Mouthpieces?

[Dave]

What DcFr3aK said is true, go in with what works best for you. The staff may make suggestions as they figure out your playing, but how much they will mess with success really depends on your skills. If you're a solid performance major-level player working with what makes you sound good and you're able to play in tune and in tone with the line, I wouldn't worry about it. If you're some punk walking in with a dented dime, yeah, they're gonna have issues, but you don't see much of that these days. It's also a matter of how much of an issue you want to make out of it. No contra tech was going to tell me to change pieces, but then, I never had to have that argument. I've never bought the arguments behind the "same mouthpiece" philosophy because unless everyone in the line has the same face, they're going to need equipment that fits them and the horn.

[kadune]

I've never bought the arguments behind the "same mouthpiece" philosophy because unless everyone in the line has the same face, they're going to need equipment that fits them and the horn.

Unfortunately, individual members hardly have any say in that.

When I marched Bluecoats, everyone was put on Hammond mouthpieces, with each part of the trumpet section on matching MPs (Hammond 3s, 4s, and 5s, I think), with the screamer (who unfortunately was prone to gimpiness) playing on a custom MP Hammond made for him. I can't remember how much he liked it though.

When I marched Memphis Sound back in the day, they didn't really care what mouthpiece you played on so long as it was metal (we had a kid in November auditions play on a plastic MP) and not a Schilke 14a4a (or 13? whatever the lead piece is). That year the lead soloist played on a 3E.

[mchromik]

It is not a big deal. The same mouthpiece approach is about eliminating as many variables as possible. Your going to have to bend your technique to one that the whole line does anyhow. It would be nice if corps gave you more choice in ring size while staying on the same cup shape, but 95% would end up on the same cup anyhow. If your good you can be good on anything. It isn't about what is best for the individual but about what is best for the line.

If this is going to be a deal breaker, then you are probably going to debate everything else your taught or told, so you should probably stay home and play with yourself. Just sayin'.....

[DcFr3aK]

It is not a big deal. The same mouthpiece approach is about eliminating as many variables as possible. Your going to have to bend your technique to one that the whole line does anyhow. It would be nice if corps gave you more choice in ring size while staying on the same cup shape, but 95% would end up on the same cup anyhow. If your good you can be good on anything. It isn't about what is best for the individual but about what is best for the line.

If this is going to be a deal breaker, then you are probably going to debate everything else your taught or told, so you should probably stay home and play with yourself. Just sayin'.....

Harsh much?

He's just asking a question...to gain knowledge from our experiences! Some corps MAKE you play on whatever they want you to. Some have a different approach such as adding weight to your mouthpiece to darken your tone to match the tone of the rest of the horn line.

Like I said earlier...audition on what you feel most comfortable. If they feel you have the talent to make a spot and suggest that you change mouthpieces or not, enjoy your time with the staff and people you march with. You'll learn more in a summer marching corps then you'd think possible! Keep your ears open...and your mind even wider!

-TBB

[76strad]

Thanks for the replies, I guess from this I can assume that whatever corps I tryout for, if I make it, I think the brass staff might be resonable (though I won't know until I tryout and/or make it)

Mchromik, just sayin, but If that's the case then do play a 6A4A on the Hummel Trumpet Concerto, and get that nice full dark tone, or go join a jazz band a scream double C's all night with a Bach 1A, that's about all I can say.

[mchromik]

Mchromik, just sayin, but If that's the case then do play a 6A4A on the Hummel Trumpet Concerto, and get that nice full dark tone, or go join a jazz band a scream double C's all night with a Bach 1A, that's about all I can say.

Okay, let me try this again. Your question was, will a corps allow you to use your own mpc if you feel that is what you sound best on. As some stated above for auditions, yes, it is all about you at that point. Use what you think makes you sound best. BUT more then likely, you will be asked to switch to a given mpc based on the voicing or part you end up playing. It is usually part of what may seem like a rather dogmatic technique program. It is that consistent unified approach to 'everything', breathing, standing, tonguing, and thinking is what allows 24 trumpets to sound as one. The mpcs chosen in such programs are a sort of neutral ground, but are surprisingly correct for the majority of players given the unified technique. It is about bringing the trumpet voice to a neutral unified concept of sound, versus trying to individually optimize each player's sound. Again, this varies with the corps and instructors. Some don't make much of this, others are so thorough in their unified approach that even tuning is standardized with marked tuning increments on their tuning slides. This works and works well when everyone plays with a strong unified technique that eliminates as many variables as possible, including equipment.

As a individual trumpet player I played on given Warburton backbore with a couple of different cups depending on what I was playing. As a mello player I played on a mello 6 that was not at all optimal for me, but worked best for our concept of mello sound. In fact this year I am again switching from a Curry mpc that I am quite comfortable with to a Hammond piece to better match my section. As an experienced player with a great grasp of the technique program my line uses, it is easy and painless.

I hope this helps give you some insight and answers your first question. Best of luck to you in your audition.