The cup

Whether for beginners, soloists or advanced students, whether in a large orchestra or a big band, I recommend the largest cup diameter possible, and a large cup depth. You will not squeeze out any high notes with a large mouthpiece and it will allow a proper embouchure to be formed. As a rule, those who begin with a large mouthpiece make pleasant tones and have a good high register.

A big mouthpiece is more comfortable to play and makes good timbre possible. A mouthpiece with a deep, large?diameter cup has decisive advantages. The player is in a position to produce natural, compact and uniform high, medium and low registers. In addition, flexibility and lip control will consistently improve.

The cup forms of a trumpet mouthpiece, for example, are as follows:

The cup depth

Mouthpieces with a large cup diameter or a deep cup lower the fundamental tuning of an instrument, just as a mouthpiece with a flat cup raises it. A mouthpiece with a large cup diameter increases the volume, while a deeper cup gives the tone a dark quality. A flat cup results in a harder, brighter tone, but a deep cup makes it easier to produce high notes.

The proper depth for a mouthpiece depends on the tuning, length and the widthto?length ratio of the instrument. A flatter mouthpiece is used for a piccolo trumpet than for a C trumpet. Instruments in A and B flat require a deeper cup, and for the lower-still E-flat trumpet and horn, an even deeper cup is recommended.

Do not use a trumpet mouthpiece with a flugelhorn, as it changes the fundamental pitch of the instrument, making it too low. That instrument is best served by a mouthpiece with a deep cup, a large bore and a large backbore.