Monette Mouthpiece Users

[CloudHype]

So I was looking into gettin a new piece for my ax.

How are the Pranas... I can't find anybody around here with one to try.

[JeffBanyots]

I play a BT1-L with my bass and I think it is quite good.

I don't know if it would be right for you, but I will say that if you follow the instructions they give you in regards to your playing with thier pieces, they really do what they claim to. I have been playing for a while and this is only my fourth mouthpiece for my bass trombone. It is significantly different from the others I have tried over the years.

As a side note, before I tried them I called Monette and spoke with the guy who designed and builds the mouthpieces and they are not made of anything special, just brass. I was told that the magic is in the proportions of the the various parts of the mouthpiece.

You'll see what they mean if you try one out.

Lastly, you will probably need to give yourself an honest appraisal of your playing before you try these things out. If you are not a really strong player, I doubt you will be able to realize all of the benefits that they will provide.

Good luck!

[regularsopguy]

lots of people are playing them but i don't thnk its the most appropriate mouthpiece for corps. they work best when playing "downstream" but so much of corps and band playing is "upstream" or at least having the horn above horizontal level.

on the monette website he tells you how to play his mouthpieces properly and its the opposite of marching, so good luck.

if anyone cares, i think the kanstul m mouthpieces are just as good as monette originals - and thats not saying much.

[Shintao]

Monette is too expensive, and not the best(personal opinion). GR mouthpieces are incredible works of art and science. A little research will tell you what is so great about the GRs. The website may make them look cheap, but they are by far the best thing on the market.

[Quickcom89]

its all your preference with those mouthpieces. When I bought a monette, i thought it would be the dream mouthpiece, but little did i know that my other piece was about the same level if not better than the monette. now my old one didn't have that "Constant-pitch" technology that monette has, but it was more comforting on my lips. your best bet is trying them out

[Shintao]

Also remember, comfort is not always best. Also, somethink I left out. Remember that Bachs were awesome in the 20's, now they don't even deserve to be paper weights. If you disagree, just ask yourself why no one still drives cars from the 20's. Again, read about the GR's, it is all in the science.

[CloudHype]

I've been playing on a custom built piece since college with a very (VERY) narrow rim and bigger than normal throat. After some weight loss and how that effects your face, I can't play on the piece anymore.

When I'm not marching, I play with a very relaxed and grounded body. I perty much agree with Dave's view on body.

GR is something I've looked into too.

Now... I never thought about the downstream effect that somebody mention, I am an upstreamer. Well I need to find one to play.

[idontwan2know]

I'll admit to being somewhat of a neophyte in the Monette philosophy, but I don't see anything about it that is incompatible with marching.

Hips rolled slightly forward, rest of the body stacked directly over the hips, completely relaxed upper body...that's all in line with modern visual teaching.

[regularsopguy]

I'll admit to being somewhat of a neophyte in the Monette philosophy, but I don't see anything about it that is incompatible with marching.

Hips rolled slightly forward, rest of the body stacked directly over the hips, completely relaxed upper body...that's all in line with modern visual teaching.

...now march at 180 perpendicular to the front, put your horn to the box and see if you can play. bet you can't. naturally there will be those that can, sure. I'm not talking to them though. these mouthpieces are good from what I hear but i don't think they are appropriate for marching.

[idontwan2know]

...now march at 180 perpendicular to the front, put your horn to the box and see if you can play. bet you can't. naturally there will be those that can, sure. I'm not talking to them though. these mouthpieces are good from what I hear but i don't think they are appropriate for marching.

Pick pretty much any top 6 corps today and you'll find 64+ brass players who can maintain that posture and play through virtually any angle and tempo. In fact, once you learn to do it, it's far and away the easiest way to march fast tempi. Excess tension and misaligned bodies only makes marching(and playing) harder, not easier. And holding the horn at the box should not affect your embochure set(upstream vs. downstream)...the head should be tilted to maintain whatever the player's "normal" embochure set is. This only becomes a problem in the case of extreme downstream players.

They may not be appropriate, I don't know...but it doesn't seem to me that there's anything about the physical aspects of the Monette approach that makes it inappropriate for marching.