[TPIN] Mouthpiece safari - old school

[Orion Development Corp - D. Arndt]

> I've been listening to Tutti's Trumpets and thinking those are 
> probably some big mouthpieces being played. Doesn't seem like they 
> have trouble pounding out the F's and G's, either. 

What makes you assume they're big mpouthpieces?  Because the sound is big?  
Not necessarily true... could be... but not *necessarily*...  Who were the 
players (besides Gozzo?)  What kind of equipment were they known to play?  
Often, "big players" get "big sounds" regardless of the equipment...



> Is the trend 
> toward tighter shallower pieces due to contemporary 
> demands/expectations?  

Among "legit" players, the trend as been toward larger equipment, I think.  
Voison played a 7B, I believe.  Herseth started his career on a 7C (those 
magnificent recording with Reiner I *think* were played on that 
mouthpiece... HUGE sound.  Medium piece).  Walk into a conservatory with a 
mouthpiece smaller than a 3C and you'll be "shunned" these days!

Among lead players, I don't know if it's really changed that much over the 
years.  But I would venture that the bigggest differences from that era to 
this is: 

1) VOLUME (electric + style)
2) MORE UPPER REGISTER, more frequently (more common)

I think it's been this way for at least the last generation or more.

My teacher - a Curtis graduate named Tony Marchione (Nick's father) who also 
had an amazing talent for playing lead as well as jazz - would remark that 
in his "early days" (mid to late 1950's, early 60's) it was out of the 
ordinary to run into a book playing shows - headliners, entertainers, 
broadway shows - that went up to F or G - and if you did, it wasn't very 
frequent. i.e.,. there might be one or two in the book (like West Side 
Story).  I'm NOT talking about Stan Kentons band here - but the norm, for a 
commercial/all-around 1st trumpet.

By the time I was working the theatres in and around Philly (in the mid to 
late 70's), if you didn't have a "paper" high F or G (sight reading 
ability), you just couldn't work as a 1st trumpet.  Marked difference.

There is also a big difference between having the ability to play loud, high 
abusive stuff every so often vs. doing it as "routine".  

Look, I'm not saying that people don't do it.  I recall this guy coming 
through with Dione Warwick who played an old Mt. Vernon 7C (big cup volume 
for a lead player) - and this guy was a BRUTE.  (Couldn't play a bloody C-
scale, but he could sure nail that book!).  So I guess it also has to do 
with how much you're willing to give up to be able to do that kind of work.  

As someone who plays more "medium" equipment - medium by commercial 
standards, probably "small" by strictly "legit" standards (whatever the 
heck "legit" really is!) -  I find that the challange moves from pure 
strength and uppper register to also maintaining finese - partly *because* 
you're playing a smaller mouthpiece.  If one is concerned with playing the 
*instrument* well... this isn't necessarily a bad thing, right?  

All this being said, I still go through as much "mouthpiece mania" as any 
(as some of my posts on this list betray).  

I think one of the wisest things I've ever heard is this - Any problems or 
battles you fight on one piece, you'll also fight on another.  But you can 
favor one type of playing by letting the equipment help a bit... and that's 
about it.

Enough from this old "has been/almost was".   Let's hear from some experts!

Cheers,

- da