How often? when switching

[carla]

I'm curious, as I have played a few mouthpieces over the years, how often or how much time you should give yourself to get used to a new mouthpiece before switching?  When I try a new mouthpiece it sounds wonderful for the first few days, then I always seem to find the next few weeks to be difficult when its no longer creating the sound (fullness, tone, intonation) that I'm looking for...

How long do others take when when changing to a new mouthpiece?

[TrumpetForum]

I also have experienced this.  I find that it takes a few months to get acclimated to a new MP especially when you’re only playing in local community bands a few hours a week...

 

[Gendreauj]

I wish I had your patience. If I don't like a mouthpiece immediately, I sell it.

[Gendreauj]

What mouthpieces and trumpets are you playing? 

[MiddleStaff]

I'm there with you Carla.  I swapped mouthpieces a lot early in my playing.  Started with a 7C because that's what the band director said to get.  When I wanted to change after 2 years, I tried a 5C, then 1 1/2C, Shilke 11, Shilke 14A4A, Shilke 13A4,  eventually landing on a Shilke 14A4.  I swapped like every month thinking that was more than enough time to adjust.  When you make small adjustments (like Shilke 14A4A, Shilke 13A4) you can move pretty quickly.  Bigger changes you'll want to give your embouchure time to adjust.   Of course now I'm thinking of playing around with Wick mouthpieces as I have one on my flugelhorn.  

If I may, could you help me understand what gear you have now ?  How long have you been playing, what mouthpiece are you on now ?  And most importantly, what trumpet are you playing (model and bore size) ?

Here's a mouthpiece guide I found if it helps:

https://trumpet.biz/trumpet-mouthpieces/trumpet-mouthpiece-guide/ 

[J. Jericho]

The best suggestion I can come up with is to evaluate a mouthpiece once you have gotten to the point where its performance is predictable.  A mouthpiece should enable you to easily produce the timbre you want (within the limits of the player/mouthpiece/instrument combination), crisp articulation, and quick response.  However, ultimately the sound created will be your sound, and the differences in mouthpieces will make relatives changes (due to design) in your sound.  This is why, for instance, the same trumpet or mouthpiece will sound and feel "dark" to one player and "bright" to another.  Some players require considerable time to acclimate, while for others this time can be very short, and one's overall level of ability does not seem to predict how long or short this time frame is; it's a separate, individual skill.

Edited December 10, 2019 by J. Jericho

[Doug]

On 12/10/2019 at 4:34 PM, J. Jericho said:

The best suggestion I can come up with is to evaluate a mouthpiece once you have gotten to the point where its performance is predictable.  A mouthpiece should enable you to easily produce the timbre you want (within the limits of the player/mouthpiece/instrument combination), crisp articulation, and quick response.  However, ultimately the sound created will be your sound, and the differences in mouthpieces will make relatives changes (due to design) in your sound.  This is why, for instance, the same trumpet or mouthpiece will sound and feel "dark" to one player and "bright" to another.  Some players require considerable time to acclimate, while for others this time can be very short, and one's overall level of ability does not seem to predict how long or short this time frame is; it's a separate, individual skill.

Good stuff, guess I'll weigh in here. I'm an older comeback player returning to my trumpet passion for my own amusement and musical interlude from life. That said my teacher recommended I switch from my Bach 7C to a 3C at our first meeting. I really didn't notice too much difference. After months on this setup I borrowed his Bach 1B; wow! I never really bought into the MP discussions before but this MP makes a difference for me. I've heard that, typically, 1B's are considered more "orchestra", but I noticed an easier play on both my above and below staff stuff. I've since purchased my own and use it consistently over a variety of music types. Looking forward now to the infamous 3 month time to see if there's a change.

