Results 1 to 4 of 4

Thread: Off-center mouthpiece placement

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Tucson, where tacos are real.
    Posts
    32

    Off-center mouthpiece placement

    Many years ago, when I was a music major in college, I took a woodwinds-for-non-woodwinds-players class. I chose flute as my axe for the duration. In my method book, it showed a picture of a beautiful, perfectly formed oval embouchure. No such image appeared in my mirror. In fact, the book clearly said if your upper lip had too much of a "Cupid's Bow" in it, then flute was not for you. My mouth always formed something more like a flattened figure eight, which produced a bifurcated breath stream.

    Fast forward about 45 years. I have begun playing euphonium after decades of tuba. I have noticed if I play above a middle C, if my mouthpiece placement is not a little off-center, that same embouchure bifucation occurs, and I get a double buzz, with the two halves of my upper lip vibrating noticeably off from each other. I never noticed it with tuba, since the mouthpiece was so much bigger, and frankly, the notes were just plain lower.

    I have seen videos of many brass players with an off-center placement, including one of my euphonium idols, Glenn van Looy. I assumed it was due to the unique configuration of each player's teeth, but now I'm not so sure.

    Any thoughts, experience, with off-center placement and issues?

    Thanks.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    West Palm Beach, FL
    Posts
    3,853
    My mpc placement is not centered but a little to my right. It’s due to my teeth structure. When checked in the mirror with a visualizer (just the mpc rim) to the right of center is where my lips have its opening. I don’t worry about it.
    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
    Ditto to Rick's response. I play off center and it has to do with my front teeth. I've seen some famous folks who play off center and do very well indeed.

    Nothing to worry about. However, you need to be consistent (at least most people do). A certain amount of tissue deformation takes place, along with muscle development in specific spots. If you move off of that "sweet spot" you could get inconsistent vibration from the sweet spot and the a tissue you have just exposed by moving the mp to one side or the other.
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
    Facebook: davewerden
    Twitter: davewerden
    Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Tucson, where tacos are real.
    Posts
    32
    Good to know about the tissue deformation. I suppose it is natural to shift the mp around as you become fatigued, and from what you said, such shifting would be counterproductive in the long run.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •