Category Archives: Mouthpieces

Alliance Brass : Mouthpiece Review

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Alliance Brass mouthpieces were launched in 2006 by Roger Webster, former principal cornet with Black Dyke and Grimethorpe. Initially these were for the brass band world to accompany Besson instruments but in more recent times, there have been some significant developments with their trumpet range.

Stephen Wick from Alliance Brass and Denis Wick Products was kind enough to send me two different models to put through their paces. Before I let you know what I think, here is what Stephen Wick has to say about them:

“The Alliance trumpet mouthpieces were designed with bodies considerably heavier than the standard Bach shape to create a mouthpiece which delivers a powerful sound and can project well. The mass is carefully distributed to achieve this effect without losing responsiveness. Some mouthpieces with extremely heavy bodies can feel very ‘dead’ and lacking in response. The idea behind the Alliance mouthpieces was to have just the right weight for the power and projection needed, but still be responsiveness enough to be enjoyable to play. The cups, bores and backbores are carefully designed to create a harmonious blend and optimal performance.

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The rims are designed to be super comfortable – round enough to be very easy to play but with a gentle curve which is enough to spread the pressure evenly. The mouthpieces are machined using specialist tooling so that minimal polishing is needed before plating. This ensures that the exact contours of the rim are preserved and not altered at all in the polishing process. The taper of the shank is carefully checked so that optimum ‘gap’ is achieved, resulting in a mouthpiece that produces a resonant sound that is immediately noticeable to the player.”

In this play-testing review, I chose to go in blind without knowing anything of the specifications of the two mouthpieces:

Alliance 4 (WAGR11-4)
The initial feel on the chops is that this is a nice ‘roomy’ classically orientated mouthpiece, reminiscent of a Bach 11⁄2C in feel, but perhaps with a slightly wider inner rim. There is a very quick response with this, and I find myself having to recalibrate my approach having been sucked into the Bach feel of the rim! Though brightly responsive, there is still a depth to the sound that I really enjoy. And after playing for a minute or so, I discover that I do not need to make as many adjustments to compensate for tricky intonation. I am also struck by the great balance of resistance in this mouthpiece, allowing ease of control in timbre and volume.
This is a nice balanced mouthpiece, suitable for classical all-rounders, offering a depth of sound for orchestral playing as well as the flexibility and brightness for chamber or solo contexts.

• Inner cup diameter: 17 mm
• Rim: 5.35 mm
• Bore: 3.7 mm
• Medium deep cup

Alliance 8 (WAGR11-8)
Now this immediately has a classic 7C feel. The rim is extremely comfortable with a medium deep cup. My initial reaction is that this would be the perfect mouthpiece for a beginning player as it is so easy to play and make a nice full sound. However, this is clearly not a typical ‘beginner’ mouthpiece. The sound is full, the intonation is even across the range, and there is an ease of flexibility especially in the upper registers. There is a nice character to this mouthpiece, probably offered in part by the extra outer mass compared to a standard beginner mouthpiece. The
I tried the model with gold rim, but I will certainly be recommending the slightly cheaper all-silver model to my beginner students!

• Inner cup diameter: 16.25 mm
• Rim: 5.63 mm
• Bore: 3.7 mm
• Medium cup

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Trumpet Artist Profile: Eric Miyashiro

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With a trumpet in his hands, Eric Miyashiro is a force of nature. The powerful sound, blistering range and flamboyant lyrical playing suggest a very different personality to the one that I met! Eric is one of the gentlest, nicest people that I have come across so I was thrilled when he agreed to spend some time doing this interview for Mouthpiece Online…

What drew you to the trumpet as a child?

My dad was a well-known trumpet player in Honolulu, Hawaii, so music and trumpet came naturally.  It was like a “toy” for me, I really don’t remember when I started to play!

Who are/were your main musical and trumpeting influences?

Well, there are sooooo many… my dad, Maynard, Bobby Shew, Snooky, Doc, Herseth, Vizzutti, Jerry Hey, Chuck Findley, Freddie, Stahl, Chase, Audino, Clark Terry, Faddis, Wynton… too many to list. I like everybody! I always try to find something in a player that I like, and then learn from them.

