C.Holland Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 many bari lines often have a specific mouthpiece they list. more often than not a 51D, a 6.5AL or some other standard mouthpiece. but those never agreed with my embouchure. Hence my Faxx 7C. (a mount vernon replica) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 (edited) The biggest problem is that the "standards" like the Bach 3C or Back 6.5AL have some of the worst quality control from the factory. You can buy ten Bach 3C mounthpieces, and you'll end up with ten different ones, instead of ten copies of the same thing. Bach has improved quality control some, but they are still wildly inconstant. The smaller, boutique companies (Warburton, Loud, SystemBlue, etc) have much tighter standards of quality control. Edited August 13, 2014 by Kamarag 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bannedforlife Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 The biggest problem is that the "standards" like the Bach 3C or Back 6.5AL have some of the worst quality control from the factory. You can buy ten Bach 3C mounthpieces, and you'll end up with ten different ones, instead of ten copies of the same thing. Bach has improved quality control some, but they are still wildly inconstant. The smaller, boutique companies (Warburton, Loud, SystemBlue, etc) have much tighter standards of quality control. There is a lot of truth in this post. My mom's hand made Bach Strad plays completely different than my machine made Bach Strad and same goes for mouthpieces. Right now I'm playing on a Jupiter 3C drilled out for me by the Horn Doctor after a TOC show in '11 and plays better than any Bach 3C I've ever had. My overall point with standardized mouthpieces is that a unified approach to embouchure will lead to consistent results and with great talent and instruction you should be able to eliminate the majority of erroneous tendencies in a brassline. But alas there are always special cases and in those circumstances adjustments must be made. I was one of those special cases in that playing upper lead on a 3C in '09 gave me an uncharacteristically bright sound so in '11 I was allowed to play on a 1 1/2C. Eventually I discovered that my embouchure wasn't centered and played with too much top lip, and once I changed this, mouthpieces ceased causing me trouble. Now I can make great sounds out of pretty much anything handed to me, and I've played on some pretty wild mouthpieces throughout my career. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbc03 Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 some corps only give you one camp to audition. (all top 12) some will have alternates they keep for one camp. and some will take you more than a camp to see how you progress. (13 through the rest of the corps) I've auditioned for 3 top 12 corps and marched in 2 and every single one had "auditions" (individual playing time with a staff member) every camp through at least March. Nobody is setting their line after 1 audition because nobody knows how many kids are going to show up at the second camp. My experience has typically been that you get a rating of 1, 2, or 3. 1 means you are in, 2 means you've got some work to do but if you continue to improve you'll most likely have a spot, and 3 means you can keep coming back and trying to improve your position but it isn't likely that you will have a spot. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllianaLancerContra Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 Do you know off the top of your head any corps that have a certain mouthpiece? I think remember Hop saying something about that in a Tuesdays with the Cadets episode. Off top of my head, no. But I clearly remember back when I marched one of our soprano soloists was using some kind of mouthpiece that helped him hit the high notes (us low brass guys don't deal w/ such stuff), but was not good for his ebrochure. And the brass instructor had him quit using it in the middle of the season, which caused all kinds of issues as now others became soloist etc etc. Big drama. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 I've auditioned for 3 top 12 corps and marched in 2 and every single one had "auditions" (individual playing time with a staff member) every camp through at least March. Nobody is setting their line after 1 audition because nobody knows how many kids are going to show up at the second camp. My experience has typically been that you get a rating of 1, 2, or 3. 1 means you are in, 2 means you've got some work to do but if you continue to improve you'll most likely have a spot, and 3 means you can keep coming back and trying to improve your position but it isn't likely that you will have a spot. The staff wants to see how you progress, and how you handle stress and the individual responsibility placed on a member, and they want to see it over time. This also give them a chance to get to know you, and make sure you will fit in (and in truth, the reverse is also true). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleran Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 The staff wants to see how you progress, and how you handle stress and the individual responsibility placed on a member, and they want to see it over time. This also give them a chance to get to know you, and make sure you will fit in (and in truth, the reverse is also true). My concern with that sort of process is that an applicant can spend a lot of weekends (and $$$) chasing a corps that eventually doesn't work out, when the player may have better spent those weekends moving on to a different corps at a more appropriate level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 (edited) My concern with that sort of process is that an applicant can spend a lot of weekends (and $$$) chasing a corps that eventually doesn't work out, when the player may have better spent those weekends moving on to a different corps at a more appropriate level. Yea, I agree. I've taught several corps that have used the 3-point or 2-point systems. I love the idea, but make it clear to folks that they need to bear this in mind if they plan to audition for multiple corps. The overwhelming number of auditionees are only trying out for a single corps. I also tried (as did the whole staff most of the time) to be clear with folks we knew weren't going to make it. We were always honest and up front, and I'd like to think most corps staffs are like this. I'd also like to think that if it ever really became nothing more than a fund raiser for the corps, the staff would stand up and say something. The other thing to keep in mind is that only the corps at the very top are going to cut folks early. That's just the reality of the times. Kids cut themselves for a long list of reasons, and that kid that might have been borderline in January might be your rock in May. Edited August 14, 2014 by Kamarag 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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