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Custom Mouthpieces for the 21st Century
Discussion Panel - Wednesday, 3:30 p.m.
Today's foremost custom-mouthpiece makers participated in a panel discussion hosted by Jon Faddis, who introduced the panel and asked for brief observations concerning philosophies. The panel included Mark Curry, Louis DiOrio, Scott Laskey, John and
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Ken Titmus |
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Phyllis Stork, Bob Reeves, K.O. Skinsnes, Ken Titmus. After the introductions, Mark Curry stated that mouthpiece makers act as "mouthpiece counselors" getting their clients to
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Scott Laskey |
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accept new and different models. Scott Laskey (formerly employed by Schilke) related that Schilke believed it was easier to change the performer than to change the equipment. Laskey stated that he builds mouthpieces that get out of the way of the musician, leaving the player free to make music. Louis DiOrio mentioned the fact that a good mouthpiece is one that works well for a particular player. He also mentioned that a good mouthpiece is balanced in terms of volume.
Faddis asked the panel about their philosophies concerning heavy trumpets and mouthpieces and also inquired if there was any consistency in what trumpet players look for in a mouthpiece. Mark Curry stated that any modification you make to a mouthpiece
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Bob Reeves |
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would change the sound.
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John and Phyllis Stork Mouthpieces |
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In answer to the second question, Curry stated that most knowledgeable players know what they want concerning equipment. It is the mouthpiece maker's job to steer them in the right direction. Ken Titmus suggested that extra weight on a mouthpiece makes the sound easier to control but the highs and lows disappear leaving a megaphone effect. Scott Laskey responded that most people do not know what they want. He suggests that the choice of equipment should be based on the music being played. Laskey believes his job is to help musicians create the music they want to create. Phyllis Stork mentioned she was happy players are taking more of an interest in the affect of the mouthpiece on sound production. She believes that
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Louis DiOrio |
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players today want a dark tone color but they can go too far.
Faddis questioned the panel about the differences
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K.O. Skinses |
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between what a player hears when playing and what the mouthpiece maker hears. Phyllis Stork suggested that players have a strong sound concept in their head and they work on trying to make that sound instead of trying to play efficiently. Bob Reeves stated that players must realize what they are hearing is a reflection, while the mouthpiece maker is in a better position to hear the sound accurately. Scott Laskey added that no player really knows how he or she sounds, but they generally play by feel. Laskey explained that a mouthpiece maker needs to be able to realize the player's expectations. He also advocated questioning a mouthpiece maker to determine their concept of sound making sure it closely mirrors that of the player.
At this point the floor was opened for questions. One gentleman asked how makers deal with the changing feel of mouthpieces as a player gets fatigued during a mouthpiece session. Phyllis Stork suggested that if the problem was really obvious, there are physical aspects to be addressed. A second person asked how important it was for the mouthpiece to fit into the receiver. K.O. Skinsnes stated that the gap between mouthpiece and receiver was very important because it affected the tuning of the octaves on a trumpet. Faddis closed the discussion by urging young trumpet players to seek out experienced professionals for help with choosing a mouthpiece. (Joseph Bowman, D.M.A. student, Arizona State University) |
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