Use simple DIY physics to find the most in-tune mouthpiece for your trumpet

Apart from rim feel and tone colour the MOST important aspect of the relationship between the mouthpiece and the trumpet is that it makes the whole instrument play in tune - effortlessly, without manipulation and in cresecendo. The information in this video will allow you to DIY choose the best mouthpieces from your collection that achieve this and THEN you can sort them by tonal and rim preferences. No voodoo, no famous person opinions, just solid simple physics. Enjoy !

[@phillipbrander3545]

Thank you. Great info, can't wait to try it out with my mouthpieces. I would also be interested to learn how long the trumpet is with valves in open position and how much 2nd, 1st and 3rd valve each adds to the length of the trumpet tubing?

[@pcbroute]

Hello. Thank you for sharing this. It is works great. I see the list is on your sheet, but why 230Hz, shouldn't it be 233Hz (116,54)?

[@TresMamboMusicSchool]

The fundamental frequency is not important, its just a convenience. So it is more practical to record the trumpet with the tuning slide in a "normal" position and pitch shift the near bye value to 230 - just to make the maths easier. But if you wanted to record your actual pitch and do the maths on that - sure knock yourself out!

[@pcbroute]

@@TresMamboMusicSchool I get it. Thank you.

[@gauthierostervall4849]

In that case you should really be doing this for all valve combinations?

[@TresMamboMusicSchool]

Interesting point. I'll do some experiments about this and report back ! Thanks

[@gauthierostervall4849]

@@TresMamboMusicSchool Nice to hear. I also wonder what the same experiment would give without the tuning slide. Leadpipe buzzing slots in other slots than the harmonic series, and I wonder if that shows in the frequency analysis. If the analysis still gives the harmonic series, that would kind of moot the point, wouldn't it?

[@TresMamboMusicSchool]

@@gauthierostervall4849 No not possible. As I mentioned in the video the "trumpet" starts out as straight tube. Which has a series but not a harmonic one something near - a 9th, a minor 6th, a fourth etc - this is what you play and hear when you blow the pipe - something like E, F, D, G'', C''' etc. By ADDING the bell the the first two are forced into something like an octave the next into a fifth and then next into an actual 4th in tune with the others. This gives you Pedal + C G C. The tones above this a forced into sort of harmonic series but usual way sharp of the first three - this is the job of the MPC ...to LOWER 4,5,6,7,8...to make the whole series harmonic AND in tune. When we blow the pipe to warm up - the pitch is irrelevant only the sound. It DOES make sense however to find a mpc that is the LOUDEST on the pipe as this will give you loudest high notes, but the tuning is for the complete system. Hope that helps, Cheers Pete

[@301Alexhorn]

Clever idea to measure the impulse response of the instrument and look at the frequency spectrum!!!