User Manual

7
Yamaha Mouthpieces
Essential Mouthpiece Parameters
Rim Thickness
Although a thick rim provides greater lip
contact area for easy high notes and extended
endurance, lip movement is limited so you lose
tonal flexibility. A rim that is too thin offers plenty
of control over a wide range, but can quickly cause
fatigue. Beginning players are probably better off
choosing a rim of medium thickness, but the best
approach is to play a variety of types and choose
the one that feels the most natural and plays the
easiest.
Rim Bite
The bite of the rim has a large influence on
attack clarity and pitch control. Mouthpieces with
a sharp bite generally make it easier to produce
accurate, stable pitch and a rich tone. If the bite
is too sharp, however, lip control is limited and it
becomes difficult to make smooth note-to-note
transitions. A sharp bite can also be painful on the
lips and reduce endurance. At the other extreme
a round, very soft bite may be comfortable to
play, but will produce a blurred attack and poorly
defined pitch.
Cup Silhouette
Cup silhouette encompasses both cup depth
and shape. Shallow cups produce a brighter tone
and are more controllable in the higher register …
at the expense of volume. Deep cups offer a dark
tone, easy low notes, and plenty of power. Cup
shapes range from “U” shapes to “V” shapes. The
more “U” shaped a cup is, the brighter the sound
and the easier it is to play in the high register. As a
cup approaches the “V” shape the sound becomes
darker and the lower register becomes easier to
play. Some French horn mouthpieces employ a
“double cup” design — essentially a combination
of the “U” and “V” shapes — to facilitate playing
throughout the instrument’s range.
Cup Silhouette
Shoulder
Most “U” shape cups have a fairly sharp
shoulder which results in easy-to-play resistance
and a well-defined, bright sound. “V” shape cups
have a smoother, rounder shoulder which produces
low resistance and a soft, dark tone.
Throat Diameter
The throat is the narrowest portion of the
mouthpiece bore, and therefore the point of
highest sound pressure. The diameter and length
of this part of the mouthpiece have a major
influence on playing resistance. A narrow, long
throat produces high resistance which contributes
to fast response, brilliant tone, and enhanced
playability in the high register. A wide, short throat
is more playable in the low register and is capable
of producing greater volume — but requires lots of
air from the player and can lead to fatigue.
Brass