As a young pro, one of your first big touring band gigs was with Buddy Rich – What was it like as a young player going into that environment on lead trumpet?

To tell you the truth, I was too green to take that chair, I was not ready… but I think that Buddy saw something in me and he let me grow in to that chair. It was brutally a tough, difficult book to play. Buddy’s energy was so strong that you can’t help but to get caught up in that typhoon of power – it was real tough to try to keep up with him. But it was also the best, and the most fun I had on the road… I would not trade those years for anything!

You have worked with a few manufacturers over the years on custom mouthpiece and horn designs. Can you give us any insights on the design process from a players’ perspective, particularly in relation to your GR mouthpiece and Yamaha trumpet?

Over the years, I was able to meet and work with most of the famous makers. Each company has their own philosophy and systems in designing their products, some of them contradicted the others, but overall the science is the same. Yamaha and GR are at the highest level of product tolerance control in my opinion. To me, the horn and mouthpiece are just tools, it really doesn’t make you sound any different or better then you are capable… depending on how long the “honeymoon” period lasts!

But having a horn that is easy to work with is the key to letting your personal voice come through your playing. I have had about 600 mouthpieces, 47 Bb trumpets, 2 MF Firebirds, 5 flugels, 4 piccolos, 3 melophoniums and a superbone. I have tried all the gadgets known to mankind, and my conclusion is in the end, it’s you and your “voice” in your head that matters. You can change the way you sound by finding a sound that you want and need, that comes from listening, and trying to get a strong image etched in your head. Your priority should be finding equipment that is easy to handle. Only then can you concentrate on the music at hand, rather than fighting the horn, and blaming the horn and mouthpiece for your performances.

Mouthpieces are like your shoe size, bigger is not better! And resistance, from your horn or mouthpiece, is your friend. Learn how to use resistance. Lean against it, and let the resistance help to keep your buzz from opening up too much.

In some recent ‘clinics’ of yours that I attended, you discussed some really interesting approaches to playing high notes! You demonstrated with a leadpipe and some tissue paper that it is not necessarily about airspeed. Can you share some of your thoughts, theories on this? How did you come to start using these techniques?

I always knew from early on that it wasn’t all about the “Air”, “Tongue Arch”, “Pedal Tones” etc. Everything is important, and it’s about balance. We often base our playing on physics with fluid dynamic and acoustic theories. What we do is completely unique. There are very few detailed, and scientifically proven studies done on the physics of brass playing. Any studies are not accurate and reliable because of the player’s physical and personality differences.

The amount and the speed/pressure of the air is a factor that will come into play with the lip tension, tongue position, mouthpiece design, the horn, acoustical condition and the size of the room etc… and on and on… So many factors are involved, but one thing that is certain, is that we “overblow” when things are not working with the chops.

I know this because I am guilty of having done this for most of my life. So, I have been doing my share of studies and experimentation to figure what does and does not work. The bore size, bell size, venturi size, or the gap and drill size on mouthpieces does not necessarily determine the resistance. It is the balance between all of this, plus the most unstable factor, you and your preference.

For you, what are the key factors in keeping on top of your playing when you are travelling?

Sleep, (which is hard to do….) Lots of water, avoiding alcohol, (which is really hard to do)… and keeping your chops in shape by carefully maintaining the buzz centre and the mouthpiece position.

If you could give any advice to a teenage Eric, or suggest that he does things differently, what would you say?

Take lessons!!!! I have never taken a lesson in my life, I am self-taught so I have many bad habits!

Please visit www.ericmiyashiro.com to find out more.

To see the range of GR Mouthpieces, please visit Thompson Music and purchase with an additional 11% off over Thanksgiving weekend.

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Frate Precision: Interview and Mouthpiece Review

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Established in 2006, Frate Precision is the brainchild of trumpet graduate and expert metal-worker Dario Frate. From the facility in Lombardy, Italy they offer a broad range of mouthpieces that are growing in recognition and popularity around the world.Frate PrecisionDario has kindly shared some of his thoughts and experiences with me below, followed by a review from Jaime Tyser of Thompson Music, who has been playing these mouthpieces for a couple of years now.

