I got to try the Schilke SYMPHONY SERIES for bass trombone! | Mouthpiece Spotlight

[@SamuelPlaysBrass]

Have you checked out virtuosityboston.com yet? No? Well, what are you waiting for? Go have a peek!

[@LowBrassU]

"Is the juice worth the squeeze" The eternal question of big bass trombone equipment...

[@SamuelPlaysBrass]

Could not have thought of a better way to phrase that question. Anyhow, in this case, the juice took too much squeezing from my end (literally-those high notes were hard work!)

[@aroundreality7290]

Don't worry about a 59 being your optimal choice. I play bass trombone, too, and the mouthpiece I use is similar to a 58.

[@SamuelPlaysBrass]

Yeah, not totally fussed. I tend towards large equipment on high brass for sure, and generally on the larger side of things for horn and euphonium, but if I sound and feel better on a 59/0AL versus a 60, I’m not going to bother upsizing, given how infrequently I play bass. The 0AL has treated me extremely well. It’s the exact tipping point where I get the biggest low register without significant harm to my mid/upper (partial shifts are still pretty easy above the staff and the tone maintains focus). Any larger and I immediately start slipping into bad technique and strained high notes. Any smaller and I do unfortunately start to lose some of the meat on the bones.

[@Jarhead-ji3lq]

Hey man! You’ve gotten a lot better on bass trombone!

[@SamuelPlaysBrass]

Nah dude, this was summer of 2022 and I was cringing hard enough to give me a headache listening to these clips last week while editing… To be clear, I really appreciate that coming from you but I hope I’m better than that these days.

[@user-eo7lm9ok1r]

Great sounds throughout my friend! I liked your sound best on the M6.0d and thinks it fit you well in terms of sound and think it seems very versatile even though I havent tried any Schilke bass trombone mouthpieces and wouldnt know from first hand experience. Also I agree with your thoughts towards the end about how companies should offer various throats and depths on various rim sizes, aside from Greg Black Mouthpieces, I really dont see enough companies doing this.

[@SamuelPlaysBrass]

Well, since you mention GB, maybe that would be the next avenue for me to check out! If they offer more cup and backbore customizability I might very well be able to dial in my sound a bit more. Just a little tough to justify the cost on something like that.

[@peternaryd_operasinger]

Great video Samuel!🤗👍👍

[@SamuelPlaysBrass]

Thank you!

[@peternaryd_operasinger]

You're so welcome!

[@musicnerd436]

I just ordered a second hand mouthpiece with a 27.4mm rim, a 17mm cup diameter, and a 3.6mm bore. I normally play in orchestra and I'm not too experienced in mouthpiece finding. I'm looking a collosal sound. Do you think I made the right choice?

[@SamuelPlaysBrass]

Hang on, are we talking about trumpet mouthpieces when you say 17mm cup diameter? Also, considering everyone’s chops respond differently to different equipment, I really can’t say whether it’ll be the right choice. 17mm is a good diameter for many orchestral trumpet players seeking a large sound (it’s what I use, albeit with a deeper cup) but YMMV.

[@musicnerd436]

I just need to make sure it's a big mouthpiece as that's what I'm looking for. The advertised cup diameter said 'medium' and I just need to be sure if I made the right purchase or not.

[@M4tth3wC]

where did you get your mouthpiece stand? it looks really cool and i need a better looking display choice hahaha

[@SamuelPlaysBrass]

It’s just a spool rack I found at the brass repair shop where I was working at the time. I think most crafts or home goods stores should have spool racks like this one.

[@GordonHudson]

I'm thinking about buying a valve trombone. I need something for lower parts. Baritone horn would make more sense but it's harder to mic up. Bass trumpets seem to expensive. Over to the dark side.

