Mouthpiece (brass)

A tool tip is the part of a wind instrument, which the musician continues to blow into the mouth and the instrument through it air. Depending lying underlying operating principle (with brass instruments, the cushion whistle or woodwind instruments, the three different types of tongue ) it has different physical influences on the sound engine. (For the operation, see also at: brass instrument or woodwind instrument )

• 2.1 mouthpiece for easy reed
• 2.2 for double -reed mouthpiece

Mouthpiece for Brass Instruments

Brass instruments are usually equipped with a detachable cup-shaped mouthpiece ( trumpets, trombones, tubas ) or a funnel mouthpiece ( French horn ). You are not the actual tone generator, but only the transmission element of the air pulses from the lips of the musician to the next instrument. The exact size of the individual mouthpiece is brass instruments depending of the used, anatomical conditions and the sound needs of the musician ( cited in the following dimensions are exemplary only ). Vincent Bach explored practically one of the first systematically the relationships between the individual components of the mouthpiece.

Rim diameter

This is chosen according to the mostly blown frequency range ( tonal range ). Determines the inner edge diameter and thus supports the vibrating portions of the lips.

Although a horn is two to three times longer than a trumpet, the inner diameter of the mouthpiece 16 up to 18 mm is about the same, because the played tone range is also about the same.

When the trumpet, the same length as the B horn, this level is about 25 to 30 mm.

The Tuba (F- Tuba corresponds to the F horn length, B- tuba is B- double horn length ) used sizes with about 30 to 35 mm.

Edge shape

The edge shape as well as their width is selected individually by the wind, sometimes it is not clear designatable criteria. Generalizing is said:

• A wide rim feels (especially in low tones ) easily and is recommended for untrained blower.
• A narrow margin increases the accuracy at closely spaced ( high ) tones (also normal position of the French horn ), but requires more practice and lip force.

Since a more powerful pressure increase of the mouthpiece lip their muscle tone, and thus the frequency of its vibration, a higher sound can be generated by this physical " presses". This, however, prevents the necessary blood flow to the lip muscles, thereby allowing a faster fatigue occurs. The danger of crushing the muscle is given due to lack of pain feedback especially with insufficient physical training ( " wrong approach " ) and stomatological mistreatment ( severed nerves in the tooth root operation ).

Inner shape as a boiler or funnel

The geometric interior shape of the mouthpiece is fundamentally sound influential. The "U" tank shape creates more overtones and the sound is "sharp" and "bright" as the trumpet, a "V" funnel shape produces less overtones and the sound is soft and dark as in the wings horn or French horn.

Furthermore, favors a mouthpiece with

• Larger rim diameter and deep tank ( = large volume ) a full and warm tone.
• Small rim diameter and shallow boiler ( = smaller volume ) a bright and sharper tone.

In jazz, an extremely shallow cup or a double boiler ( another small boiler in the transition to the soul ) used to produce very "sharp" and "sharp " (very obertonhaltige ) sounds sometimes.

In historical instruments ( baroque trumpet, sackbut ), there are sometimes very large boiler in conjunction with each extremely sharp edge inside edge and transition to the soul.

Soul and backbore

The soul ( well bore ) is a short cylindrical piece or the narrowest diameter between the boiler hoppers or the rear hole. Typical dimensions are for:

• Trumpet, Cornet, Flugelhorn: 3.6 to 4.4 mm
• French horn, Wagner tuba: 3.8 to 4.8 mm
• Trombone: 5.8 to 8 mm
• Tenor horn, baritone horn: 5.6 to 6.5 mm
• Euphonium: 6.6 to 7.2 mm
• Tuba: 7.6 to 8.6 mm

The rear hole is the beginning of the conical tube of the instrument, its concrete scale model-specific basis determined by experimentation and is generally divided, for example, at Trumpets in 5 different categories: Eng, halbeng, medium, half far and wide. In general, standard trumpet mouthpieces are called " halbeng " delivered ( for example, Bach " 7C "). The return bore is formed by boring the inner cone with a lathe tool, or by machining with a correspondingly shaped reamer. The geometric cross-section may be formed from concave to linearly tapered ( truncated conical ) to convex.

Soul and backbore have a decisive influence on the tone stability and its production while playing music. Based user can vary its actual dimensions, each blower chooses based on his subjective sensations an individual mouthpiece. Physically include both elements already to the actual instrument and affect its intonation considerably.

Mouthpiece shank

Mouthpieces have a tapered shaft (now usually taper ratio 1:20 KV ) with which they are put into the mouth tube of the instrument. Thus, they are individually selectable, has the absolute size in the different kinds of instruments practically equalized in the last decades. For the trumpet and flugelhorn (three sizes), there is generally only one size. Today, common in the higher pitched instruments ( from B -flat trumpet and up) are the following sizes ( measured at the beginning of the stem ): Cornet: about 8.7 mm with an English short shaft or long shaft American, American flugelhorn: about 9, 5 mm, German flugelhorn: about 10 mm, Trumpet: about 10 mm. Replicas of old baroque trumpets frequently have the same shaft as Tenor Trombones with 10.8 mm.

Mundstückbau

Because of the diverse Maßausführungen some mouthpiece makers workshops have specialized in the Mundstückbau that offer a standard range, but can also make customized designs.

Material

The base material used is brass in most cases. Since the mouthpiece is in direct contact with the lips constantly damp, a galvanic coating of silver is common. Also, gold or titanium are used.

Meanwhile, it is also possible to produce Mouthpieces Lexan, a polycarbonate, which is crystal clear and can easily be dyed in any color. The material is suitable for both cold and warm environment for, as it quickly adapts to the body heat.

The mouthpiece for zinc and Serpent is usually made of African Blackwood, horn or ivory.

Mouthpieces for Woodwind Instruments

Most woodwind instruments are equipped with a reed mouthpiece (also see tongue ) equipped.

However, some instruments have mouthpieces that work like a whistle. The best known representatives are the recorder and the whistle, but also some more exotic instruments such as the Irish tin whistle are equipped with such a mouthpiece.

Mouthpiece for easy reed

The mouthpiece with a single reed is shaped like a duck's beak and open at the bottom. This opening is almost closed by the reed. When blowing the reed gets into vibrations, the sound is produced. The pitch affected by the approach of the players and the pressure of the lower lip, the pressure of the air column, by a corresponding expand (similar to the normal yawn ) or narrowing of the pharynx and the damper position of the instrument. Mouthpieces with a single reed are used in many single-reed instruments, of which the clarinet and saxophone are the best known.

To attach the sheet to the path of the mouthpiece is either wound several times a string around reed and mouthpiece and knotted or the sheet is clamped under a metal or plastic clip by hand with one or two terminal screws. These screws can be arranged on the top or bottom, depending on the choice of the player.

In the longitudinal direction of the sheet can be freely positioned so that it is either flush with the pointed end of the Mouthpiece closes ( the normal case), is slightly above or slightly shorter ranges. It is about magnitudes of fractions of a millimeter, a maximum of about two millimeters in both directions. Basically, an instrument can blow easily if the blade is about something.

The mouthpiece is made with the blade down ( to the lower lip down ) in the mouth, the incisors press directly on top of the mouthpiece. This latter is not too fast chewed mechanically, a rugged rubber patch is often ( almost like a bicycle tube patches ) glued on top of this.

Mouthpiece for double -reed

When you double -reed the player takes the sheet completely or partially in the mouth, thus forming a variable wind capsule in which the leaves can swing. Among the double-reed instruments include, for example, the oboe, the bassoon and the contrabassoon.