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Thread: Mouthpiece for playing baritone part on euphonium

  1. Mouthpiece for playing baritone part on euphonium

    Hi, I’ve googled this question and have had no success. What mouthpiece would be good for getting a baritone sound out of medium shank Willson euphonium? I’m prepping to play the baritone part in a community brass band that is BYOB(bring your own brass) and I want a more baritone sound from my euphonium. I currently play a few mouthpieces (wick 4am, bb1, 51D) but everything is very euphonium sounding. I like what I get from a 6 1/2 al with an adapter but I get a little too much vibration from the adapter. Thinking of the 6BM but I’m not sure if that is different enough from the 4am. 1. Is there already a thread about this? 2. Is it worth the time and money?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    West Palm Beach, FL
    Posts
    3,853
    Hi and welcome to the forum.

    Not sure changing a mpc you use on a euph will make it sound like a baritone. The sound has more to do with the bore and taper of the instrument. I was going to suggest you try a 6-1/2 AL but you’ve already tried that. Maybe a 6AM would help. I couldn’t find a thread on this either.
    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. #3
    I don't think any mpc will help. You'll just end up with a thin, bright euph sound. I would check around with any music stores in your area and see if they have any baritone horns for rent. I went this route for a community band performance of Lincolnshire. The music store had a real Besson baritone horn that they rented out to young students as a small euphonium. If you do this, make sure you get the brand and model so you can check that it an actual baritone. The music store may not know the difference.

    Mike

  4. I've been through this process. No amount of mouthpiece will make a euphonium sound like a baritone. I learned this when playing in a brass quintet. Sometimes, the piece will "call" for a mellow rich sound and the euphonium fits nicely with the horn, tuba, and trumpets. Sometimes, you really need a trombone. Same is true with baritone. The euph is just full and rich, even when played on a small mouthpiece (as in a 6 1/2AL with a medium to tenor adapter in your 2900). It will still sound like a euph. The sound will be "big" and fill the space, even if it is just a bit thinner than with the 4AM, 51D, or BB1.

    I find this true as I switch between baritone and euphonium. I play a 4AL on euph and a Bach 5G on baritone. I also have a Bach 5G (large shank) for doing warmup and daily routine on the euphonium on days when I will be playing baritone. I sound VERY different on the two instruments, even when using using similar mouthpieces.

    Doug

    PS. I got rid of my Holton Superbone because I found I COULD make the baritone sound like a trombone (almost). When I need to play both euph and trombone parts, I hide my baritone under the chair and switrch instruments when necessary.
    Adams E3 0.60 Sterling bell - Prototype top sprung valves
    Concord Band
    Winchendon Winds
    Townsend Military Band

  5. All the above. If you can't beg or borrow or buy a baritone in time for the rehearsals and concerts, play very lightly, knowing that you will overblow everybody else and the broader tone of a euph will cover the tone of the baritones. The only real stop gap measure to make due until you can get the proper instrument is to get a cheap 6 1/2 AL and blow lightly and try to blend.

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