"clocking" mouthpieces

[bloke]

In general, I find that - when I put the small end of the mouthpiece into the receiver - I get better results, so I put a white dot on the small end of the mouthpiece and a white dot on the mouthpiece receiver so I can always orient the mouthpiece the same way and hopefully achieve the same results.

[ken herrick]

Obviously, WAY too much time on your hands if you have to clock your mouthpiece!

[jtm]

Somebody makes some non-round mouthpieces (can't be turned on a lathe, so they're CNC'd). Those might work best if you orient them right.

[Snake Charmer]

Sounds wise. When I put the big end of my mouthpiece (Sellmansberger Solo) into the big end of my tuba it makes a strange sound, some type of clonk I wonder if the Imperial would sound different

[BramJ]

Sounds wise. When I put the big end of my mouthpiece (Sellmansberger Solo) into the big end of my tuba it makes a strange sound, some type of clonk I wonder if the Imperial would sound different

You need to put the small end in first, that will create a nice sharp magic dent to fix flat notes

[Mary Ann]

What I find most interesting is to put enough tape on the shank of my horn mouthpiece so it will stay put in the tuba receiver, and play that way. Or the opposite -- slip the tuba shank over the receiver end of my horn and play it that way. It's a good game for "behind the screen what instrument is this I'm playing" games. I have not yet tried the tuba with an oboe reed, but might be fun to see what a bassoon reed sounds like. I'm sure that has been done by other bored engineers.

[arpthark]

What I find most interesting is to put enough tape on the shank of my horn mouthpiece so it will stay put in the tuba receiver, and play that way. Or the opposite -- slip the tuba shank over the receiver end of my horn and play it that way. It's a good game for "behind the screen what instrument is this I'm playing" games. I have not yet tried the tuba with an oboe reed, but might be fun to see what a bassoon reed sounds like. I'm sure that has been done by other bored engineers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P._D._Q._Bach#Tromboon

[bloke]

real comment:

If I had a bad scratch in a rim or a bad dent in a shank end, I might "clock" that mouthpiece.

As far as various mouthpiece manufacturers over the years who have experimented with curved surface rims, to me (??) that seems to accomplish more rim contact against the face, and I'm always seeking less. People are different.

For those who actually think (or know) that they experience different things by turning undamaged mouthpieces different ways, I wonder if they would still experience those things if they did a really good job of cleaning out those mouthpieces' back-bores.

[windshieldbug]

I find that I often get better results if I "clock" posts...

[Three Valves]

Before a free throw, always bounce the ball three times.

THREE!

[bloke]

Before a free throw, always bounce the ball three times.

THREE!

Other quirks - and I've brought attention to them before - are those who cock their heads sideways when breathing before playing the next phrase (and quite a few of these are highly accomplished players), and another one is moving the #1 slide in seemingly meaniless directions to seemingly pointless positions, including having it land in all sorts of different positions when playing the very same pitch later in a phrase or in a subsequent phrase.

I'm not sure how many people really understand Gene Pokorny's quote about pulling slides for tone. It's obvious to me that he meant that making the instrument the correct length improves the tone, rather than lipping - which can compromise the tone. I wonder if some people actually think that simply moving the slide around improves the tone.

[MikeS]

I sometimes wonder how some of the folk on this board manage to even get a sound out of their instruments. You can’t possibly know how to orient your mouthpiece shank without taking into consideration the barometric pressure, wind speed, and local tide information. I arrive early for every rehearsal and performance so I have time to set up my portable weather station. That data can be downloaded to a NOAA supercomputer and merged with my astrological chart. The whole process takes about an hour and a half, costs less that $1000 and requires less than 150 pounds of equipment. It’s a minimal investment if you are going to take your music seriously.

[bloke]

I'm relieved to see that you are using one of those Chinese solar panels made of petroleum products, so that you can save the planet while you're doing all the rest of that stuff.

[jtm]

What I find most interesting is to put enough tape on the shank of my horn mouthpiece so it will stay put in the tuba receiver, and play that way. Or the opposite -- slip the tuba shank over the receiver end of my horn and play it that way. It's a good game for "behind the screen what instrument is this I'm playing" games. I have not yet tried the tuba with an oboe reed, but might be fun to see what a bassoon reed sounds like. I'm sure that has been done by other bored engineers.

A bassoon bocal fits in a trombone mouthpiece receiver, and that makes a fun and useful instrument. Use it for the PDQ Bach parts that call for a double-reed sackbut.

edit: Oops. That's what I get for answering before reading.

[Three Valves]

I sometimes wonder how some of the folk on this board manage to even get a sound out of their instruments. You can’t possibly know how to orient your mouthpiece shank without taking into consideration the barometric pressure, wind speed, and local tide information. I arrive early for every rehearsal and performance so I have time to set up my portable weather station. That data can be downloaded to a NOAA supercomputer and merged with my astrological chart. The whole process takes about an hour and a half, costs less that $1000 and requires less than 150 pounds of equipment. It’s a minimal investment if you are going to take your music seriously.

Mr. "Expert" didn't even mention the humidity!

[MikeS]

Mr. "Expert" didn't even mention the humidity!

There is nothing in the scientific literature to support the theory that humidity is a relevant consideration in mouthpiece shank orientation. I use the humidity reading primarily to determine what viscosity valve oil to use. I am thinking about adding a seismometer to assist in determining chair height and a magnetometer just ‘cause it would look cool.

[Rick Denney]

I find that I often get better results if I "clock" posts...

I find that I often get better results if I "clock" posters...

Rick "metaphorically-wise-speaking, of course" Denney

[bloke]

Speaking of which...

I'm thinking that giving someone one of these would be far less trouble than - continuously - knocking on their front door and clocking them in the chin (which could easily define either retaliatory behaviors or - at best - close shaves).

[Three Valves]

If you could combine that chin stop with a tone bridge I think you could be on to something!

[Rick Denney]

Don't laugh. I think I'm going to make something like that to help me with the shakes. It helps, but at present I have to use my left fist between the bell and my forehead, which is inconvenient to say the least.

Rick "fighting the long losing battle" Denney