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Thread: Trombone/euphonium mp's

  1. #1
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    Trombone/euphonium mp's

    I read in several places that trombone and euphonium mouthpieces are not interchangeable, but then I see mouthpieces advertised as trombone/euphonium mouthpieces. What are the facts?

  2. #2
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    Some trombone mouthpieces are also very good for eupho, like the Wicks, some aren't. I mean, you can still *use* them, but they are generally not considered to produce a 'proper' euph sound.

  3. #3
    Schilke also has some euphonium mouthpieces specified that are also trombone mouthpieces.
    Cerveny BBb Kaiser Tuba
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  4. #4
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    I agree that some trombone mouthpieces don't seem to produce the euphonium sound that I (or others) like. And I suppose vice-versa as well. I play both euphonium and trombone (a lot), so I have had the opportunity to switch mouthpieces around quite a bit. I can't remember which exactly, but I know I tried the Wick Heritage mouthpiece that I had for my trombone on my euphonium, and I didn't like the results at all.

    However, when I went to ITEC 2019 in Iowa, I took along my Demondrae Warburton mouthpiece that I love and have been using on euphonium (Miraphone, Wessex, Adams) for over 6 years so that I could try out and play on a bunch of euphoniums at the vendors displays. Adams had brought along a new trombone that I tried and eventually bought. I only had the Demondrae mouthpiece to try on the Adams trombone, and I really liked it. In fact, I immediately liked the trombone and that mouthpiece with it. I figured when I got home with the new trombone I would try all of my trombone mouthpieces and see which one I would use. I did, and surprise, I liked the Demondrae the best. So to this day, I use the Demondrae (gold plated version) for my Adams E3 euphonium and a silver Demondrae (the one that originally came with my Miraphone M5050) for my Adams TB1 trombone. This also happens to be really convenient in that I have exactly the same mouthpiece for both euphonium and trombone. I do, however, have to play them a bit differently, for instance, I don't want my trombone to sound like a euphonium.

    Another good example of doubling with the same mouthpiece is the Wick 4AL, which is listed as a trombone mouthpiece, but many euphonium players use it as their main mouthpiece.
    Last edited by John Morgan; 09-10-2020 at 11:32 AM.
    John Morgan
    The U.S. Army Band (Pershing's Own) 1971-1976
    Adams E3 Custom Series Euphonium, 1956 B&H Imperial Euphonium,
    1973 F. E. Olds & Son Studio Model T-31 Baritone
    Adams TB1 Tenor Trombone, Yamaha YBL-822G Bass Trombone
    Year Round Except Summer:
    Kingdom of the Sun (KOS) Concert Band, Ocala, FL (Euphonium)
    KOS Brass Quintet (Trombone, Euphonium)
    Summer Only:
    Rapid City Municipal Band, Rapid City, SD (Euphonium)
    Rapid City New Horizons Band (Euphonium)

  5. #5
    The Wick 4AL, which is probably one of the most popular euphonium mouthpieces, was designed as Denis Wick's personal orchestral trombone mouthpiece. Oddly enough, Wick used several vintage euphonium mouthpieces as design inspiration. Schilke 51D is one of the other most popular euphonium mouthpieces - I can't get a good trombone sound on it myself. It fits in the instrument and works, but it just doesn't work well. But I know a professional trombonist who uses it to good effect.

    Students often use smaller mouthpieces that are compromises between a characteristic sound on the instrument and something that fits their developing embouchure. For example, a 6.5al is often used for beginner euphonium players. You won't find too many pros using it because the sound is a little bit thin compared to larger and deeper mouthpieces, but it's very popular for students. Also works well with american-style euphoniums, etc. But it's kind of a mainstream mouthpiece for medium bore trombone and some jazz trombonists. You might even find a symphony player or two using them, although they are a bit on the small side

    so there certainly is some overlap between euphonium mouthpieces and trombone mouthpieces. But the truth is that the mouthpieces that are most popular for euphonium aren't usually the same ones that are most popular for trombone.
    --
    Barry

  6. #6
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    Very helpful information, thanks to all. I can't quite get my high register going in the larger mouthpieces. I'm an amateur comeback player, playing now for about 4 years after 50+ yrs away from playing. So I'm most comfortable with a 6 or 6.5 right now, but own larger mp's. I would like to get to the larger pro mp's at some point, but need to feel more secure in the high register right now. I'm secure in G, G# above the staff TC, but A and B are getting better - just not consistent. I'm playing an Adams Custom E1.

  7. #7
    I had a section-mate in a group I played in who used a Bach 6.5AL with his euph and I always thought he sounded great with it. Not a very popular euphonium mouthpiece for more experienced players I don't think, but I always enjoyed his sound on it.

    If you search YouTube you will come across some videos that Dave Werden posted recently comparing a Wick 4AL to various mouthpieces, including a Bach 5G and 6.5AL, both of which fall pretty squarely in the usually a trombone not euphonium mouthpiece category. Those videos are great for getting a sense of the types of sounds different mouthpieces can give.

  8. #8
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    That's interesting. My previous euphonium was a Jupiter, nice intermediate horn. It came with a Jupiter 6.5 AL which I got a good full sound with. That horn is up for sale now and I'm including the mp. So I was thinking of getting a Bach 6.5 to replace it. I do have a Warburton 6 and a SM6U, but I had a comfort level with the 6.5. I guess I need to work to develop my chops more with them.

  9. #9
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    One of my bands had a flugelhorn player play euph because our 2nd euph player suddenly couldn't attend the concert, and he used a... Wick 6BL I think? He borrowed my Willson and sounded really damn good on it considering how small and shallow that mouthpiece is.

  10. #10
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    I've actually considered a Wick 6BL.

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