Corps mouthpieces

[The Other Mike]

Obviously this student is very lucky to have you in his corner. You’ve helped him over the period of many years develop into a player worthy of a scholarship. His college instructor will no doubt continue to develop him into a talented performer. Every great player can cite caring people like you who helped him or her develop.

My college professor hated that a participated in a drum corps, even though the technique program was virtually identical to the methodology he learned at Northwestern. The faculty at this university gleefully reduced by jury grade by one letter solely because I participated in drum corps (and told me this during each jury!). So, I’m familiar with the animosity between colleges and drum corps that existed back in the day. And I don’t regret participating in the activity at all.

But to learn your student will have his scholarship canceled because he performs on a deeper cup mouthpiece than his college professor specified for him is truly sad and shocking. I only hope that your student reviews this with the drum corps and some sort of compromised can be reached.

Thank you for sharing this story.

Thanks but let me be clear about the scolarship: I have no idea what his private teacher will say and that is the reason I explained to him that he should not tell his private teacher in the same manner in which he told me. ( no sense in pissing off the person with the keys to the kingdom if you don't need to )

As I said, it could all be just a miscommunication, but if he walks into his lesson and blurts out " I'm changing my mouthpiece BECAUSE my drum corps instructor said so" might not be the best solution.

My college trumpet professor didn't care for corps either but it's most likely MY playing that made him that way...........

Which begs the question, am I a 1st rate hack, or a 3rd rate hack ? To what degree is my playing bad ?

[G-horns]

Thanks but let me be clear about the scolarship: I have no idea what his private teacher will say and that is the reason I explained to him that he should not tell his private teacher in the same manner in which he told me. ( no sense in pissing off the person with the keys to the kingdom if you don't need to )

As I said, it could all be just a miscommunication, but if he walks into his lesson and blurts out " I'm changing my mouthpiece BECAUSE my drum corps instructor said so" might not be the best solution.

My college trumpet professor didn't care for corps either but it's most likely MY playing that made him that way...........

Which begs the question, am I a 1st rate hack, or a 3rd rate hack ? To what degree is my playing bad ?

Which makes my argument pretty strong. A student with that much talent and potential should not be changing anything to suit ANYONE without serious consideration as to the consequences - both performance and political.

[Scooter Pirtle]

Which makes my argument pretty strong. A student with that much talent and potential should not be changing anything to suit ANYONE without serious consideration as to the consequences - both performance and political.

That may be the case, but most corps disclose the mouthpiece sizes they require in the audition materials. Auditionees who read the info offered to them should be aware that they may be asked to switch if they are using a mouthpiece significantly different.

BTW, what's the political consequence resulting from a deeper cup mouthpiece?

[Shadow_7]

As one who uses a lot of mouthpieces. Just because the corps requires (or strongly encourages) the use of a certain piece when playing on the corps equipment, in the corps, that doesn't mean that the player has to use it outside of corps. Certain horns favor certain mouthpieces. Drumcorps horns tend to favor larger mouthpieces in general.

You probably don't play too well after a drumcorps camp, regardless of the gear you used. In this instance the player might have sounded just as bad on their usual piece IMO. It may not have been the piece on that particular day. You really should give it more than a 1st impression before taking someones gear and locking it away. Especially if they just got back from a drumcorps camp yesterday. Not to say that that piece is the right piece for that player. But if you don't use it / give it a try, you'll never know.

There is a certain shock period when switching, something which any player on the pro side should be able to cope with. You never know when something odd is going to happen. Like customs screwing you or luggage misdirected at an airport, or accidentally dropping your primary piece over the side of a cruise ship. Or accidentally picking up someone elses horn at the gig. Making due on anything might be a circumstance you have no control over. And sometimes it might be the only way to get through a gig, if you have a swollen lip or other temporary conditions that alters how you might usually do business. The show goes on.

If a scholarship / instructor is that hard set on a single piece, they're probably not that good IMO. Each player and each horn is different. Even horns of the same brand and model sometimes. I had a promise of a scholarship going to a particular college. Never saw a dime, was the only trombone player at the school, the school listed the principle trombonist with the LA Philharmonic as the private instructor, but no trombone player at that school had said instructor. And lessons were monthly, not weekly. They had good private instructors, but not that one. Oh and unrelated instrumentalists making recommendations? I had the choral directors on my Jury panel for TROMBONE. Telling me I was using too much air and other *cough* stuff (stupid / illogical stuff).

Basically don't spend your scholarships until after the check clears the bank. If said funds are dependent on your mouthpiece, it's probably a scam to start with IMO. You're going to make a lot of compromises in your life, do what's best for you. Which might be the politically wrong thing to do. The consequence of which is that people like you less and give you less. But they probably weren't going to give you anything to start with, so effectively nothing is different. Or it is as it would have otherwise been.

[G-horns]

That may be the case, but most corps disclose the mouthpiece sizes they require in the audition materials. Auditionees who read the info offered to them should be aware that they may be asked to switch if they are using a mouthpiece significantly different.

BTW, what's the political consequence resulting from a deeper cup mouthpiece?

Losing a scholarship? At the very least, the student should speak with the private teacher about it. If the teacher seems unreasonable, then the student may need to consider other private lesson options. Regardless of the circumstances, the private teacher deserves the respect and courtesy of being consulted prior to making such a change.

Edited April 3, 2010 by G-horns

[Scooter Pirtle]

Losing a scholarship? At the very least, the student should speak with the private teacher about it. If the teacher seems unreasonable, then the student may need to consider other private lesson options. Regardless of the circumstances, the private teacher deserves the respect and courtesy of being consulted prior to making such a change.

Your insights, as always, are greatly appreciated. This thread has been an eye opener for me. I had no idea so many music students were losing scholarships because of drum corps. It's really a sad situation.

[G-horns]

Your insights, as always, are greatly appreciated. This thread has been an eye opener for me. I had no idea so many music students were losing scholarships because of drum corps. It's really a sad situation.

Scooter, I don't think it is a drum corps issue. Rather, I believe it to be an issue of maturity, responsibility and respect for your mentors. Maybe we'll meet at DCA in Rochacha. 'Til then, I think the horse is dead enough.

[JeromeyBush]

Man, those low brass people allways thinking they know better than trumpet players, when will they learn who are the Gods

Low brass, stand in the back while we play lead and take the chicks :-)

And while you "Gods"have your little pissing contest,the hot chicks go home with us.Its okay though,you can have the leftovers.You know,the ones with hearing damage from listening to youse guys with no dolby.

[JGuy1288]

I really don't understand this situation at all, based on every post in this topic. It seems to me that: 1) The kid comes back with a new mouthpiece, possibly misunderstanding his caption head's advice, though getting used to new mouthpiece between camps is better to do than wing it at every camp. 2) You see the new mouthpiece and hear his reasoning behind it. This is what I don't understand. You could have told him something like, "You can try out this mouthpiece, but I'd like for you to use your other one up until the concert, and check with your private teacher too about this." But instead you freaked out at him, STOLE his mouthpiece from him, and seem as if you are considering this hellish, insubordinate behavior. He didn't burn anyone's house down. He is just trying a new mouthpiece. You could have made the situation into a learning experience for him, since he is inexperienced and knowing how to deal with something like this could benefit him. But you didn't. You made him, and his drum corps, into the bad guys in the situation, and I do not understand why you resorted to that.

Also, how could this ever result in the loss of a scholarship? Do you and his teacher not respect this kid that much? It seems as if both of you drawn a line and said, "My teaching of him does not go past here, and if he inquires about it, he's out." The funny thing about mouthpiece switches is you can switch back if it's not working out for you.

I don't understand why, his teacher, are acting so personally offended by a mouthpiece.

[mchromik]

If the student is seriously considering a career in instrumental performance, he really needs to learn how to adapt.

Amen brother. You can do what you want when your the soloist, with your name on the bandstand. But most of us have to learn to be a section player first. And playing in a section means making some compromises.

BTW, what's the political consequence resulting from a deeper cup mouthpiece?

Dark, warm, and full tone is part of the socialist agenda and un-American. In AMERICA we like our lead brass high, bright and lazer focused. [/sarcasm]