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Thread: Advice Please!

  1. #1

    Advice Please!

    I've taken up euphonium playing only recently- about 18 months ago.

    I was given a vintage euphonium to see if I like it before buying my own. It's a Boosey and Hawkes Imperial Model Serial Number 158477

    My problems are:

    1. It uses a Kosikup 3 mouthpiece which I've seen mentioned on this forum. Generations of players have worn the plating right through to the brass. The edges of the plating are rough which leads to discomfort after a bit of playing. i've ground the rough edges smooth with much improvement in comfort, but is brass safe to press to the lips an hour(+) a day?

    2. I find that the high notes are eluding me so far. I'd like to eventually play some of the euphonium solos in the repertoire eg the Holst Suite in F.

    I find the discussion of mouthpieces quite confusing, and I don't want to go to the considerable expense of buying a replacement for the old mouthpiece only to find that it's no better or even worse.

    Maybe I should be more patient in developing skill and strength? I'm 65, so maybe it'll take me longer than for a younger person. I might even have to accept that I'll never achieve the range I would like.

    So what to do? Should I pension off the old instrument (which has become my daily companion) and save up of a new one? But which one? Or should I I try a new mouthpiece?

    Thanks for any and all comments.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    West Palm Beach, FL
    Posts
    3,853
    Hi Iain,

    Welcome to Dave Werden's forum. That Boosey and Hawkes horn looks to be made around 1941 according to this link.

    Playing on a mpc with brass exposed is not good on the lips. It can cause irritation. I'm not familiar with the size of the Kosikup 3 mpc. I do remember hearing the story about Harold Brasch using one "...because it's the mpc that came with the horn" (Harold Brasch was the one credited with bringing over the compensating euphonium to America). The Boosey and Hawkes euph can be a good horn depending on its condition. A very popular mpc by many is the Wick 4AL, but I think it would be too large to start out on. Usually a good starting mpc is a Bach 6.5 AL as that mpc can give a decent sound and help with the high notes.

    Hopefully others will chime in here.
    Last edited by RickF; 10-10-2012 at 10:18 PM.
    Rick Floyd
    Miraphone 5050 - Warburton BJ / RF mpc
    YEP-641S (recently sold)
    Doug Elliott - 102 rim; I-cup; I-9 shank


    "Always play with a good tone, never louder than lovely, never softer than supported." - author unknown.
    Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches
    El Cumbanchero (Raphael Hernandez, arr. Naohiro Iwai)
    Chorale and Shaker Dance
    (John Zdechlik)

  3. An Imperial of that vintage might need a medium shank? i.e. Wick 4AM.

  4. #4
    Welcome to the forum! I hope we can help to answer your questions.

    First, get something else quickly! Playing on raw brass can be dangerous.

    Second, for a medium-shank horn the choices are more limited, but there are still quite a few. For the best combination of a reasonable size and reasonable price, try this page:

    http://www.kellymouthpieces.com/kmeuphonium/index.asp

    These are plastic mouthpieces made to a fairly high standard. I suggest the 5G, which you can order for $29. This will give you a chance to try a very standard size mouthpiece in your horn. The same page also has a 51D size - again, a very popular size euphonium mouthpiece. The 51D will give you a little darker sound, but might make the high register more of a challenge.

    Here is an example of me playing on a Besson with a 5G:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGNE6WtAOdg&feature=plcp
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
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