Dario, how (and why!) did you get started with this? Can you tell us a little about your background?

HOW…

In 2004 I attended the Musikmesse in Germany where I saw numerous exhibitors, but I had the feeling that something in brass mouthpieces was missing.

Therefore I decided to try to create a new Italian mouthpiece dedicated to professional players.

When I was younger I graduated in trumpet studying with the trumpet players of the orchestra of Scala di Milano. Later I worked for 20 years in a big factory as a specialized programmer and expert metalworker on CNC machines – so I put together my knowledge of this along with my experience as a trumpet player!

WHY…

Working in mechanics is cold, but when through mechanics you can produce something that allows a musician to make art, it becomes the best job in the world. The mechanics are then at the service of the art.

I find it really gratifying to help other musicians.

The trumpet (like other brass instruments) is a special instrument – there is no external part that generates the sound, we are the sound producer so the trumpet becomes part of our body!

Frate PrecisionWhat were your priorities when setting out to put together a range of mouthpieces? What did you want to do differently to other manufacturers?

The market is already full of good mouthpieces and there is only space for something new if it is offering something different. The priority for me was the richness and fluidity of the sound. A mouthpiece that vibrates in an easier way thanks to its high quality materials and improved geometric shape. The result is a very different sound and response from our range of mouthpieces.

Before starting my company, I hadn’t worked for any other brass manufacturers so my products are not copies of mouthpieces that already exist.

Have there been any challenges that you have faced along the way?

Since starting in 2006 I have faced several challenges along the way, most importantly with myself!

It is a real challenge at the age of 40 to quit your job, design and make a new product, and start attending the international fairs… in another new language!

I know. You have to be a little crazy. I followed my heart and my passion as a trumpet player rather than reason!

What new developments are you currently working on?

At this moment I am improving the Classic model for trumpet with an another shank length – the medium length shank. It is another alternative option for C trumpet.

The standard length of our classic model is 87.5mm. The new medium length of the classic is 80mm and will be available in all combinations of cup, rim and throat. There are a number of backbores available for this model and it will be available in both classic and multigap.

In addition to this, there is also the short trumpet shank (74.5mm) that is really good for Eb and Piccolo – perfect intonation in all registers.

Jaime Tyser of Thompson Music, Nebraska USA has been using Frate Precision for a while now and has shared her thoughts with us:

My first contact with the Frate Precision mouthpieces was a few years ago when I was playing the 2nd book for the touring broadway ELF. The lead player on tour with them handed me a mouthpiece and said I should check it out! I took it to a church gig and played on it and I remember thinking, ‘wow! This thing has such a great sound!’ However, it was much too big of a diameter for me to get a really good feel for it.

I put it in the back of my mind for a while but it was in the fall of 2014 that I decided to order an experimental group for Thompson Music. There were a couple of reasons for this, it always stuck out in my mind as a product that had potential and I was searching for something a little better to play the 5th onstage part of Mahler 2 for. I ordered a size that fit me, and after a week of playing it I was completely hooked on it. While playing the Mahler, it allowed me to match the other players in sound color, while making it easier for me to move around from supportive lower notes to a few unison high ones. It was very easy to articulate cleanly as well which is so important!

The Frate Precision mouthpieces are very customizable as far as diameter, depth, rim contour, throat, and backbore. It is very possible to find the perfect match for you. The color of sound is very wonderful, I feel that it is a Bach type of sound, but with a lot more character and liveliness to it. The intonation is extremely good, when I play soft the response is still immediate and centered, and when I play loud the sound and pitch does not distort.

In the summer of 2015 I went to Traona, Italy to meet Dario Frate and see where he makes mouthpieces. (And let’s be honest, just to have an excuse to go to Italy). He is an extremely skilled machinist, each mouthpiece is able to be replicated perfectly each time and the designs of the backbores and other characteristics have been carefully thought out.

