TromboneChat

Hi I currently play on a Greg black 1 1/2 g bass mouthpiece. It’s great for solos and for smaller ensembles but I feel it’s too big for jazz band but small for the wind symphony. I would like some recommendations. I’d prefer both mouthpiece to be Vincent Bach since those mouthpiece aren’t too expensive but I’ll buy anything. Thanks!

I play on a pretty hefty shires custom bass trombone

What about it feels big? GBs can feel a bit "legit" for some settings, it may be the right size but the wrong match.

If you like that general size, a Bach 1 1/2G is probably more the right style.

A big Shires is also not always the right tool for the job.

Burgerbob wrote: ↑Sat Jun 24, 2023 10:31 pm What about it feels big? GBs can feel a bit "legit" for some settings, it may be the right size but the wrong match.

If you like that general size, a Bach 1 1/2G is probably more the right style.

A big Shires is also not always the right tool for the job.

For jazz band my tone just feel very big compared to the rest of the section and it’s kind of hard to blend in, I’m looking for a sharper and less big tone for jazz. I currently only have access to the shires bass trombones

americanbozo wrote: ↑Sat Jun 24, 2023 10:39 pm

Burgerbob wrote: ↑Sat Jun 24, 2023 10:31 pm What about it feels big? GBs can feel a bit "legit" for some settings, it may be the right size but the wrong match.

If you like that general size, a Bach 1 1/2G is probably more the right style.

A big Shires is also not always the right tool for the job.

For jazz band my tone just feel very big compared to the rest of the section and it’s kind of hard to blend in, I’m looking for a sharper and less big tone for jazz. I currently only have access to the shires bass trombones

Sounds like a big Shires!

I'd try a Bach 1 1/2G to see if you can dial things back, but also think about some more focus from your own playing as well- it's good to have the ability to change sounds and approaches on any equipment

What does your teacher say?

Your profile states you are 16, playing alto/tenor/bass, how do you structure your practice? Which is your main instrument? If bass is your main instrument, if so is your teacher a bass bone player? If not then have some lessons with a pro bass bone player.

I ask these questions because what you think maybe happening, in reality probably isn’t the case, a good teacher will listen and advise.

There are several well known bass trombonists who will hopefully chime in, but your first port of call must be your trombone teacher, and if you do not have one then get one!

If it were me, and there aren't a lot of low Cs or low Bs in the part, I'd take a large bore tenor instead of the bass for that group. Put a 2G in the tenor and it will be a brighter sound. You're not going to get a bright sound out of a shires bass regardless of what mouthpiece you put in it.

In a big band I play with, I use a normal bass bone, but most of the tenors are on large bores, and the guys like the big sound down there. If you're playing with small tenors, you might want to size down to match their sound.

Although I have to say, in most high school groups, the main thing is playing the notes in time in tune and as marked. Wringing your hands over hardware in high school is probably overkill.

Something you may want to consider is swapping out the leadpipes using the mouthpiece you’re familiar with. Most people overlook that and go with what was in the slide, which is typically a 2 by default. You should have received 3 pipes: 1, 2, and 3 sizes. I find that students tend to gravitate towards the 1, very, very generally. I suspect that may help tilt the sound in the direction you’re wanting it as well

If you`re 16 , Just practice with what you have

americanbozo wrote: ↑Sat Jun 24, 2023 10:28 pm Hi I currently play on a Greg black 1 1/2 g bass mouthpiece. It’s great for solos and for smaller ensembles but I feel it’s too big for jazz band but small for the wind symphony. I would like some recommendations. I’d prefer both mouthpiece to be Vincent Bach since those mouthpiece aren’t too expensive but I’ll buy anything. Thanks!

I play on a pretty hefty shires custom bass trombone

In your profile it says that your bass trombone has a dual bore slide and a C tuning slide. That is indeed a hefty setup - extremely big and open. I would have trouble playing on that now as a middle-aged adult, never mind high school. How did you acquire that horn? Did you buy it used or were you fitted for it? You might want to see if you can trade for a single bore slide - you might find it much easier to manage. That was the case for me.

A Greg Black 1 1/2G shouldn't be too big. I believe that the Greg Blacks are slightly larger than the comparable Bach sizes, so for jazz band I'd go with what BurgerBob said and try a Bach 1 1/2G. A Schilke 58 would be a less pricey mouthpiece too, similar in size to the 1 1/2G.

You’re 16 years old and playing on a Shires with a dual bore slide. A Greg black one and a half G mouthpiece should not feel too big-in fact, it should be a great piece to use. I would start with the horn and I would also make sure that you have the proper amount of air behind the instrument when you’re playing. That’s a very large instrument for most players, who have been playing bass trombone for a long time.