An open ended question...

[G_Bass]

I AM a big fan of matched horns, though. The tuning advantages alone are enough to convince me.

I agree. Tuning issues will be nominal with a matched hornline (give the thought if matched sections would be just as good, anyone?)

For what I can say, 3/4s of our contra line are on Hellebergs. The other guy is on a Dillon Chief 1. He's got the air for it. But we're all on different horns, so it sometimes sounds like fly-bys from B-2 bombers.

[Shadow_7]

I agree on matched horns, if only for intonation. Although maybe not matched manufacturers, outside of each section. In my experience there's always a favorite maker of each horn voice. Yamaha 204M mellos, with King Bb Euphs, and whatever works for the other voices. Economy of scale allows cheaper buys if one specializes from a single provider. But some manufacturers don't even make a full line of marching brass. Yamaha didn't have a non-shoulder Euph until several years after Bb's were allowed. Matched horns in every section, absolutely. Matched set from a single manufacturer for the entire line. Not if money allows better options. There's just no single manufacturer that makes the best of all brass voices. Most make some good horns across the board. But there's almost always better options from another manufacturer in at least one voice of the brass choir.

Matched mouthpieces. Not really a fan. Some mouthpieces are just magical in combination with certain horns. Each horn has a mouthpiece that it favors. And each player has a mouthpiece that favors them. And for the instance of a soloist, you may not want them to blend. If they blended they might not be heard over the ensemble. Blending is good, but there's times where separation of parts is more desireable than blend.

As far as music training. Most corps I've been in didn't go into music theory or tuning systems (Just or Mean). But something I did notice going from corps to secondary school to corps to college and back is that my attention to detail, and accuracy in timing was always much better after corps. Almost annoying so, since going back to a local trombone choir, would make rhythmic inaccuracies obvious to me. And relatively un-noticed by the offender (who may be the lead player / director / person in charge). Dotted eight plus sixteenth, not triplet quarter and eight. It's classical, not jazz. You've been playing how many years?

[Martybucs]

When I started, the horn instructor "highly recommended" certain mouthpieces to the horn line. For sopranos it was a Schilke 14. Most of us got that mouthpiece, but a few stuck with what they had, and a few bought variations - for example my friend bought a Schilke 15.

I am thinking though that the match between MP, horn, and player all effect the sound, so it seems like if you are saying we're all playing on horn X, then the player should be choosing the MP that gives the desired tone/performance for his embouchure and that horn. That seems like it's highly individual, but for young teenagers a "middle of the road" MP like the Schilke 14 might make sense until the players find a need for change.?.

You're right at a beginner level or a school band.

I remember helping out at a local band that wanted to do a drum corps style and the band director, a trumpet player, wanted me to help out with the trumpet section.

He had them all on Bach 3Cs, not Megatones, but he wanted them all to be as good on the same mouthpiece. I tried to tell him that it ain't going to happen.

I suggested letting the stronger bigger players stay with the 3C, but fit the mouthpieces a little better for the smaller weaker players. A small girl or boy would have an easier time on a smaller mouthpiece and let's face it, not all band trumpet players practice as much as they should. And not many are going to have a career playing trumpet.

Overall, in this case, I think the line would have been helped by individually helping each student find a good or better fit than slapping them all on the 3C.

Well, he thought for a second and nodded and said, "Nah."

After a couple of weeks I left, it was too frustrating. I think if the kids that needed some mouthpiece fitting had been helped, there would have been instant improvement in their playing and in their enjoyment of playing, which encourages practice.

[Dave]

This may be true for every section, except lead trumpet or soprano. Some lead trumpet sections don't play that high, but for those that do, allowing the player to choose what works best for them is a key to success.

Many lead players have seriously researched and experimented and though it is a continuing learning experience, have found something they prefer, (usually NOT a Jet Tone, but, hey...). Playing lead is more about comfort and endurance mixed in with all the technique and musicianship.

If you're playing on the staff most of the time and at moderate volumes, most lead players could do that for hours on end, on any mouthpiece and not break a sweat. However, if you have a demanding lead book with few rests and lots of upper register stuff, (you're counting ledger lines), then I think the lead player needs to have free reign to use the mouthpiece they have found works best for them.

If I went to a corps and they told me I HAD to use a Bach Mouthpiece, I would pass. I have played them, I know I play best on a 5C, but I hate the rim.

Quite honestly, it's no different with tuba/contra players. If someone had come up to me during, say, my third or fourth years of Blue Stars and told me I needed to switch from the PT-36 I was playing on to some Conn Helleberg mess, I would have told him what he could do with that mouthpiece, because switching to that mouthpiece would have been like asking me to do running block with weights on my legs. All playing is about comfort and endurance especially in the drum corps setting, but it's also about using equipment that allows you to do your job best. I know this whole matched business is not new, but that doesn't mean it's necessarily a good idea.

[Design Hound]

Alright, so after a few days discussion, I've extracted the following about my original "predicament":

-The purpose of a G Bugle isn't to play bright and raspy

-The sound a mouthpiece and horn generates depends on the player, both their mouth shape etc and their skill level, as much if not more than the type of mouthpiece and horn they use (as long as neither are made of plastic )

-With a skilled player, the mouthpiece that works for them is what they should use to create their best sound (especially in a corps where matched equipment is not practiced)

Please let me know if you think those three points are valid or not.

Unfortunately I won't be able to make this counter argument to the guy without engaging the topic myself though, since I'm making sure I never forget my mouthpiece case again and can use my usual piece

However, continue this discussion by all means, definitely learning from all of your points of view.

[G-horns]

When I started, the horn instructor "highly recommended" certain mouthpieces to the horn line. For sopranos it was a Schilke 14. Most of us got that mouthpiece, but a few stuck with what they had, and a few bought variations - for example my friend bought a Schilke 15.

I am thinking though that the match between MP, horn, and player all effect the sound, so it seems like if you are saying we're all playing on horn X, then the player should be choosing the MP that gives the desired tone/performance for his embouchure and that horn. That seems like it's highly individual, but for young teenagers a "middle of the road" MP like the Schilke 14 might make sense until the players find a need for change.?.

I played on a Parduba 5-1/2* for the whole of my lead soprano days and still use it on my trumpet. Even when Hy wanted the line to use Rudy Mucks (a.k.a. Rudy Yuck). I've though about changing to a Megatone 5C but haven't gotten around to trying it.

I don't think having a Megatone changes a G bugle any more or less than the Kirshner IYM models.

[G-horns]

I agree. Tuning issues will be nominal with a matched hornline (give the thought if matched sections would be just as good, anyone?)

For what I can say, 3/4s of our contra line are on Hellebergs. The other guy is on a Dillon Chief 1. He's got the air for it. But we're all on different horns, so it sometimes sounds like fly-bys from B-2 bombers.

If you really want to experience the woes of tuning a line, try an alumni corps where everyone brings their own toys. Nothing like trying to get the same C out of Olds Ultratones, DEG 2-valvers, DEG 3-Valvers, King 2-valvers, Kanstuls, one or two Getzens and a chrome bumper.

[G-horns]

You're right at a beginner level or a school band.

I remember helping out at a local band that wanted to do a drum corps style and the band director, a trumpet player, wanted me to help out with the trumpet section.

He had them all on Bach 3Cs, not Megatones, but he wanted them all to be as good on the same mouthpiece. I tried to tell him that it ain't going to happen.

I suggested letting the stronger bigger players stay with the 3C, but fit the mouthpieces a little better for the smaller weaker players. A small girl or boy would have an easier time on a smaller mouthpiece and let's face it, not all band trumpet players practice as much as they should. And not many are going to have a career playing trumpet.

Overall, in this case, I think the line would have been helped by individually helping each student find a good or better fit than slapping them all on the 3C.

Well, he thought for a second and nodded and said, "Nah."

After a couple of weeks I left, it was too frustrating. I think if the kids that needed some mouthpiece fitting had been helped, there would have been instant improvement in their playing and in their enjoyment of playing, which encourages practice.

The BD asked for your help. You made a suggestion to help where requested and it wasn't even given serious consideration. Why did he ask for help in the first place?!!!

I call that the "Not invented here" syndrome.

[G_Bass]

If you really want to experience the woes of tuning a line, try an alumni corps where everyone brings their own toys. Nothing like trying to get the same C out of Olds Ultratones, DEG 2-valvers, DEG 3-Valvers, King 2-valvers, Kanstuls, one or two Getzens and a chrome bumper.

I hate to say it, but that's almost how it is.

[camel lips]

Its not so much about mouthpieces and matched horns as it is listening to the ensemble and fitting in.