As I listen to more and more people in the store play these mouthpieces, I see them sell quickly and I hear the difference immediately. The Italian love for quality, a beautiful tone color, and captivating music is the foundation of these mouthpieces. I now own my first whole set of mouthpieces – trumpet, piccolo, flugel, and cornet – and I have loved each one from the day I got it! I am constantly happy with the ease of playability, pitch center, sound quality, dynamic capabilities, articulations, all of it!
– Jaime 3MS, 3, 106 – multi gap

For further information about Frate Precision, please visit:

Frate Precision website

For sales enquiries and for advice on which model to select, please visit our Online Store.

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What difference does mouthpiece material make?

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This is too a broad question and also very difficult to judge!  I ask it because I came across a now-discontinued Sterling Silver Yamaha 14B4 trumpet mouthpiece a short while ago and was very interested to find out…

1. What difference the silver makes…and

2. Why they were discontinued.

Question 2 is probably pretty straightforward to answer. Where they are still showing as available in the UK, the retail cost of them is around £300, which is most certainly not a price bracket that we are accustomed to with Yamaha.

What difference the silver makes requires some playing and listening, so I have lined up 3 mouthpieces that are all advertised as having the same rim and cup profiles from Yamaha and will test them on a Xeno 8335RGS and a Bach 180ML37:

Standard 14B4 Trumpet Mouthpiece

Custom GP (heavyweight) 14B4 Trumpet Mouthpiece

Custom 925 Sterling Silver 14B4 Trumpet Mouthpiece

I played each mouthpiece on both trumpets at a range of dynamics and registers using a variety of attacks and articulations. I took notes based on how they ‘felt’, and also recorded them closely-miked to get an idea of how they would perform for me in the studio. I also asked a trumpeter friend (although they may not be for much longer after the racket that I subjected them to!) to listen from the other side of the room and take their own notes.

The whole lot makes for a long (and not particularly interesting) read, so I have done a summary below and would very much welcome thoughts from other players (and indeed designers and manufacturers) on these and any other mouthpieces made from non-brass.

The Standard mouthpiece gives a nice even sound across the range, although it gets overly bright for me in the upper register and doesn’t really open out enough for my taste in the lower registers.  This is probably partly to do with the fact that although I generally have always played on 14 style (Bach 3) rims, I have also always opened out the throats to give less resistance.  The brightness and ‘edge’ that I was experiencing was also picked up on by my audient and to a lesser degree by my close-miked recording.

The Custom GP mouthpiece is also brass and has more mass around the outside of the cup.  Immediately I felt a huge tonal difference.  The sound was much more centred and had a richer and more solid tonal core across the registers.  I could not however get a brightness of sound (even on the 8335RGS) at louder dynamics that I would want.  Interestingly, my listener at the other side said that there was not much difference at louder dynamics to the standard model.  This was also the case listening back to the recording, suggesting that the biggest difference with the GP model is in feel and comfort from a playing perspective rather than necessarily in sound.

The Sterling Silver model has a similar volume to the standard (a bach-ish style blank) but is certainly a few grams heavier than the standard due to the material.  It felt instantly different – more tonal core (quite similar to the heavier GP), but surprisingly also a massively quicker response.  Unlike the GP model, what I was feeling as a richer sound did actually come across to the audience and the difference could clearly be heard on the recording.  Generally you would expect this from a tighter or shallower-cupped mouthpiece, but not necessarily from something like the 14B4.  The rim and cup profiles, the throat and backbore should all be the same as the standard model, however this mouthpiece responded completely differently.

I mentioned earlier that I generally open out my mouthpieces to a 25 or 26 throat. This silver model has a standard narrower 27 throat, yet has a strange combination of the open sound that you associate with a larger mouthpiece with the quick response and overtones that you can get from a smaller more resistant piece.

What do my fellow trumpeters think? I would be really interested to hear what you have thought about non-brass mouthpieces.  There are obviously a lot of options now available made out of synthetic materials and plastics. Has anyone experimented with metals other than brass, and is there scope and/or a financial viability for designers and manufacturers to explore this further?

Numerous mouthpiece options are available along with specialist advice from Thompson Music.

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