Mouthpiece characteristics for a british baritone

[franz]

I am in counter-tendency about what is told here.I am not a baritone player, I play it only when I have a marching service with the band,and I don't like the baritone sound with a shallow mouthpiece:I prefer a deep cup with a large diameter and I use a special customed mouthpiece by K&G, size 3C little shank, built for me by Dennis " Kurun" Camilleri.With this mouthpiece I prefer the sound,the high register is easy and the endurance is improved.When I began to play brass instruments in the 60th, the baritone (flicorno tenore) was a permanent member of every wind band,then, going on with the years,it disappeared, replaced by euphonium, (bombardino) that has a mellowness voice, whereas the flicorno tenore makes a sharp sound that is not very appreciated by band directors.

[John Morgan]

Franz: Thanks for the different view. I jumped in here just because my wife's mother is from Italy (married my wife's dad, a soldier, after WWII). So I like most things Italian.

I really like the Italian name for euphonium - Bombardino. Now if that name doesn't sound like a mellow instrument, what does???

[iiipopes]

I recently purchased a baritone SM6 Ultra from Matt @ Dillon Music. It came last week. I'm still sorting it out, but I like its response. To me, it feels like essentially a deeper 6 1/2 AL, with a hair larger throat and backbore, but a similar geometry transition of a slightly rounded bottom of the cup to the throat.

Compared to the King System Blue baritone mouthpiece, with its very funnel cup, and a dark timbre, for me, the timbre of the SM6 Ultra can be described as mellow but present, with more fundamental than a 6 1/2 AL. For what I play, I think I'm going to like it. I can see where those baritone players who have a little brighter tone concept may not like it. I'll keep both the SBBA and the SM6 Ultra in my case, as there will be times when the different timbres may suit one piece more than another.

[bbocaner]

It's not so much a matter of tone concept. I think we all agree that a nice dark tone is ideal. It's a matter of approach to the instrument. Embouchure, airflow -- that sort of thing. Euphonium players tend to play baritone as if it were a euphonium. In this sense, the deeper mouthpieces help you get the right sound, but with a cost that some of the lightness and projection in a more horn-like sense tend to get lost. I think the SM-series and Alliance mouthpieces are really ideal for euphonium players doubling on baritone. If you play the baritone like a baritone you can get the dark sound without the deep cup.

[daruby]

It's not so much a matter of tone concept. I think we all agree that a nice dark tone is ideal. It's a matter of approach to the instrument. Embouchure, airflow -- that sort of thing. Euphonium players tend to play baritone as if it were a euphonium. In this sense, the deeper mouthpieces help you get the right sound, but with a cost that some of the lightness and projection in a more horn-like sense tend to get lost. I think the SM-series and Alliance mouthpieces are really ideal for euphonium players doubling on baritone. If you play the baritone like a baritone you can get the dark sound without the deep cup.

Barry,ya took the words right out of my mouth.....+1

[iiipopes]

Euphonium players tend to play baritone as if it were a euphonium.

And I am an American hybrid bell-front horn player, Wessex BR115, not a euphonium player, converted from both trumpet and tuba, filling in a hole in my community band. So my approach to the instrument is even different, having to approach from the perspective of blending with both woodwinds and brass. For me, the only drawback to using a 6 1/2 AL was a little bit of graininess in the low register, which the King SBBA did solve, but I like the response of the SM6 Ultra better. With my bell front, I'm always getting "the hand," even when playing a tutti section with trombones.