[Trombone-l] Mouthpiece advice

[eliezer aharoni]

My advice is: do not change to large mouthpiece till you develop a secure
good sounding high register,
otherwise the student will have to fight more and high register development
will be slower and less efficient.




>I need the advice of those of you who have experience teaching developing
>young trombonists.  What is your opinion about changing mouthpieces to a
>larger cup/bore with young students?  What do you take into consideration in
>deciding on mouthpiece size and how do you determine when it is time to make
>that change (assuming that most students will start on something comparable
>to a Bach 12C, which has always been my standard recommendation)?  Here is
>the situation that prompts this question and makes me question what I have
>believed and recommended about mouthpieces in the 15+ years I have been
>giving private trombone lessons.
>
>I have a new private student who is a 7th grade boy - has played for a
>little over a year.  He has a great attitude and has worked hard on the
>material I have given him in the 3 lessons we have had so far.  This past
>weekend he played in a trombone trio at a district solo/ensemble festival.
>He was pleased that the group had played well and received positive marks
>and comments from the judge, a retired band director and trombonist who has
>judged students of mine in years past and who has always seemed right on
>with his comments and observations.  My student told me that the judge
>talked with the trio after their performance and recommended to him that he
>get a larger mouthpiece to help open up his rather thin, weak sound.  He
>suggested that this student get a Bach 5G.
>
>My immediate response was "Boy, (student), that is an awfully large
>mouthpiece for a 7th grade student."  I have always waited to move a student
>to a larger mouthpiece until they have developed a strong embouchure, a
>solid 2-octave range, and a well-supported open sound on the smaller
>mouthpiece.  The recommendation of the judge goes against my teaching
>philosophy from all of these years, but.......  Teaching practices do
>change, and I am certainly open to new ideas. I do have a great deal of
>respect for this judge's opinion based on his previous track record.  Do I
>need to rethink my ideas about mouthpieces?
>
>Any advice/opinions on or off-list would be appreciated.
>
>Bob Woodard
>Small After School Studio Teacher of middle and high school brass students
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Trombone-l mailing list
>Trombone-l at maillists.samford.edu
>http://maillists.samford.edu/mailman/listinfo/trombone-l

Eliezer Aharoni
Former Bass Trombonist, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra
Author: New Method for the Modern Bass Trombone
Avilable from Hickey's (USA) Warwick, MusT (England)
POB 4025, Jerusalem ISRAEL 91040
Phone ++972 2 5341333 cell 0503 868866