 4, or a Schilke 52. Fortunately, Denis Wick’s mouthpiece chart shows the most popular alternatives to most of their models, and this is a good place to start if you are thinking about buying a new mouthpiece.
With the exception of the French Horn (which is slightly different), the mouthpieces of all brass instruments share the following common characteristics:
Rim
The rim is the section of the mouthpiece in direct contact with the player’s mouth. Manufacturers will usually use one of the following terms to describe the shape and contour of a mouthpiece rim:
- Wide: Increases endurance and offers a comfortable position
- Narrow: Improves flexibility
- Round: Improves comfort
- Sharp: Increases precision of attack
In addition, manufacturers may also specify the width of the rim in mm.
Cup Depth
Measured in millimetres, cup depth is described in stages starting with the shallowest through to the deepest. Generally speaking, student players will use a medium cup as this ideal for all-round playing.
- Shallow: Brightens tone, and improves projection and response, particularly in the higher register – ideal for soloists
- Medium: Responsive and “free-blowing”, with easy playability across all registers – the best option for beginners
- Deep: Produces a richer, darker tone, especially in the lower register
Throat
The throat is the opening at the back of the cup, where the air travels through into the instrument. Most standard size mouthpieces have a medium throat, which will be fine for the vast majority of players. Varying the size of the throat tends to have the following effects:
- Larger: Allows the player to put more air through their instrument- making it feel freer blowing’. This in turn affects volume, tone and sharpens the high register (largest sizes also sharpen low register).
- Smaller: Increases resistance, endurance, brilliance; flattens high register.
Backbore
The backbore is the interior of the long shank – the part of the mouthpiece which fits inside the instrument itself.
In general, manufacturers will select the size and shape of the backbore to complement the cup size and rim diameter of their mouthpieces. The vast majority of players will tend to focus on the cup and rim when choosing a new mouthpiece, rather than the backbore. However, for those who would like further information, the Vincent Bach Mouthpiece Manual has an excellent overview of the subject.