[@SamuelPlaysBrass]

Hi Gordon, there definitely are some ‘pros’ of the valve trombone: many decent ones can be had for very cheap, then tend to get along much better with smaller mouthpieces (easing the transition for trumpet players), and they tend to be easy to play in the top register given just how cylindrical they are. They’re tough to get much use out of in the gigging world, and do tend to come off very harsh and bright, but if you’re just looking to dip your toes into the low brass world, I do think the valve trombone or Eb horn would be an ideal starting point. FWIW, bass trumpets are just stupid. They’re stuffier, more compacted valve trombones with, as you said, ridiculously high price tags, not to mention horrific ergonomics. They are fun, in spite of all that, but there are other low brass that do the job too.

[@GordonHudson]

@@SamuelPlaysBrass I know someone who is selling a used Getzen valve trombone for similar price to the cheap Chinese ones. Just fed up playing pedal notes on the trumpet trying to cover things. It never has enough volume and never sounds good.

[@SamuelPlaysBrass]

@@GordonHudson That’s what happened with my Eterna flugel-got offered a price comparable to a Chinese horn for a 4-valve that even in the typical register has proven itself much more consistent than the ACB I was using beforehand.

[@GordonHudson]

@@SamuelPlaysBrass That's how most of my instruments have been bought that way. My Selmer piccolo, Courtois flugel and Schilke S22 cost a total of £2325. A new Bach Strad costs £3200 here!

[@domepiece11]

Why not blow money on French horn instead? :P Maybe hit 4 octaves.

[@zhiyaxue5064]

Bro u better stay practicing on the smaller end,those deep cups really got you drained

[@SamuelPlaysBrass]

@@zhiyaxue5064 (a) These clips are old and were taken before I really started practicing hard and having ensemble experience on the bass trombone. That was unfortunately just the time frame in which VMI wanted my feedback on those mouthpieces. (b) As mentioned, I ended up finding better clarity, articulations, endurance, tuning, etc. on a Denis Wick 0AL which isn’t particularly small. It’s not always as simple as “go bigger” or “go smaller.” With that said, I can’t fathom why Schilke only offers the Symphony series on a 60 diameter. That’s just madness.

[@musicofnote1]

Schilke 59 is monstrous compared to a Bach 1.5G. Two different worlds. Personally, from your sound, IMHO, you're, as we say "falling into the mouthpiece". Core is lacking except when you pump it. Now do a 4 octave arpeggio on one breath from pedal b-flat to high b-flat. I'd be surprised if you make the high b-flat, but on those Schilkes - too large for the entire range. Listening to you, I'rd recommend a Bach 1.25GM, maybe Megatone. Or as wrote on the short, a Griego Markey 82 or 85. Much more balanced pieces. Bigger isn't necessarily always better!

[@SamuelPlaysBrass]

This situation was unfortunate in a couple of ways-it was just before I got to have ensemble experience on the bass trombone (later that year I played it in symphony orchestra and then the following year in jazz band) and additionally I didn’t really have a say in which mouthpieces I was trying-Virtuosity just sent them to me. Considering they are both based on the 60, I think they were much too large for me then as well as now. My weapon of choice these days is the Denis Wick 0AL, which I found to have a fuller sound than a 1.5G, but not too much of a compromise up high. The Megatone 1.25GM was indeed a size I was considering because of the throat and backbore-the difficulty is in trying to find one to try or at least a used one to purchase, rather than dropping big bucks straight off the bat. I’ll keep the Markeys in mind too.

[@musicofnote1]

@@SamuelPlaysBrass Although I have Markey 82, 85, 87 & 90, I mostly play the 82 and when I need a little more breadth and weight, I play the 85. the 82 is 28.04 (110) 7.77 (.306“), while the 85 is slightly bigger: 85 - 28.32 (111) 7.77 (.306“). They cost me $227 from Thomann and you get 30 days to try them. I can play the 87 & 90 but they are realistically too large for me. It takes so much strength to keep the embouchure live in the cup, that my endurance suffers greatly. The great part is, that when I record myself, I cannot hear the difference between the 85, 87 &90. The 82 sounds like a very good Mt. Vernon 1.5G, but feels so much better on the chops to play. These things are so individual though.