[J. Jericho]

On 5/26/2020 at 4:21 PM, Doug said:

Good stuff, guess I'll weigh in here. I'm an older comeback player returning to my trumpet passion for my own amusement and musical interlude from life. That said my teacher recommended I switch from my Bach 7C to a 3C at our first meeting. I really didn't notice too much difference. After months on this setup I borrowed his Bach 1B; wow! I never really bought into the MP discussions before but this MP makes a difference for me. I've heard that, typically, 1B's are considered more "orchestra", but I noticed an easier play on both my above and below staff stuff. I've since purchased my own and use it consistently over a variety of music types. Looking forward now to the infamous 3 month time to see if there's a change.

I like your use of the word "infamous"; I think it's appropriate.  By way of illustration, I'll relate a couple of my mouthpiece experiences, keeping in mind that YMMV. 

 

Many years ago my teacher insisted that I use a Bach 5C, and I spent a year and a half struggling to overcome difficulty in my attacks.  Later, I decided to try a Bach 3C as a result of reading many players' comments about this mouthpiece.  Well, with the 3C my attack difficulty disappeared instantly, completely, and permanently.  Over time there was no further acclimation time.  I then went on a mouthpiece safari, trying perhaps twenty 3C variants, which I tried and gave each a couple of weeks to see if my reaction to them would change, but I always preferred my Bach 3C.  I bought an additional 3C to use with another trumpet of mine, and I made an interesting discovery. One day I switched mouthpieces between them.  One of them felt like it played just a slight bit better, and I wondered why.  Well, I measured them and found that the one that played better had a 26 throat, compared to the standard 27 throat on the other one.  I then reamed the 27 throat to a 26, and as a result I could no longer distinguish between the two mouthpieces. 

 

In another instance I was having serious intonation problems with a cornet of mine, also using a Bach 3C.  I reached out to Mark Curry, and he suggested his 3DC, which I purchased.  This time, after I plugged the mouthpiece in, I sounded like I was playing a trash can.  I was horrified, but I knew enough to not judge yet.  The next day, the intonation problems had improved dramatically, and the sound was what I expected from the cornet, not the trumpet-like sound I had been getting with the Bach 3C.  Now, I understand that it has been said that the biggest difference between a trumpet and a cornet besides the appearance (Let's exclude the Conn Connstellation, which in both forms is a long trumpet wrap.), is the approach we take to playing these instruments, so that may have been a factor, but it doesn't explain that the sound and intonation were still undesirable when I retried the 3C.  I subsequently stumbled across a Benge 3, and it plays even better than the Curry.  

 

Personally, I find that it takes virtually no time for me to adapt to a mouthpiece; the way it plays right away almost always is the way it's going to play from then on.  No waiting three months to confirm my evaluation.  There are those who find this difficult to accept, because their experience is different, also finding it difficult to accept that this process works differently among players regardless of skill level or experience, as I have stated previously. 

 

I'm happy that you've found a mouthpiece that works so well for you, and I hope that it will continue to do so.  I think it will.

Edited July 15, 2020 by J. Jericho

[Gendreauj]

Bought a Getzen Renaissance professional trumpet a few months ago. Quickly found I wasn't happy with my trusty Bach 1.5 C mouthpiece. So I went on a mouthpiece safari. Bought a Bach 3 C and Denis Wick 1.5 heavytop mouthpiece. Compared the two mouthpieces and liked the sound of the 3C.So decided to buy a generic 3 C Megaton mouthpiece. Liked the 3 C better and decided to buy a Denis Wick Heavytop 3 C mouthpiece. Much better sound than the Wick 1.5 C and the generic. So I course decided to buy two more mouthpieces. A Denis Wick Heavytop 4 X and a used Bach megatone 5 C mouthpiece. All of three mouthpieces sound great but I prefer the Bach 5 C. Followed by the Wick 4 X. The last two Getzen trumpets I have owed are more mouthpiece sensitive. Is that because the Getzen 700 S Eterna trumpet was a intermediate step up and the Getzen Renaissance trumpet is a professional trumpet?